So it wasn't a classic wave day BUT...

It was a good ridge and thermal day.
The front was a little late departing but by 1pm the westerly was up (15-20 knots on the ground) and the ridge was clearly working.
Rather than fanny about trying to cross over the Kaimai's in thermals and poorly marked wave I elected to tow over.
As did Kieth in GKM and Derek in GYR.

21 minute tow...not bad...at $3.50 per minute it's still cheaper than a 1500ft tow in paradise...sorry Omarama.

A few local Piako types turned up and we could hear some radio traffic out on the coast flying along the west coast beaches.

Nice to be back in the air after 2 months off...

The Westies Return.

Once this front clears over-night tomorrow should produce a classic ridge/wave day with some thermals tossed in for fun.

Winds of 15-25 knots from the W to SW all afternoon.
Thermals up to 6500ft later on in the day.

Finally....a day worth getting excited about and I've got some spare time.

Let's go gliding...

I'm thinking a quick 300km task up and down the ridge with a bottom leg to Tokoroa late in the day just to clear the cobwebs...
Failing that...sitting around drinking coffee and telling lies...your choice.

I detect a wee problem with the RASP...

With each run of the model the forecast conditions deteriorate.
So it is with today.
On Monday the forecast for Wednesday looked quite good...see the last post.
By Tuesday still looked OK but not quite as strong...
By this morning it looks pretty average...
Lower cloud bases, weaker thermals and more over development...

Still worth a go...but maybe not down to Taupo and back.

And here we are at 12 O'Clock and it's completely blue...not looking good.

Gliding...What's that???

I might go and find out on Wednesday.
Apparently there is a glider with my name on it down at the airfield.

Wednesday forecast looks OK for this time of the year, especially given the type of summer we have had this year...wet, cool and cloudy.

Bases 4-5000ft across the Bay and into the Waikato.
Light S to SE winds.
Probably some light convergences about the place.

Not much sign of overdevelopment.
Only risk is high cloud...there is some suggestion of bits of high cloud about which the RASP doesn't handle to well.

Likely task - Tga to Mangakino to Te Kuiti and home...maybe.

I'm not sure it'll be a "round the lake" day...not so good out east.

Back from the wintry south.

Five days in the Hollyford Valley. Great place.
Plenty of rocks, tree roots, river crossings, 3 wire swing bridges, deer and possums on the track. A decent dose of 1080 wouldn't go amiss here..
Quite a challanging 5 days...6-8 hour tramps each day. However good company and excellent DOC huts with enough room. Martins Bay on the coast is outstanding.
No gliders, cows, kids, kiwifruit or cell phones for a week...bliss...and only 1 day of rain.

I promise I'll get back to critiquing the local gliding scene as soon as I can get motivated to go flying...and when a certain dentist stops badgering about the puskil..piprestal...or whatever that 2 place compromise between a microlight and a glider is called. The next glider I buy will be an 18meter single seat flapped glider without a motor...