Saturday 17th October - Harting Down

Wind NNW-NNE 12-16MPH   The promising forecast did not realise as we were hampered by cloud being dragged in from the North sea.   A cold and overcast day saw some cumulus popping off for a short spell under the blanket of cloud. Louisa was first off followed by me and we both cored a weak climb to around 1600ft asl. Tim launched as we neared the top of our climb.   I headed off along the South Downs and passed two PG's soaring their 'secret site'. At this time the wind had a slight bit of West in it. The house thermal was evident again just 200 metres to the East of their take-off and I climbed with a sailplane to around 1600ft asl to give me easily enough height to cross the Cocking gap.   The wind strength was ideal and made ridge soaring the Downs easy all the way to the end and back. Lots of birds of prey evident again. Returning to the Cocking gap I past Tim on his rigid.   Here by the chalk quarry I tried for maybe 20 minutes to get a thermal to cross back and chickened out on my first attempt. 2nd go I attempted to cross with just 1127ft asl (about 400ft above the hill). I had reasonable air all along the glide and made it comfortably losing just 400ft.   Back at Harting Down was Neil Atkinson flying and I could see Louisa just going in to bottom land joining two others. She was shortly followed by another which may have been Shaun House but Tony Blackburn managed to top land.   I continued to fly around Harting region with Neil until I thought I'd see how Tim was getting on and waiting on the West side of the Cocking gap I watched Tim make it across but alas he was just a little to low and landed next to a farm on the West side of the gap.   Conditions worsened so I opted to top land as my hands were getting cold. An enjoyable if not spectacular day at Harting with another 38km out and return to add to the tally for the year.   Tony