Harting Wednesday 21st April

Wind on hill NNW 10-12 mph   Steve Gale and I turned up a little later than wanted and could see James Roy already ridge soaring. He bottom landed whilst we rigged. Tim and Wayne were rigging their Atos rigids too.   I declared an out and return to Devils Dyke, some 94.5 km was the gps reading. Steve and Tim decided to try it too and punched in the co-ords I supplied.   The wind was off to the West so not ideal for Harting. I took off at 12.50 and instantly cored a thermal. I was shortly followed by Steve and Tim, not sure what happened to Wayne but I know James had another try later.   At 2500 ASL I set off towards a wispy cu and got a 3 up climb. Had a couple of other small climbs before heading out in front of the hill before Cocking to take me to about 4000ft. It was soon apparent this was not as good as yesterday and I radioed saying I think I've over set the task.   Anyway pushing on I headed across the Cocking gap to another wispy cu and got a 5 up. Heading the other way was Steve Cook on his Phantom rigid who had come from Devils Dyke. He joined me in the thermal at the same height, we waved at each other, topped up what we needed and went different ways. Steve Cook continued towards Harting.   Climbs were regular but nothing spectacular all the way until I got to South of Parham. But after Parham no good formed Cu's but the odd wispy bits here and there. It got quite difficult and I nearly paid the price for pushing on too fast by ignoring weak and broken 2 up climbs.   Down to 1600ft ASL when just West of Steyning I spotted a wispy cu forming out in the flats and could see a field sheltered by a small forest. It's got to be coming off that field and going straight up in this light wind, so I glided a couple of km to it and arrived at 900ft when my luck turned good. I took a broken climb that turned into a 4 up and took me to around 4500.   Decisions, decisions were my thoughts, shall I head back as it really looks tough carrying on? I'll just try this wispy and if it works I'll do the last 10 km to the Dyke. Fortunately it worked and even more luck a decent cu was now forming 5 km from the Dyke so I took that one too.   Then a beautiful cu behind the Dyke was tempting but I ignored it to head back to Harting. Soon I was to rue that decision as the next 10 km I had nothing but sink and some very big 7 down stuff too. At 1100ft ASL next to Steyning a broken half up was found and looking up I saw Steve Gale pass overhead. He turned back in hope of getting a thermal he thought I was in but found out to his horror it was rubbish.   Soon Steve and I were at approx 1300ft, he'd lost a 1000ft looking for my thermal! We scraped around together for a while though never actually ridge soaring before a 3 up helped us. When at 2300ft I opted to try a wispy cu in the flats and it worked, which proved to be very significant. Steve stayed with the weak climb unaware I had left.   Climbing under the wispy cu I think I topped another 700ft before spotting another wispy forming nearer the ridge, that topped me up more and I proceeded after another wispy before spotting a better wispy forming just SW of Parham gliding club. This was 'the one' and it took me to 5500ft, I reluctantly left it whilst still climbing as I FL55 was right above me  but it was enough. Just before setting off I could see Steve Gale still stuck at Steyning where I left him.    Gliding cross the Arundal gap was mainly good air and it wasn't until reaching near Duncton I hit big sink. Just South of Graffham I hit a good one, no pointers of a cu for me it was just pot luck and I made good use of my fortune topping up to about 4500.   Next climb was just past the Cocking gap, I probably didn't need it but thought I'm not racing into goal in a comp and it would be a crying shame to fall short at this stage so topped up for a 9-1 glide in. Arriving at 2500ft over Harting took me a while to find sink!   I even pondered about carrying on a few km to try break the British record but thought that's being greedy as there was a lot of cirrus shutting out the sun now.   To sum it up, it was not easy but the saving grace was that the drift at flying heights was 15 kph, otherwise I could never have afforded the 2 up climbs.    Tony