Annecy Trip - Day 8
Conditions are improving - camera batteries are dead
The launch mat was busy in the morning. Not too many people were keen to launch until they had seen other pilots maintaining height. Naturally, as soon as anyone goes up the mat fills with pilots eager to launch.
The morning started well. Jason and I launched from Col de la Forclaz at about 11:30 am. It is not normally working from this launch, so early in the day, but the cold night seemed to give the thermals the strength they needed to push up the mountain.
After I launched I was struggling below take off for about ten minutes before finding something that was going up. Jason was less fortunate and it looked like he might be on a sled ride to the bottom of the mountain. Eventually he managed to find some lift and we both headed for Les Dents. Jason arrived slightly higher than me and was able to fly over the top. I was forced to fly around the front where there was little to no lift. Eventually I made my way to the far end and got a nice ride up. Jason and I then headed out towards Plainfait. I took the opportunity to practice my mid-air peeing technique (only lost 600 metres). Jason did a few SATs (very impressive!) and then landed in the landing field. I dashed back to the ridge and was struggling for quite some time, finding sink everywhere. I was almost too low to stay when I caught a thermal rolling up the mountain and worked it all the way to the top. I was pretty high over Les Dents and considered a lake crossing. I went for it. I hit 3.5 m/s sink over the lake and arrived at Rock de Boeuf with very little height. I managed to gain some height and was soon joined by another pilot. At this point the clouds drew a blanket over the ridge and the lift evaporated. I losdt the height that I gained and then was forced to consider my landing options. We were both forced to land. As I was packing away my wing, another two pilots arrived with more height and a bit more luck. The ridge was now in sun and they weren't coming down.
I caught a bus back to the Doussard landing field (this side of the lake is no good for hitching) and met up Jason and the rest of the gang. After a spot of lunch we headed back to launch again.
Unfortunately the batteries in my camera died so I got no photos, but it was a nice gentle flight once I managed to get in the air. |
