Gil Souviron <<email>> writes:

Here the life is rude, hostile. Rain is rare, precious and violent. The farms are immense and the life is in quasi self sufficiency.

People here know how to live alone. At Maltahohe, Roger and Christianne met Brian, a French guy who owns a restaurant in the village. Anne, his mother, lives alone in a farm lost in a valley 40 km away. She is living absolutely alone, serene at more the 20km from the next farm.

Some years ago, when she came back to France near Parpignag, she got the Namibia blues, as she didn't appreciate all governmental constraints found in France. Need a permit to build a house? Is that a joke? In Namibia, you want to build, do it. Surprising their capacity to manage themselves alone.

Everything has been built by the hand of the farmer: More than 40km of line for electricity, telephone, track.

And what about flying conditions, the site, the hospitality, their dedication and professionalism, too?

Simply in my life (almost 30 years of hang gliding), I have finally found the flying paradise. I know where it is, stuck somewhere between the Namib and Kalahari desert.

I have flown ninety hours in thirteen days with very nice conditions. (It was three days out of fourteen in Wilcannia, Australia ). Flew more than 3750 km with 1600km in the last five days, and have climbed up to 5400 meters. I flew the convergence line, flying over the desert.

So do we have we done everything and did it all work out?

Nothing in fact. But we had to explore a country, find some ways to fly, secure it with some tracks below, and furthermore understand how the weather works here. The potential is immense. A 450 km FAI triangle and 500 km out and return surely will be made here. That being said we did break the 400km barrier in a circuit, did 5 world records, and missed the 360 triangle by a few kilometers.

A caution, the weather condition are like the country: Rude with sudden and violent winds, and totally discouraging to the pilot who is not seriously trained. Logistics must not suffer of any improvisation, aero tow is mandatory and no question you need bushman, a real, a pure, a tattooed fellow.

A big thanks to the team and particularly to Louis who towed us, repaired, maintained and flew in flex. And Serge our ultralight aero tower which has given a lot (and received more in the turbulence). Also Jean, my brother, very alone without his fiend Jean-Charles, which made just 20 km less than us the 350 record day, and gave a strong help by bringing his ultralight glider.

What flights! The 350 km made with Patrick, Pascal, Carlos, and Jean in flex, the 400 km with Patrick the following day, then the big triangle with Carlos and Jacques, and with Jacques alone, the surf under the convergence, the desert, and the glide on the sunset.

So guys, everything still to do, as we know now. Sure next time it will be 500 in circuit.

Go ahead! But watch out, you will be charmed by the desert

As the old 747 will take off, my soul will stay there, turning slowly very high under the last cumulus as the darkness comes, somewhere above the namib desert.

Thumbnails follow:

The Moreson "morning Glory" at 07h00 in the morning of 100km length, generated by the waves of the plateau in East wind condition.

Large convergence systems with line of dust devils all along.

Under the convergence, 5000 meters with Jacques 10km from the farm.

Over the Namib desert at 5500 m.

Click on above for the high resolution versions.