raef mackay <<email>> writes:

http://goldcoasthgpg.com.au/index_files/Page445.htm

Lucky we stayed. Day seven turned out to be a great adventure. The development had started early. Dave and Phil were keen to get up the hill early and beat the towering cue’s. We couldn’t find a lift up ,so we drove my car up unloaded the gliders and the boys started setting up. I took my car back down the hill and waited for someone to come along so I could get a body ride back up. (I thought it would make retrieving easier in the afternoon.)

By the time I got back up to launch the boys had finished setting up and were checking things. I shoved the battens in as quick as possible. The shadow was getting closer to launch and the paragliders were getting up out the front.

I hooked the harness in and headed for launch. Dave was already there, but was waiting. I pushed past a paraglider getting ready and launched, hit a bubble and climbed above launch.

I told them to get off before the shadow came in. Dave launched and flew too far out then headed over to a shadow. I saw a paraglider climbing near the saddle and sun still there on the ground so went that way. It was quite broken and changing direction. I struggled for 20 min and was ready to throw in the towel when a local Wedgie started climbing 200 m away over a sunny paddock near the little pyramid hill. Thank you little wedgie.

I climbed up to within a couple of hundred feet of base and decided to move on. I did quite well found the next few climbs with only minor wire slapping. Then I got a little ahead of myself and tried to cross the valley as the Borah ridge was starting to overdevelop. I decked it 4km from town.

When I landed I could see my little wedgie mate as he was still boating along the ridge.

Day eight turned out to be quite North. The sky looked better and better but after discussing the conditions at Godfrey's with Bob (Para instructor) we opted to leave and head for Killarney and use the day to travel. From what we've heard we made the right decision.