News

Fabulous Flight at Cape Blomidon
So I'm dog tired, Brian is already asleep in front of the ball game and Chris is nodding out at the table over a celebratory glass of scotch - single malt- by jove.
At about 1130 this morning I was observing conditions at the tower and noticed that the rather light northerlies didn't hold much promise for Joggins so I said to Chris (parker that is who's visiting from TO and might be known to you all as Dr. Parker) let us get it together and go fly Cape Blomidon. I called Brian and asked him if he could "rise to good bait" and he said he might if it was good enough. So without too many minutes going by the Dr and I were off to pick up Brian and try to find Randy with his zodiac type boat. We found him cutting up a winters supply of wood and got him on side in a second because he also likes and adventure. We launched the boat at 1330 and crossed to the Cape in ten minutes. It took a solid hour to drag our sorry asses up the side of this very steep escarpment. I now know the meaning of loose stone scree where every step might mean creating a cascading slide of boulders, some the size of hay bales. We found a good spot to launch and I use that term loosely and proceeded to cut alders and try to get enough space to launch a wing. Chris got the nod for the first flight and shortly thereafter was launched and immediately shot up to the top of the cliff. Did I mention that we only got as high as the scree slope would allow us. Sort of at the base of the vertical element when you look at it in just about any light. The next hour was spent trying to get Brian's old wing inflated and in all honesty the conditions had deteriorated making the job very difficult indeed. When he finally gave in to fatigue I got to try and wouldn't you know it the conditions improved and after a couple of tries I was airborne with a backward launch and into the rocket to the top. I forgot to mention that during Brian's try we were interrupted with an incredible sight, more incredible even than the large number of eagles, peregrines, other hawks and crows soaring. The sea was alive with a huge pod of harbour porpoise. Maybe two hundred of them were slowly going just a couple of hundred feet off the shoreline. Chris, from his wonderful vantage point was able to see them even underwater. By the time I got launched the evening light was upon us. I buried my speed bar in an attempt to make the run to Cape Split but I guess that's going to wait for another time as the wind was picking up and the venturi around the next headland stopped me in my tracks. Chris was right behind with very cold hands and so we turned our backs on the long run and turned our attention to the job of getting to the ground. Way out over the water to find an area of no lift. Big ears even produced a beep but eventually worked. Fifty feet off the deck we could have still climbed out making us both think that a beach launch was well within the realm of possibility. We landed at dusk and were soon joined by Brian who was as hyped up as we were about our flights. What a guy. The boat trip back was a tad slower but it made
the flagon at the Glooscap all that much sweeter.

Brian Wheaton checks out a potential launch (l) Chris PArker get the first flight off Cape Blomidons north face (r)

Portugal
During the last week of September 02 and the first week of October five adventurous pilots left the safety of their home flyingsites and headed out into the world once again to find the elusive perfect flying day. Rufus Hellendale, Blake Daley, Kevin Harvey, Tim Parker and I headed for the west coast of Portugal where the westerly on shore breezes were reputed to be as regular as clockwork, making for one of the best coast flying sites in all of Europe. Fortunately I had been there the previous March for amonth and had indeed flown Praia Cordoama on occassion. I had even flown the south coast at Priado Porto do Mos. However that was family time and nothing is more boring to a non flyer than watching a paraglider lazily drifting around the sky. So these two weeks were going to be just the guys (non sexist, we'd have loved to have a female pilot bit the bullet and hang out.) great food , great beaches, lots of history and above all else great flying. Well it turned out to be a little less great flying than we anticipated. The problem being that very infrequently a wind called the levanter (easterly) takes over and dominates the weather for days on end. Well there were moments of respite when the prevailing westerly forced the levanter back which gave us tempting moments, moments in which we could see all too well the posibilities that were alluding us. The long flight up the coast for twently five kilometers was only one of the "if onlys" We flew every day but we had to work hard at it and some flights are better described as last ditch desperation to get airborne. ie the sled run at the end of a day of chasing wind. We did though manage to find an south east flying site that no local pilot had yet flown on a paraglider. Our good friend from Lagos, Gerry Breen the local ultrlight instructor, tipped us off to the site which we made a bee line for. it is a bit unforgiving in terms of lz since a landing on the gravel beach means a scramble over the rocks to get around the headland to the east to get to the little fishing village of Burgau. The cliffs were seventy metres high and formed a bit of a bowl in the north west corner so the prevailing sou'easter was funnelled up really nicely. top landing was a necessity if one was to avoid the walk out. After a particularly good day of flying there with Gerry and another local pilot they paid us the honor of calling the unnamed bay, Canada Bay! Another great spot to fly on the south coast is near Lagos at Praia do Porto do Mos where many of the local pilots (not tht many there really) like to fly. Take a look at the picture and you'll understand why. Not to mention the avaiablility of Cafe con lait or freshly squeezed oj on landing. Best sites in the Algarve Definitley Praia Cordoama on the west coast near the village of Villa do Bispo. It is awesome, has great coastal xc potential and if you don't fly you can always surf. (west to north west wind) Praia do Porto do Mos (south wind) very nice two kilometer coastal ridge Canada Bay - Good to fly but you technical skill for strong conditions and top landing have to be together. Contact: - Try gettting in touch with Gerry Breen at the aerodromo in Lagos. He knows the sites and his better half Karen has a wonderful villa very close to Cordoama where you can stay quite reasonably. If you're really interested send me an email and I'll put you in touch with them.
	The touring Canuks and one Yank at Canada Bay

	Praia do Porto do Mos

	Praia Cordoama looking south

	Canada Bay - Michael on his Sigma 5


Bavarian Alps
After leaving Portugal we went to the small Bavarian town of Pfronten to hook up with parapal Oli Guernay who has been flying there since the mid eighties. He's a bit of a pioneer. Lots of beautiful country and a few good flights from some incredible mountains. I expected to see Julie Andrews singing her way with a herd of goats at every turn of the road. Two days was not enough. Gotta go back
	Oli, Blake and Kevin at Breitenberg

	Neunerkopfler

August 2002

April 2001

New Pricing on Courses- Sup Air Harness & accessories - New Wings!

In fact some prices are lower than the old price!!!


El Toro East Face Manzanillo at left	Tapalpa dry lake bed. Seen any good thermal generators lately?	A beautiful place for lunch