Story by Craig Richards

Had a good flight from Koringberg Saturday. Managed 10km over the back at Rhenosterhoek, but because of the curved nature of the flight, it’s not a new site record. The existing record is 74 km to Constriction. (Craig and Greg hold this record jointly)

Where I landed is 5 km further from Dasklip than Constriction is from Dasklip, which is why I thought a new record could be in the bag. Oh well will just have to try again next weekend. The weather just needs to play halfway fair for a change.

Its on Leonardo

Just as an aside, it’s interesting the way the wind curved. Took off on the Western face of Koringberg. Had a Southerly once I reached the R44 and then at Rhenosterhoek the wind was funneled South East!

Lots of confusing met to the SE of Picketberg. If you look at my track you can see a distinct NW kink before the wind curves around to the South again. Might be air being pushed around the point of the Picketberg. If it is, then there is a great convergence zone somewhere in this area. 

I have always tried to follow a line to the east of the quarries and have found good, but turbulent lift in this area on every occasion. If you go over the quarry and towards Picketberg, most pilots have only found sink, so I suggest you keep east of the quarries if you can.

Solid inversion at 1200m ASL, but then the lift was very consistent between 500 and 1000m ASL. Lots of turbulence and rotating air. Both Bernie on the U3 and myself on the Swing Stratus had issues with the gliders yawing excessively. Nothing too exciting, just unpleasant. 

The wind was not too strong at Rhenosterhoek. Looking at it now, it was south and about 20km/h. The traditional route is over the main ridge to the right if we can get more than 1400m. I think the peak height is 950? 

I had a look and was unhappy at 1100m, but dammit I was not landing at the farm again…. 

So tried over the pimple that guards the middle of the valley. Does not look like much from the air or on Google, but if you look across the flats towards Rhenosterhoek, its deceptively large, so have always been worried about rotor. 

I got a climb over the pimple and at 1150 ASL I was committed. The run over the back was the smoothest part of the whole flight! Some thermic activity as I exited the valley, but nothing I could hook into. Think If I had had another 200m of height I could have gotten away, but we will find out next weekend ;>) 

Think I made a muck of it anyway. About two thirds of the way through the glide, I did get a small thermal, but did not follow it  as I was worried about my height over the ridge and the very long walk from the Eastern side if I lost it! 

Often when we reach Rhenoster the wind has more SW in it. This is tricky, but if you can beat your way through some rotor from the Het Kruis side, then it’s possible to run down the western face of the ridge in the picture below. Remember doing this in an All Africa about five years ago.