Geoff writes: the forecast was giving it sunny all day, and light and variable, mostly south – just in the north east corner. The rest of Catalunya was likely to be stronger winds, though still sunny, with temperatures up to 21C. We decided on Sant Pere de Rodes, thinking that other places might be blown out. We met up with Oriol, Mike, Johnny and Wolf in the bar, and drove up in a couple of cars.

On top, it was strong north, with whitecaps on the sea, but we waited it out and it went south, as usual, when the sun came out – it was cloudier than forecast, and in the mountains it was raining and/or snowing. It seemed very unstable, so I expected strong thermals, but when Oriol launched he did struggle a bit, never getting above launch height, though he did fly for an hour or so. He was followed by Mike, then later by the rest of us. When Judith and I were flying, the wind had picked up and gone off to the east, so it was very bumpy close in to the ridge; it was more thermic than when Oriol first launched and Judith got to 400′ ATO, but the turbulence forced us out from the ridge, and the drift with the thermals was quite fast, so in the end we decided to go and land.

Wolf had a good flight, launching last, and did a nice approach and landing (but he is a skydiver!).

Not a bad day all in all, followed, of course, by a beer back on top when we went to pick up Mike’s car.

See photos of today.

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