Forecast wind was 050/20 and we could see the primary and wave gap developing immediately in the lee of the Black Mountains. Significant cloud cover early on and so it was a late start…
Martin Watt and I took the first launch in CKV at 14:02. Straight into the wave after release at only 1,200′ AAL. There were three cloud layers and we climbed to the middle layer’s height at 9,000′ QNH before letting down. I then collected a trail lesson in CKV and Martin took DNX, launching immediately after me. Both straight into the wave again, Martin hot on my heels! He had an excellent flight making it all the way to 11,889′ adjacent the top wave cloud layer. The cloudscape from up there was truly awesome. We took photos, but they never really do it justice.
The two flights with Martin on board are the only flights on the National Ladder for that day. From up high in the wave we could see why: Whilst there were sizeable wave gaps in the clouds locally, beyond that it was 8/8 cover as far as the eye could see. Every other club in the country was probably sopped in! Martin’s flight now has 180 views on the National Ladder which must be good publicity for us within the gliding community.
Thanks for John Clark for towing us so precisely, allowing us to contact the wave with ease.
Mike C