Todays task Matamata to the swamp down to Awapuni and home. The weather brief promised thermals to 6000. Looks good and its my turn for the Libelle.
Post launch soon showed the forecast thermals were optimistic and we scratched around for over an hour trying to get enough height to get established and away. I took a look over the ridge side but it ws not much better so ended up going up the Centre cloud to cloud taking climbs where I could and got to Abeam Te Aroha and low. Picked out the first paddock at 15oo, and ran under a wisp nearby, woohoo climb and eventulally worked up to 3200. Push on and out towards the swamp in a big blue hole. The edge of the swamp looked good but I found nothing to helo get there and at 2000, inside the turn circle I headed back. Down to 1500 abeam Te Aroha and the second paddock of the day selected. Again checked out a nearby wisp and got away. I tracked over to Te Aroha for a look at the faces of the Mount. Not much here and came out 1500 again and the third paddock selected. Around here I heard both Adam and Andy land out. Again I got a climb needing two clouds to get up to 2500 and started back down the valley. Two short climbs got me within final glide, but I had picked out the fourth paddock for the day, and got a bigger climb to 3200. Decided this might be do-able and went on. Abeam Matamata again down to 1500, its 5pm, roast dinner tonight, sod it Im going back. 3 hours 13 minutes and my longest solo flight. My drink container was empty but I was satisfied.
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