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About this blog

My personal observations

Entries in this blog

26/11/2017 Blackheath

Mostly clear blue sky with a reasonably steady westerly breeze today.   Mid vents with race rods were used but the one full vent was only occasionally underpowered. The fillers between the Decs tracks were supposed to have been edited out but somehow that hadn’t happened. Another try required but we put up with the drums today! Just the occasional call today and we finished when the tracks ran out and the occasional clouds began to become more frequent. Accidents at the Black

Felix

Felix

19/11/2017 Blackheath

Variable cirrus and other high cloud today meant that there was no low cloud formation so some sunshine filtered through.  The NW breeze was mostly at about 4mph but quite often dropped away after shifting towards the SW. Full 1.5 sails with diamond LE and race uprights were mostly OK but a few line catches proved to be ‘final’! Not much called today but we did have some of the team tracks playing. Felix 

Felix

Felix

12/11/2017 Blackheath

Variable breeze from the NW today, sunny spells in between dark cumulus. We were on full vented 1.5 sails with race or 4 wrap spars.  Xtra vents with race rods would have been a better set up as the wind speed was based around 15mph but was gusting much higher for extended periods. We had a ‘line’ incident’ at the start and the solution was to pull the lines tight together and then tease out the counter twists under pressure.  There really was an actual crossed line at the core of the

Felix

Felix

05/11/2017 Blackheath

Clear blue sky to start but over the two hours on site the fine weather cumulus gradually built up in the WNW breeze.   Full vented 1.5s with race rods were only occasionally overpowered. Mostly free flying but when we added some music to the mix there were a few calls as well.    No issue with the site today.  The breakdown and cleaning were well advanced… Felix

Felix

Felix

29/10/2017 Blackheath

We were on site at the normal time despite the clock change!
 Northerly breeze, probably 10 plus mph gusting higher so full vents with race rods. While the temperature did reach double figurers (centigrade) today I was glad of an extra layer, just in case! The clear-up after Blackheath Firework display may impact our regular flying site next weekend but the plan is to be there as usual… Felix

Felix

Felix

22/10/2017 Blackheath

It was not quite as windy as had been forecast but we still flew the Xtra Vents with 4 wrap spars today.   While it was not actually ‘cold’ it was a timely reminder to layer up and remember the gloves, ‘just in case’. No calls and no music today.  Just the whistling lines… We might be on site a bit early next weekend after the clocks change! Felix

Felix

Felix

15/10/2017 Blackheath

The day had started with clear blue sky but a dense layer of low cloud formed before we set off from Hackney.  This cloud layer gradually broke up in the SW breeze and later in the day there was plenty of sunshine. Full vented kites with race rods were only occasionally slightly underpowered.  We were talking again today about the merits of a mid vented sail and the cost of getting a team set for the rare occasions when they would be needed. Doubling up the the music playing device wor

Felix

Felix

08/10/2017 Blackheath

The light west to north westerly breeze today was a bit elusive but there was some warm sunshine to make it feel less autumnal than might be expected for the OSOW weekend in the UK. Full sails with diamond LE and race uprights but we had one casualty with an awkward ground contact.  Two clean breaks in one diamond spar!  I’m wondering if they are still available? Some called moves today with a different soundtrack… Chris from Ireland (Ohio/New York) paid us a visit today having re

Felix

Felix

01/10/2017 Blackheath

The weather had not looked promising but we were lucky with our usual timing.  It was showery during the drive from Hackney but there was no rain on Blackheath. SSW with low clouds and the occasional brightness.  The breeze was probably 12 mph with occasional higher spells so we were flying mid-vents with Race Rods. Nothing called today but we had musical accompaniment and the occasional passing murmuration of starlings. It seems very early but we are getting asked about plans for

Felix

Felix

24/09/2017 Blackheath

A mild sunny day with a gentle SE breeze today.  Mostly blue sky with high cloud approaching very slowly from the west. Full sails with Diamond LE and Race uprights were just occasionally a little overpowered in the variable breeze.  There were quite a few direction shifts suggesting thermals were passing by… After last weeks introduction to music on site, this week with the brighter weather brought out interested ‘passers by’ in greater numbers than we have seen in a long time.  

Felix

Felix

17/09/2017 Blackheath

Back at the usual time and place today.  NNW breeze was supposed to be 6mph but it was not consistent. Full sails with Diamond LE and Race uprights seemed fine when there was some air movement. Quite a bit of called flying today not least because we finally (after how many years?) acquired a viable rechargeable music playing ‘device’.  Somehow, even for intermittent flying, having something to counter the A2 traffic noise was very welcome. Having been dazzled in the sunny interval

Felix

Felix

10/09/2107 Victoria Park

A music event on Blackheath meant that we had to find an alternative venue today.  There was a pop-up running event on the Olympic park so we flew in the east end of Victoria Park. There was a running event in Victoria Park as well as a cricket match but there was still some space in the NE ‘corner’. The westerly breeze was somewhat erratic and gradually strengthening.  Mid vents with race rods were OK most of the time. Nothing called but there was a sax, bass and drums combo that

Felix

Felix

03/09/2017 Blackheath



SSE breeze today, probably 10mph and upwards, not that I measured it, so full vents with race rods of various flavours. The approaching weather front which affected the rest of the country N,S and W looked threatening with slate grey clouds but the forecast held good and there was no rain on Blackheath while we were there! No calls again today, end of season discussions about recent events and thoughts about priorities for next year took precedence. We will not plan a formal tea

Felix

Felix

27/08/2017 Blackheath

A very light 3mph northerly breeze was not entirely consistent so we did not get much flying today.  Full sails with diamond LE and race or diamond uprights worked when the breeze was present.  Rowan clocked some 360’s but I was certainly not going to make that effort! In these circumstances the great thing about Blackheath is that there is plenty of space and we are not going to impinge on anyone else’s kite flying space. Jade flew his Portsmouth auction purchase, one of Martin Lester

Felix

Felix

20/08/2017 Blackheath

Westerly breeze today, often dropping away as thermals passed by in the sunny spells.  Full sails with diamond LE and race uprights were just fine. No calls today as after the last two weekends Ashley was taking a break.  I was almost doing the same (break wise) as taking delivery of a not ‘new’ car has been slightly delayed. We may venture further afield next weekend subject to transport arrangements and weather conditions. In the meantime I will be looking out for reports from L

Felix

Felix

13/08/2017 After Portsmouth

Everyone arrived in a timely manner for this event with some kites being delivered on site first thing on Saturday morning after transatlantic routing via Hackney and Bexleyheath! It was a good breeze on Saturday from the west.  Our dilemma was that we did not have the mid vented option which would have been ideal… The full sails with diamond leading edges and race uprights were OK for the regular fliers but others showed their inexperience. In the lighter breezes on Sunday this theme

Felix

Felix

06/08/2017 After Exmouth

We did eventually arrive in Exmouth on Friday 4th August just before midnight after considerable assistance from the roadside rescue company and in the replacement vehicle that was eventually provided… All the travel aggravation quickly faded as it was a bright and breezy day on Saturday with just an occasional light shower.  The breeze was actually at the higher end of our comfort window with the JMH vented kites.  We did not have to resort to four wrap spars though; green race were

Felix

Felix

30/07/2017 Blackheath

The Cycle events of the weekend meant that our arrival at Blackheath was a bit delayed this morning.  I must not complain as a spin round the City and Westminster yesterday was, as ever, a bit of a treat! Slightly blustery SW breeze today so we were on full vents with race rods. Some called moves today produced some very enthusiastic responses from passers by!  Eventually it becomes a bit difficult to know exactly how to respond to “I’ve never seen anything like it before”. There

Felix

Felix

23/07/2107 Blackheath

Damon Meheux was already on site when we arrived today.  The wind dropped as the sun broke through so it was a case of us switching from full vented as Damon had been flying to full sail with a short time with the mid vents in between. Rowan decided to stick with the mid vent as a ‘training’ strategy ahead of Exmouth. Some discussion today about stacking in the air and how there should not be any ‘pressure’ or need to resist unless a flier is really ‘not capable’ or not paying attentio

Felix

Felix

16/07/2017 Blackheath

Another gentle day with thick low cloud and increasing humidity.  The breeze was relatively steady so we were on mid vent/full vented 1.5 sails with race rods. Nothing called but discussion was about the Canada events and ancillary plans for the 2017 Exmouth and Portsmouth events. Some thoughts about 2018 plans as well… Felix

Felix

Felix

09/07/2017 Blackheath

Bright but with gradually increasing cloud today.  The breeze was nominally from the SW but once again we had considerable variations in direction and wind speed, far from constant. Mostly diamond LE and race/UL uprights. Another quiet fly.  We did decant the flight box, probably for the last time as we’ll need to replace it! Hoping to finalise arrangements for the remaining UK events soon… Felix

Felix

Felix

02/07/2017 Blackheath

Clear blue skies today with only an occasional small cloud…  Wind supposedly from the NW but we were seeing 90 degree plus shifts in a typical Blackheath summer breeze. Full sails with ultra light, race and diamond spars.  Nothing called, just winding down from the last two weekends! The annual race/stroll event was taking place today so we did not bring the broken kite box to re-distribute team kites.  That will have to happen another day.  Plenty of opportunity ahead of Exmouth, the

Felix

Felix

27/06/2017 After Saint-Honore and Swift Current, Canada

We arrived back in the UK today after a fairly intense 10 days travelling and kiting in Canada. The first weekend was at Saint-Honore in Quebec.  The site for this event is a live airport.  Flying kites on or close to the third runway was a novel experience.  The other two runways were in use all the time, mostly light aircraft but also military and firefighting craft.  There was some rain on the first day.  The second day was mostly sunny and ended with one of the best Rev Night Flie

Felix

Felix

11/06/2017 Blackheath

A residual cold front passed over Blackheath around midday with some unusual cloud formations.  There was some hope, once we realized what was happening, that the blustery SW air stream would calm down.  It did not happen! We were on full vented mostly with race rods which were definitely overstressed in the gusts.  At lighter moments we were able to keep the kites in the air without trouble. All set, such as one can be, for the visits to Saint Honore and Swift Current… Watching the we

Felix

Felix

04/06/2017 Blackheath

Not so hot today but there was a mostly steady SW breeze so vented sails with race rods to cope with the lulls.  Typical summer Blackheath wind shifts were in evidence and the swifts were occasionally out in force again. Nothing called today but we were set to prepare the kites for the Canada trip.  30 kites were duly checked and boxed along with spare spars and the ‘tent’.  Excess sand was discarded as well... I am now 2 clear months in to my new regime.  It seems that the world at la

Felix

Felix

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