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About this blog

My personal observations

Entries in this blog

28/05/2017 Blackheath

The forecast was for 2mph switching from north to south or maybe the other way around at midday.  Not a great prospect… The net result was predictable, no wind! The thick high cloud kept the temperature a reasonable c23c and the swifts were putting on a fine display with the very occasional (once today) head height pass. The thundery depression moving up from the Bay of Biscay lost its bite soon after passing the Channel Islands and did not appear to be very intense when it reache

Felix

Felix

21/05/2017 Blackheath

Another pre-11:00am start today.  The wind was from the south but variable in the summer Blackheath way with thermal effect moving through, from very light to ‘quite strong’ and 90 degree direction shifts within a short, c2 minute, interval. Mostly full sails with diamond LE and race uprights.  One flier left diamond uprights in and lost one in a gust at the usual fail point… Rowan opted for the mid vent and was able to use his rapidly expanding light wind skills and the extended handl

Felix

Felix

14/05/2017 Blackheath

Arrived just after 10:30am today as we had arranged to receive the team kites back from Cervia, courtesy Tom. Bright and breezy from the west, 12 – 20 mph at a guess so we were on full vented sails with mostly race rods.  Six up for a while as Damon had joined us again. A mostly called session once we got going and even when we were down to four Ashley kept up the pace.  We actually ran through one of the old prepared routines as well which seemed very short and un-demanding compared t

Felix

Felix

07/05/2017 Blackheath

We were late arriving today, c11:30am and found Maggie already flying with Damon and his brother Justin.  I had to switch back to a 120ft line-set so as the beach events for the year are done I rolled out a new set of lines. We flew six for a while with Damon and Justin but as they had been on the Heath since 8:30am they did not stay for long! Some lazy free flying followed but as the northerly breeze was on the cool side we wrapped at about 1:00pm. Felix

Felix

Felix

02/05/2017 After Cervia

And then it was all over.  Monday started with a light onshore breeze.  All very encouraging.  We went to lunch hoping for a classic Cervia afternoon.  What we got was a quickly increasing breeze which was probably a consistent 30 mph which simply closed the event… We managed to get the kites and kit safely stowed without loss or accident but it was a close call… We will hope to be back next year! Felix

Felix

Felix

30/04/2017 Cervia

Suddenly it is Sunday and only one day left to fly.  The JMH Rokkaku flew well today! Felix

Felix

Felix

24/04/2017 Cervia

The JMH Rokakku was OK on the light offshore breeze first thing today.  We did not really attempt to fly the Revs in the stop/start conditions. As with yesterday an early lunch coincided with the breeze switching to onshore!  We did not get into the arena early enough after lunch but will try harder tomorrow! The 2 meter JMH Roks had an airing during the afternoon but the yellow one was not settled.  A bit more fine tuning is required. The final arena performance saw Tom getting i

Felix

Felix

23/04/2017 Cervia

Another fine day in Cervia.  The wind switched at about 12:15 at which point we had adjourned to 111 for an early lunch. We were intent on taking the opportunity to get some time in the arena after the early lunch which we duly did.  Team for Fun joined us soon after 2:00 pm so we were able to combine forces for a while before vacating the space for the formal events which start at 2:30pm. I had the opportunity to see Trevor’s portrait kite during the afternoon.  Along with the other s

Felix

Felix

22/04/2017 Cervia

The second day wind set in steadily from the SE again so there was a full Cervia sky  Not much room in the arena but we did get six kites up in the morning around the JMH rokakku. Arena slots at 5:30pm and then the night fly where once again the JMH rokakku was the right kite for the conditions… Felix

Felix

Felix

21/04/2017 Cervia

An excellent first day here in Cervia.  Good onshore breeze form the start of play this morning…  Got to pitch the ‘tent’ in the usual place and get warmed up before lunch at 111.  The afternoon fly was a good rehearsal prior to an arena presentation called by Tom just before 5:00pm. Felix

Felix

Felix

16/04/2017 Blackheath

A bright morning but while there was some sun, the NW breeze was not warm.  The Easter Circus occupied our usual patch so we were on the east side of the road on the slope down to the pond! Nothing formal today, just re-arranging the kite bag post Berck and getting 100ft line sets out for Cervia. It will be an early start on Thursday but it will be great to set up the ‘tent’ on the beach again… Felix

Felix

Felix

10/04/2017 After Berck

Nine days at Berck was a real treat.  We were not subjected to any severe wind or rain/snow and the event ended on a summery high note and an accompanying grid-lock on the roads out of town early Sunday evening.  The Mega Team performed very much in line with our expectations, a respectable 56 on Saturday 8th April putting in a polished performance over something like 25 minutes… Winds on the light side made for demanding flying at times.  We’ll be going back next year, I’m sure, so I

Felix

Felix

26/03/2017 Blackheath

Easterly breeze today, not quite as strong as last weekend so full vented with a mix of spars.  The white ‘race’ type did feel a bit stressed, 4 wrap would have been better. Free flying to begin and then a final called session as a warm up to the Berck event. We did a shuffle of kites into an extra bag for ‘logistical’ considerations.  A cabin on the beach is booked, we just need to make sure that we have enough chairs…  It will be interesting to see how many fliers do actually tu

Felix

Felix

19/03/2017 Blackheath

A complete contrast this week with a strong westerly breeze.  Xtra vents with four wrap were not too much effort except in the stronger gusts. Final arrangements for Berck are in hand.  We will be an eight person team for the whole week with three additional fliers for the last three days… We will be travelling out on Friday 31st March, the last official day of my employment.  It is going to be a strange moment! Felix

Felix

Felix

12/03/2017 Blackheath

The forecast for today was not good but the approaching front stalled during the morning so we did get to fly for a bit today. Very little air movement as we walked onto the heath at about 10:30am.  We decided to fly first and then check kit ahead of Berck.  Full sails with diamond rods got us into the sky but little else.  The kit check revealed almost all was in order.  Mostly green race leading edges in the vented kites.  Diamond leading edges in the full sails with black race upri

Felix

Felix

26/02/2017 Blackheath

Windy today, from the South so for the first time in a long time we were on Xtra Vents.  Jade was on the line today so we have ‘borrowed’ from him the sixth kite from our set for Berck just in case we do not meet up in the meantime.   The details for Portsmouth came through today so that should be finalized in the next week or so pretty much wrapping up arrangements for 2017. I will not be flying next weekend as I have to ‘work’ on tidying up a server room in the ‘handover’ to the

Felix

Felix

19/02/2017 Blackheath

The southbound A12 towards the Blackwall tunnel was slow and then closed as we were close to the final approach. We diverted to the Rotherhithe tunnel but probably lost ½ an hour in the process. On the heath there was a reasonably steady westerly breeze so we were on 1.5 full vented with race rods or some mid vents… Where is that team set? Much warmer than last weekend, probably double figures but still quite a bit of called flying today. 6 weeks to Berck.  There should be 11

Felix

Felix

12/02/2017 Blackheath

It was a really gloomy day today with no distant horizons. The breeze from the NW was however quite consistent and so we were on full 1.5 sails with mostly race rods… It was 2-3 degrees Celsius and so in order to keep warm we did do a fair bit of called flying.  Thoughts were of Berck, just 7 weeks away! Just need to get the Canadian ‘tour’ wrapped up now. Felix 

Felix

Felix

05/02/2017 Blackheath

It looked like the Heath would be in the clouds as we approached up the hill from the Blackwall Tunnel.   It was a Northerly breeze on site, with the fog/clouds barely lifted and only occasional change in the flat grey ceiling.  Mostly full vented 1.5s with race rods.  There were some lighter spells but as it was mostly not called flying that was not an issue.  Plenty of close interaction with just a few accidental touches and over wound lines.  Some themes become apparent but it

Felix

Felix

29/01/2017 Blackheath

We had a critical escalation of the projected costings for the Canada trip but flights are now booked.  I had better set up the 2017 events web page on the Decs site! The forecast was for rain today but the timing was a bit uncertain.  It was still quite bright in Hackney but on reaching the A12 there was light rain.  This increased south of the river but there was brightness to the south and west. Walking onto the field there was another short spell of rain but it looked like it was

Felix

Felix

22/01/2017 Blackheath

Light wind from the SE was forecast today.  It was misty/smoggy on the A12 and on arrival on Blackheath the ground was hard with frost even if it had melted on the sunny side.   3mph from the SE was just about happening to begin with but then there was a lull.  We ‘stood’ around commenting how warm it felt ‘in the sun’ compared to when there was any air movement. Rowan was keen to try 360’s while in the lull but was suffering slightly from wet lines and kite as well as lack of exp

Felix

Felix

15/01/2017 

I did not plan to venture out today as the forecast was quite clear that there would be no let-up in the rain all day.  That proved to be the case. My plan was to spend time on team matters for the 2017 events.  Arrangements for Berck, Cervia, Saint-Honoré and Swift Current needed to be finalized, fliers and transport schedules arranged, communicated and booked. As always this is a ‘stop – go’ process relying on everyone responding in a timely manner. The one good thing is that I,

Felix

Felix

08/01/2017 Blackheath

We were expecting anticyclonic gloom but leaving Hackney on the A12 the sun broke through dramatically with Canary Wharf towers still submerged in the low cloud and mist.   Wet underfoot on the heath so getting started in the light breeze had its wet line moments.  2-4 mph so full sails with diamond rods.  Rowan had been hoping for a light wind day and this was just about perfect.   We don’t, by habit, go for shorter lines in light wind conditions.  I have always enjoyed the long w

Felix

Felix

01/01/2017 Blackheath

The weather window looked a bit close today but we did manage to have a gentle fly under a changing high cloud base grey sky.  There was a shower on arriving and an occasional brightness from the sun.   It was  a light westerly breeze so full 1.5 sails with race, 2 wrap and diamond spars in the mix.   Traffic was noticeably light both ways today, no queue on the northern approach to the Blackwall Tunnel going home for a change.  The expected rain had settled in by 1:30pm in Hackney

Felix

Felix

26/12/2016 Blackheath

Mostly clear sky apart from con-trails with a brisk westerly breeze today.  Full vented sails with race rods were mostly manageable except in the stronger gusts.   Rowan set up 15 inch clip less handles and tied off at the right leader knot first time of trying.  He did of course have the advantage of using a set of close tied knots of my making at about ¼ inch intervals <grins>   We will probably head out for a New Year’s fly next Monday if we do not get out before. 

Felix

Felix

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