Beef forerib with chips and béarnaise last night at Mayfields seems to have meant that neither Ashley or Rowan were up for a fly today. I can’t think why. It was ‘very’ good food!
Mostly gentle westerly winds today so full 1.5 sails with Diamond rods or Race.
Some slow-mo moves early on but there was a gradual increase in the air flow over the two hours that we were on site.
The showers passed to the north and south of Blackheath except for one that sqeezed a few drops as we left the site.
Very grey, humid and warm leaving Hackney this morning but it was much brighter on Blackheath, sunny almost, with varied high cloud. The NW wind was stronger to begin today so we started with full vented and diamond spars.
Eventually, in running through some four person team moves we decided that we had pushed the full vented sails far enough in the lightening air flow and switched to full sails with mostly green race.
The cumulus clouds were bubbling up as we left at about 1:00pm and thunder
Thick high cloud bands over Blackheath occasionally thinned to a sunny sky with a gloomy backdrop. Variable light N-NW today so full 1.5 sails with race/green race to start but eventually we decided that diamond rods were the better option.
The plantains had raced ahead over the last week so the field was occasionally treacherous at ground level. <grins>
I’m looking forward to my summer break from work (which may involve some longer bicycle excursions) and especially our informal kite
I had hoped to check out diamond rods in the Rev 1 sail today but the forecast earlier in the week was amended on a daily basis further away from the ideal 2-4mph!
It was a SW breeze today and partly sunny. c8–18mph was forecast and 1.5 full vented with green race felt comfortable. In over 25 years of kite flying I have never used an anemometer so it was quite amusing to try one out on Blackheath today. While confirming the basic forecast the range of inconsistency in the breeze as measured
Prospects were not good for today. I headed for Blackheath at about noon in order to avoid the A12 closure for the London Bike Race. There was a last band of heavy rain on emerging from the Blackwell Tunnel which mostly cleared in the short time it took to get to the ‘heath’.
Thought about full vented but quickly decided that xtra vent with four wrap was the only realistic set-up.
The sun did break through but with it came a further strengthening of the breeze. A few late swifts were fly
Our journey back to London proved to be easier than the northbound one. 5 hours rather than 7 1/2.
Despite challenging conditions this weekend we had a very useful time flying in 8 and 9 flier format as well as preparation for the 4 flier team that will be going to Dieppe.
We are hoping that there will be opportunities for flying the larger format team, 12 or 16, next weekend at the Portsmouth/Southsea event.
Felix
Two very good festival days and then it rained on the Monday…
1.5 JMH sails with diamond frames were good for the midday session on Saturday. By the later session full vented JMH sails with race rods worked very well.
On Sunday the breeze was much lighter at the start or the day so we had an opportunity to try the diamond rods in the Rev 1 JMH sails. These worked very well indeed but we did not get to stress test the spars on this occasion. We flew the 1.5 JMH sails with diamond frames in t
We were back on home turf today after a relaxed afternoon at The Aquarius Festival in London SE22 yesterday.
Six up, we flew 1.5 sails with green race rods. Rowan was on the line today and we occasionally had a vocal and appreciative audience.
Ashley and Martin are attending the Dieppe event in France 6th-14th September in collaboration with Fusion so they prepared appropriate sails and rods today.
I put together two Rev 1 team sails with the Diamond rods and 150ft / 47.7m lines but did not
Arrived on the heath today at 10:00am not having appreciated the likely effect of the tall ships event down at Greenwich. Our early arrival was in the hope of catching the lighter breezes not competing for the limited parking spaces.
1.5 sails with diamond rods felt great in the c2-5mph breeze which was present for most of the time, only really failing when the sun finally broke through the previously dense high grey cloud base some time after midday.
Today I set more appropriate leaders on t
No parking on Blackheath today so an alternative venue was needed. The easterly wind directions are good for the site at the north end of the Olympic Park just to the west of the Velodrome on the west bank of the river.
Plantains and other flowering plants had been left uncut in the sparse grass so launching was sometimes snagged but we mostly survived…
A reasonably steady breeze so mid vents and race rods were good today.
An early finish was required in order to get back into central Hackne
Back on our usual pitch today and a ‘bright’ NE airflow so 1.5 full vented with green race frames.
Most of the kites (NB Xtra Vent Grey?) were back from Dieppe so were relocated in the main team bags. A lost pair of Rev Handles also came back from Dieppe. We’ll keep them safe for the ‘lucky’ owner!
Mostly ‘lazy’ flying today with discussion about events next year, particularly Berck, Cervia and Weymouth. They all overlap so it is a difficult call…
Felix
I had been watching the forecast all week as it had been indicating light SE breezes around the 4-6mph mark. That is what we got, mostly about 4mph from the East, so it was 1.5s with diamond rods. Four fliers today and lots of ‘not called’ close flying with only the occasional hesitation or touch…
It was also the chance to try the diamond rods in the larger sails again, the Rev 1 and the Zen, on 150ft lines and the longer handles.
I’m sure the longer lines would work in our favour with the f
As luck would have it, it was another glorious sunny day on Blackheath today, the only downside being that there was, for most of the time, almost no discernable breeze.
So, more time on the diamond rods in the larger sails and with longer lines for me today. The Zen, Rev 1 and also the CR sail had air time today. The changing, from all directions, no wind environment meant that it was not possible to evaluate differences between the sail and bridle sets. Keeping the kite in the air was th
There were high grey clouds gradually thickening from the south and a very light easterly breeze (c2mph) to start this morning. The full 1.5 sails with Diamond rods were just fine to start with but the breeze was due to strengthen.
In the very light breeze the free-flying was often complex but neat. Above a certain wind speed threshold where the handling of the sail becomes ‘less comfortable’ called flying is more practical.
We should probably have changed sails or spars before the end of th
Blustery 13 – 20+ mph from the SW so 1.5 full vented with green race worked with the occasional lulls today.
Six up so mostly called sequences with the odd sprocket thrown in to keep us on our toes.
The Blackheath walkers and cyclists were an appreciative audience on a number of occasions today as and when we ‘stopped’ for a break!
Plans for 2015 Berck, Cervia and, if it occurs, Weymouth were discussed. We hope to be at all of these events but there are logistical considerations given the ov
A slightly lighter SW breeze than last week but it was still 1.5 full vented with green race today.
Free flying felt more comfortable with the more optimal configuration/windspeed.
The cloud cover only broke slightly on a couple of occasions before we left the site at about 1:00pm. The approach to Blackwall Tunnel was backed up to the ‘Sun in the Sands’ roundabout so we diverted to the Rotherhithe route to get home…
Felix
We have had a long run without a very wet ‘flying day’ but today was it! The early forecast this morning suggested that the rain would clear soon after 11am but it was late starting c10:30 and was still steady at midday. No flying today...
Other priorities for the afternoon including a quick ‘spin’ through Victoria Park and around the post Olympic site which was mostly deserted. The field to the west of the velodrome has been mown since we were last there…
Felix
Soon after 10:30am there was a bank of high cloud only partly obscuring the sun. The clear blue sky to the west approached slowly.
The c4mph breeze from the SW was surprisingly consistent even after the sun arrived so we made good lazy use of the 1.5 sails with Diamond rods (apart from a quick run through PlanB that is!)
The site was very clean today. In previous years the Nov 5th fireworks display has left the ‘heath’ littered with partially burnt cardboard components…
Felix
It was a late start for me but on the ‘heath’ soon after 11:00am under a lifting layer of low clouds revealing a high layer not quite completely obscuring the sun.
Another light but steady breeze, this time from the east and again at about 4mph so it was the same configuration as last weekend, 1.5 sails with Diamond rods. We did make a bit more effort today in formal moves for the ‘photographers’.
Some ‘involved’ free flying as well and I could see some figures that should be ‘learned’ in th
Today the rain did not let up at all so that is twice in a month now that we have been rained off. Must be a symptom of something!
I am not travelling to Miami next weekend as I did last year…
Felix
The fog was breaking up in the light NW breeze as we headed to the Blackwall Tunnel this morning making for dramatic scenes with shafts of sunlight.
Conditions on the heath were very wet underfoot but not too much in the way of worm casts etc. The dramatic lighting continued and of course we were facing the sun when it did break through… the compensation was that it was actually warming!
Full 1.5 sails with Diamond rods were just right for a lazy no call session with only a couple of occasio
There were light showers on the road to Blackheath this morning. The promise was clearing skies with sunshine in the afternoon!
A brisk NW breeze so 1.5 full vented with mostly green race today. Five up and initially mostly free flying but Ashley did call some moves only to find the breeze collapsing on one occasion.
The low thinning cloud cover was deceptive and we were subjected to a sharp squall and wind shift to WNW before the sky cleared to cloudless blue. The sun was sufficient to dry
It was bright today with a brisk southerly breeze. Mostly sunny but with little warming effect.
Full vented 1.5s again with green race were beginning to feel a bit over powered by the end of the session which may be because of flier fatigue, cold getting through or an actual slight increase in the wind speed.
Free flying to start and then a long series of called moves for the benefit, in part, of an enthusiastic photographer. Also the white van driver who made a point of stopping and coming
Thick high cloud was not quite completely obscuring the sun. The SW breeze was minimal so full 1.5 sail and diamond rods today.
It was ‘fingertip flying’ with the handles most definitely horizontal for the long ‘pull backs’.
Wet underfoot with a lot of worm casts. Not too much evidence of the geese on the ground but four of them headed towards us in the air before veering off to the east.
Felix
Almost completely clear blue sky with a steady NNE breeze. About 5C so extra layers helped.
1.5 vented with green race were just right.
Four fliers today and we did a quick run through Plan A as well as some brisk called flying at the end of the session as a ‘warm-up’.
We may manage a New Years Day fly as well as the usual Sunday fly next week.
Felix
