Landing field near big tree, better keep an eye on it once in a while.

Dougie, Stevie, Cookie, Rob, Riis, Julie, Norris and Chris, super gang partly from Wales, partly from England.

Excellent day again at Monte Cabrer. With cloudbase 17oo ASL.

When the group arrived, all were humble and said not having lots of experience and definetely not in thermals as they usually only soar in Wales / England.

Mind you, all of them impressed me already yesterday with non wind forward launches at the not so friendly take of at Monte Cabrer.

Today even more impressed by their skills in thermals. It wasn't easy and I asked to group to fly in team, key to succes in XC flying. They stuck to the plan. Rob no experience in thermals was showing Riss the way, minutes later vice versa.

Also Chris with his HOOK, far better than last year when he struggled with his shoulder. Norris, oldtimer, experience paying off.

Cookie, humble at first, but top of the stack, even amongst the local pilots on their homesite.

And Stevie, what can I say. A helping hand, a golden heart, and a skygod. Even with his acro glider, not flying less good than others, in the at times rougher thermals.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST.

Doug and Julie, tandem flying is twice the fun ! Under their baby TAKOO, this couple has been flying Alicante skies on several occasions. Happy faces each time, a kissing and a hugging.

I loved my job today.

Hola guys and girls,

pilots are a bit worried about the weather down here, well I can tell you that the temp is already 28 degrees and it isn't even 11 am yet. Also a foto of our sky. Totally blue sky.

I believe in this region as one of the best flying destinations in Europe. We do not have a name like Algodonales or Piedrahita, thank god ... , but we do have numerous sites and the best climate. Actually in the whole of Europe this is supposed to be the best climate all over, and these are not my words.

Of course we do have our bad days, but even if you spent all your money going to Brasil you can have bad luck.

So again,not claiming I am a weather god, I think we have some good flying days ahead.

At 1 pm wte leave for inland flying.

Monte Cabrer near Alcoy. One of my favourites. Go that one out of the hat. While it was gusting 40 km per hour, we left for Monte Cabrer. Because right there that eastern wind doesn't get till late. And bingo, did it again.

Our just arrived valley boys from Wales, had their first thermal experience in in Alicante. Couldn't go better.

Doug and Julie are joining us tomorrow, they loved to relax on the beach today.

Whilethe Vuelta was passing through, Chimoand friends were flying at Cabrer. Two hours after the strong easternwinds died off.

As well at Palomaret, clouds blocking the strong eastern winds.

Foto of satintro by Rafa.

... full moon and east at night ....

These days the Vuelta de España, cycling race, is passing over our mountains. Tomorrow they reach the hills of Palomaret behind, and the day after they move from Alicante to Murcia, passing by Sierra del Corque, Fortuna.

I remember years ago we were flying and were all of a sudden surprised by the many helicopters surrounding us. Very very scary. We immediately landed, and drove home. On the radio we heard that the cycling race ended, and finished just behind our favourite hill we were flying on. Now I check every year where the cyclists are beginning of september.

Today I have been skydiving, wakeboarding. Tonight I will be have a go at bowling. Yes, we do have a Wii.

Our Murcian colleague pilots have been at Corque today. A site Doug and Julie who arrive tomorrow, will still remember.

... full moon and east at night ...

A totally different weather type today. From early morning a very nerveus sea. Winds from the east, very cloudy inland.

Our first rain of the year inland on the hills, since may.

No flying so, having to chill.

We flew near Mazarron, yes out of our way. We usually do no guide that far south. Most far site for us is Carrascoy and sometimes Alhama de Murcia.

But we felt like enjoying the beaches, the mountains near Mazarron for a couple of days. It is about one hour and a half from Alicante.
Antolino, Conrado, Nieves, Adrian and Vigilius present.

Summer, again 30 degrees celcius, so a seabreeze was guaranteed for soaring above the cliffs. But the walk up. I tell you, walking up 25o meters, in a scorching heat, and not one bush or tree to shelter from the sun. Sweating your butt off. Two minutes catching your breath and quick quick launch to cool down.


Mountain ranges near Mazarron, on your right take off Bolnueva.
At times it felt as if we were in Morocco, same kinda landscape. And same kinda heat !

Cristal clear water, excellent for diving during the central hours of the day. Little beaches, nobody there. Fantastic.

Busy busy doing things in the heat, visiting aquaparcs, night BBQ's, and flying of course, and enjoying it, you bet.

For ages there has been a huge high above Spain. Sunny and hot, but in the afternoons splendid. There is such a choice lately, pilots are all over. Some at Toix, some at Alcoy, some at the coast.

Also bits more acro lately to be seen. And some young pilots who we have to pamper, just finishing club pilots license this summer. We need to amuse, pamper and make them feel very welcome, because the average age of the local pilots down here is rising dramatically ... !!!!

Foto from the Island in front of Santa Pola. Isla Tabarca. Worth a visit always.

Tomorrow we are off to Mazarron with a couple of local pilots to explore

some sites. The building up of the coastline hasn't been too bad down there, lets hope it is now better and better protected by European laws. The bay still has its typical spanish look like it all looked like back in the 6o's, 70,s.

http://yeli.us/Flash/Fire.html

Maybe you like this, thanks for sending Peter Fox (Sussex paraglider pilot)

We flew this morning at the cost, thermic air. Sporty to get a toplanding in. Later in the afternoon, more.

Indeed more. Thermic air still, till late. The beaches are not so crowded any more. Still 32 degrees today, water cristal clear and lovely temperature to cool down after the flying.

Tandem passenger was so excited she almost forgot she was flying !

Season started, that's for sure. Thermals more clean, inversion broken. Cloud formation, cloud streets inland.

Some of the local pilots went to Monte Cabrer and achieved personal bests with 50km XC flights. Others stayed more local and enjoyed the freshly new-season thermals at Palomaret.

Our 74 year old John is our prime guest for the moment. As dinosaur in our sport, ex XC hangglider pilot, and paraglider pilot he has been flying for decades. But unfortunately his knees are not what they used to be. So everytime he needs assisted launches. And cannot walk up any hills. So we choose the most user friendly site today, and had a hell of a time. It felt all fresh.
Maybe difficult for you to understand. July and August have been awesome, only 5 days not flying it must have been. Two months of relax near beaches, swimming pools, ice creams, lots of tandems and late afternoon flying when things died off.
Now we have the more higher cloudbase already and the fresher thermals.

Promising for the pilots from Wales who are down here next week.

When I guide I do like to have a look at the sea, at the clouds forming over the mountains behind my house early morning. I want to see if there is dew on my plants, if there are a lot of flies (lots of flies = low pressure ... ).

This foto is taken at 7.30 this morning, and already some clouds and eastern wind. So knowing cloudbase was supposedly be low today, we choose for soaring and see that the rest of the day would bring.

Cabo at first, then swim in the sea, lovely, then lunch, superb, then flying inland under the clouds, doing several tandems, landing with happy folks.

John, Gary and Henrik and friends. Inland thermals. Again a hot day, having to enjoy the cristal clear mediterranean water , before heading inland to fly in the refreshing breeze. Feeling alive.
There is just so little stress about the flying this time of the year, the flying is so much guaranteed, it doesn't matter if you are early or late, it'll fly anyway for hours.

The after party

Every village whereever you go had some fiesta going on. Every day of summer somewhere you hear fireworks, you see bands playing in the street, there are fiestas around.

Some bigger than the other ,but all superb to join in for a while.

Some are accompanied with bullfights, some with bull-runs like in Pamplona, some are more devoted and carry another Hola Virgin around the village.

But everywhere there are happy families, happy villagers, having a break during their hard life ... . Everywhere there is a relaxed atmosphere. Everywhere people enjoying having drinks outside, watching the parades and all that comes with it. I love Spain.

Been flying tandems last couple of days. Weather is fine. Nothing epic, but filling your boots as much as you want.

But have done some things with the family.

If not flying there are loads of things to see in the region. We did visit the caves again. Went swimming in the mountains. Been hiking to the spring of the river Vinalopo yesterday.

And some gardening of course. Trying to cultivate some grapes, bananas, olives of course, pommy granites, oranges, and too many lemons.

After 4 years I could harvest my first banana.

Precious time with the family.

And a drive to the baños near Ontinyent. Fantastic place. I do love the beaches, but nothing can beat the fresh waters of the rivers in the mountains.
Fly and swim, that's also what we do when on a roadtrip to the Pyrenees. On nonflyable days we love to jump in the ice cold water to freshen up.

Friday some guests arriving, can¡t wait to spend some time in the air with them. See you in a couple of days !

You don't mind us having a break do you ?

We are taking a break till the 6th of september. however we are around, so if you are in the neighbourhood, you can count on us.

It will be flyable almost every day, we have seabreezes to get us flying in Benidorm, Calpe or Santa Pola. If you prefer to feel alive, call us and join us on the hills and get some nice thermals in.

un abrazo,
Nick, Kath y Paco

early day flying - tuesday 18 august 2009

I hope you flew as well today. Thermals, cloudbase not too high, and all at its best later in the afternoon. Pretty hot again, and a wild sea with huge waves. Feels like heaven.

No foto's from here , just some shooting and foto's, I found on the net about flying elsewhere.

You've got to see this. It is what paragliding is all about. Hard to understand for non flyers, but so touchy for us, who love to fly. He expresses what flying is all about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kdl5NDbiWs

And there is some more good news about Afghanistan, amongst all the bloody news, the horrible situation out there, check it out :

http://skateistan.org/

Flying over the cliffs, with Italian family. Again lots of pilots around. All knowing that the family will be happy in Alicante. Fiestas, playa, beach, culture, good food, and enough hours to get the flying in.
Sea breeze guaranteed for the pilot who want to soar, and guaranteed mountain flying for the pilots who prefer to feel more alive.

Down below a foto of the Moros and Cristianos fiestas.

Below, a foto of our local hair dresser / peluqueria. Included in the price of 360 euros, rent a car, accommodation, fly guiding for you, and something extra, a haircut at our local hair dresser. Who dares !

Vladimir with his wife with a name 'I cannot pronounce right, nor spell',

Dimitri and Inma

pilots at Cabrer today, together with Augustin, Chimo, Ismael, Alex and some more locals.

Views, heights, thermals, hours. Sometimes you wonder why this site is not more popular. In about 50 times i have visited this site, only 4 times we didn't fly it.

Fly-boys, kite-boys, surf-boys, beach-boys. Time to chill, do some sport, chill, fly a bit, surf a bit, kite a bit, beach a bit, chill a bit. Change gear so. Ease down.

Lots of pilots around. Madrid-boys, Barca-boys, Murcia-boys. Flying till sunset.

From the cliffs you can see the island of Tabarca. Worth a visit, some foto's. It is a small island with no traffic on it. The best paella is served, and a couple of bars to get your daily vino tinto in.

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