No photo's of today, but celebrating the second place by Niviuk in the World Champions paragliding last month in Manilla. French pilot Jean-Marc Caron flew the Niviuk Icepeak XP. Down here too much westwind, only allowed my guest to go beach, and go to the outdoor go-cart track.

je ta

Photo's af the day. Not our best day, but a day out on the hill lets say.

Went for a roadtrip inland. Once behind Palomaret it was very cloudy and huge rainfall near our site Reconco. Passing Carrasqueta on our way back, still very strong winds from the north. Not thinking about flying today, not the best March month we have this year.

No flying today, grounded because of the rain.

But something was worrying me today. I got this website down below from a friend. You can type in your girlfriends mobile phone number, or she can type in your mobile phonenumber and track you. Maybe good for lost pilots in the mountains, saving lives. But man, I think this is giving a lot of privacy. Just go to this website try to put in your other half's phone number.
http://www.sat-gps-locate.com/

Rainy day, no flying today.

If you think Spain, you maybe thinking about paragliding, bullfights, Barcelona, playa, flamenco, Hemingway. If you know a little bit more about Spain you also know about SEMANA SANTA.

Semana Santa, the holy week is celebrated in Spain, as in central America, south America, and parts of Italy. People from all over the world come and celebrate this week.

This traditional catholic fiesta is held the week before Easter, around Good Friday just before the first full moon cycle in spring. If you are here this moment, you shouldn't miss it, it's worth watching. Scary, intimidating when you see such a crowd being so devoted following the statue of Christ, touching it, kissing it.

The Spanish Semana Santa is a true celebration of passion and life. The colors, the procession, the costumes, the devotion. Difficult to tell what it does to you, but it certainly moves your senses. Even if your not at all catholic.

Here is a little foto. You certainly have seen these pointy hats. They have nothing to do luckily with the horrible Ku Klux Clan hats.

The best country in the world to enjoy fiestas ? No doubt, Spain, these people know how to celebrate, no doubt.

This is a true story. We have the honour again to have Jan Bernaerts amongst us again. He is the soaring-pilot of Belgium, I have no doubts.

Today he flew 5 hours and 41 minutes at our cliffs (no landings in between ...). And I never saw him doing a 360 ! When he landed we told him he probably broke the world record flying for over 5 and a half hours, not making any 360. No, he said, as honest as he is, he said, I made two 360's. No, he said, three actually. And he meant it.

He loves flying, he loves soaring, he adores the cliffs, that's for sure.

An excellent day at the cliffs again, if y0u had the skills to take off. Most of us had the skills, just in the central hours of the day, it was a bit limited.

The weather forecast was rain, but not a drop. Lots of drops up north and in the mountains though.

Martin, Jan, Jette, Peter, Paul and Lynda, hope you got home safe and are all relaxed. Un abraso !

Oh, bottom photo is 'save the cabo'. We are saving the Cabo for you guys. With all your help and huge help of the local pilots, things are going the good way. The relation for starters with the owners of the new urbanisations being built on the hill is much more relaxed. Soon we will have the outcome of the dispute we had with that urbanisation and townhall of Santa Pola. I think everyone realizes that we don't do no harm, that we are all well educated, never swear, don't drink, don't smoke doobies, and or not crazy with our big kites, having fun.

Peace and love.

A sunday afternoon at the beach. The whole day flying over the cliffs. Even a hangglider about, and late afternoon Toni and Toni Pinosero were tuning their engines.

Pictures tells the story, decent heights, Pete with a big smile.

Competition in Murcia, results not known yet, but known that we all had our flying in today, at last lets say.

Some of us at Murcia Carrascoy, later at Alhama de Murcia.

Foto, Rafa with his new Sport babyboom, and Stevie launching with his Sigma6.

If you want a taster of how it can be at Alicante Doyouwanna, look at next link. Two weeks ago a group of belgian pilots were around and made this :

http://lopa.250free.com/fp/frans/Alicante%20maart%202007_freeparagliders_be.WMV

Competition flying this weekend in Murcia. So we met the local pilots, just like us parawaiting at Carrascoy. Waiting for the winds to go down, the northwestern wind.
But no chance, till 5 pm, still too gusty and tricky with this north component.
Every pilot in this region has its own story about being stuck in the air, no forward speed anymore, being pinned once.

Paul, StevieG, Linda, PaulC, Peter, Stevie, Martin, Scott, Jette and Jan. With these friends around, you go the extra mile to make them happy.

The site we flew on today, was Carrascoy. We had a long wait, so visited the site of Alhama de Murcia, had tapas, chill, drink, chill, and flew. Just a big top to bottom late in the afternoon, because all day it was way too strong.

As always I checked with the local club, to make sure we are welcome to fly their site. The site is pretty fragil, so it would be rude just to go and fly it. Common sense and respect I would say.

Henrik, waiting to read if we flew no ? Well we didn't. I just had time to groundhandle my Niviuk Artik a while, to check the renewed lines. But couldn't fly it, some things told me it wasn't right. No need for a windmeter, sometimes your nose (depends on the size of course ...) tells you.

Temperature dropped suddenly, no wind, some rimples in the sea. Clouds were forming rapidly. And I enjoyed it. I loved watching the sky. I don't know if it is very clear on this photo, taken at take off. You can tell the hard and strong norhtwestern winds, were pushed back by the all of a sudden eastern strong winds. Where did they come from ? Seabreeze, that strong ? A bag of cold air over the sea (should be noticeable on the 500 hPa charts, but it isn't) ?
A wild convergence, very aggressive. Meteo is such a wonderful thing. And the more you read, learn about it, the more exciting, because in my opinion the knowledge and the trying to understand it never ends.
(I do sound pretty serious here, I think we need to fly soon ...)

We had some clouds that some british pilots never have seen before, and secretly I was happy they were interested. These clouds were Altocumulus Castellanus at one point. They look like the battlements of a medieval castle. Instability (not usable for us!), usually followed by thunderstornms later in the day. And indeed there is lightning over the sea now, 9 pm.
On height we had cold north-norhtwestern winds, and this very cold layer of air is coming in., sliding over the warmer air, over the castellanus clouds. Some bubbles of air, rise from the cloud deck (saturated adiabatic), and form these 'castellanus'.
Any heating up of the surface during the day will add, and feed the castellanus. (convection)
These castellanus clouds should be an alert to us, paragliding pilots, because they can easily develop into more dangerous clouds like first cumulus congestus, followed by cumulus nimbus.
More ? If you have these castellanus as we had this afternoon, you should know that the formation of these involved, involves vertical air movement, causing severe turbulence. So nothing for us, unless we are called 'Ewa' of course.
What a nose eh ?

Sorry, hope you read me tomorrow, this was very serious wasn't it ? Cheers.

Wetterzentrale, one of the sites I regularly use.
On top the pressure in hPa , second the windspeed in knots, then tempscale and humidity, and last line, the rainfall , which is almost always blank, because it hardly rains in Alicante region.
So as you can see it is windy, and cold. Between 10 and 15 degrees celsius. Humidity between 40 and 60 which is normal.
It looks like tomorrow and the day after we have some window when the wind drops on the afternoon. We'll definetly be out there, but to be honest it'll be marginal.
I think we will have too much wind.
From saturday onwards, back to normal that's for sure, so Jan and others, keep fit.

Skiresorts 800 km up north in the Pyrenees are getting their last snow. We do get their winds, northwestern, too strong to fly.

Thor, Nico come back !
Just when you left the winds started picking up, so we couldn't fly. Southwestern winds, just too strong for Calpe. And the upcoming days don't look too promising, windy days predicted.

All afternoon at the cliffs, over the mediterranean. Because inland it was baaaaad.

Just an old photo of where we had fun today.

And a photo fo Kath and Paco.

Mads leaving tomorrow, it was his third visit to Alicante. He flew 7 days out of 7 under his still krispy (although maybe not any more) Gradient Aspen2. Him and Nico flew late in the afternoon at the cliffs again.
This morning though we made a decision to look for some epic flying near Col de Rates, way up north, some 100 km. Although knowing Cabo would fly today, but we been there, done that and were looking for something more exciting.
Too far to go actually, but the winds were supposed to be on, northeast.
Once there, a worrying breeze at landing, once near the (now german owned .... christ !) mountain lodge very breezy, once at take off very very breezy. So downhill to baby coll, where it was too gusty. More downhill to have a drink at the cooperative. Before owned by handsome friendly spanish people, now owned by russians, not at all friendly. This is definetly the last visit to this bar.
The valley has changed. Suby (local pilot) used to live there, and invited us years back to fly in his backyard. Col de Rates. And it was still very spanish then, and not too crowded. Now, half the valley is owned by yes sir, Julio Iglesias, building the whole valley full with 'modern' urbanisations. Yes of course it is civilization, but some esthetics would be welcome.
Anyway, we didn't fly, but had a good day after all.
Mads and Nico left earlier, hurrying to get their last flying in before they have to get back to Norway. And they succeeded, they came in time to get the soaring in they wanted. They said they were satisfied.
The rest of us decided to have a beer near the waterfront and relax for today.

Stevie G packing up after three hours of sunny soaring. Below Mads, Nico playing around today at the cliffs of Santa Pola.

Paul Williams chief instructor BHPA, and owner of the paragliding school Paraventure, said if we had such a day in Britain, pilots would talk about it a whole year.

Tomorrow we go inland again, after a relaxing day at the cliffs.

Flying with eagles and vultures. At Monte Cabrer. Almost no wind at take off, but thermals everywhere. And it was cold especially if you only had gardening gloves on.
Soon I spotted some birds of prey at the right side of take off, was trying to take some photo's of them, but it was too bumpy to let my hands of the brakes. It's always great to follow them, but if you doubt if they core the thermal, well they do ! And when it gets shaky, they go out in the valley for other climb, and we, we are too sloooooooooow...... .
Loved it, and all guests loved it as well. The northern boys were of course all equipped with bataclava, long-johns, pull-overs.
Thermals up to 4.5 m/s, shaky at bits, feeling alive.
Later, driving back home, some soaring near San Antonio. See bottom two photo's.

Jose Luis left XC, landed in Banyeres, getting ready for comp season, bravo !

Day of the month ? Could be
Reconco, underestimated by lots of pilots. Last sunday, late in the afternoon low airtimers got to over 1000 m above take off, enjoying the convergence south/northeast.
This morning looked at weather forecast, and we could have the same. Clouds were forming rapidly over the ridgeline Carrasqueta, Maigmo, Palo, El Cid. Behind blue sky. That's where we needed to be. In Reconco, where there was no landbreeze, but a light easterly meteowind.
Arrived early, around midday. In time to feel the light breezes in our face, the whispers above take off, promising big stuff.
Ask Mads, Nico and Thor, they got to 2000 m ASL, and could have gone big XC, but decided to head for Font Roja. Meanwhile Rafa flew one of his better flights, into wind and toplanded in Palomaret. Dudo flew to, as well upwind, El Cati.
Although we do not have the best XC region in Spain, sometimes it is magic.
Again better flying at Reconco when it is not head on, but slightly off to the left, to the east so.

On the photos, two happy norwegian bunnies, Thor and Nico. Under his Gradient Aspen2, mister mad Mads.

And Ian and Guy flying under their Aerodyne gliders.

We ended up having some good flying under the clouds. By no means we wanted to do an 'Eva', it was safe.

For pilots who don't know the region, they would think the clouds were nasty. But knowing the eastern winds from over the sea hit us yesterday, we know this is not development with a bad side. But mere humidity building up.

And it was good to have some experience with cloudsuck, all controlable by big earing, or baby spirals.

Yesterday a local instructor said, if I read your blog it always has been a good flight. Well, maybe we are easily satisfied. And sometimes a good flying day is a thermalling day with +4 m/s climb, cloudbase way up, sometimes it is scratching at Buenos Aires, a small hill, where skills and technique conquer. Today it was the 'anxiety', the 'nervousness' I sensed on my pilots. The pretty dark clouds forming over take off, making it all doubtfull...

But it was safe, Dudo, Jose Luis, Rafa were already in the air, I took off and the air was not wild and bumpy, but smooth.
Then all visiting pilots up in the air, toplanding, a bit of a new experience, cloudsuck for the first time for some of them, looking left looking right to see what other pilots were doing.

The true spirit of free flying, the one with the biggest smile at the end of the day, having a drink in the old men's bar, etc... etc... . Yes we are easily satisfied, we love it, it was great flying today.

A special hooray for the pilots from Onil. Late in the afternoon, almost 5 pm, they took off from their local hill, Reconco. Some low airtime pilots, got more than 1000 meters above take off. Using the famous convergence lift, later in the afternoon, southeast/west. And some pilots who took off late in Murcia as well, most of them landed 40 km further on the beach, couldn't fly any further.

And other good news is that Ager is open again, we can drive up to take off on weekends, thanks for lobbying up there. Other good news is that Carrascoy is reopened a week before planned.

Some pressure on my shoulders today. Two guy leaving after a week stay, some new pilots since yesterday, blue sky, not too much wind, and not knowing where to go.

Luckily there was some confidence in my guiding.

In the morning there was some offshore winds, and clouds racing from the north. But I did trust in an easternly in the afternoon.

I was in contact with Rafa who was inland, checking things out. You can't fly in our region without having contact in other valleys. You would loose so much time driving around, and only later realising it in the evening, that all day you were on the wrong hill.

But today spot on again.

It turned southeast in the afternoon while other pilots were still parawaiting inland.

Although admitting that conditions can be much much better at the cliffs, some of us had more than two hours of flying in.

Tandems, sunday pilots, we were all there.

Inland some of my friends flew at Col de Rates, but only 100 m above take off ...., at Palomaret at 5 pm cloudbase at 1100 m, which means only 300 m above take off.

We plan to leave early tomorrow, because I think we could have a nice cloudbase.

See you all soon.

Some shots of our flying over Buenos Aires, Elche. It was just there that the southern sea breeze kicked in. Peter was today's skygod, kept on soaring while others couldn't manage to get a turn in.

Our freshly arrived Norwegian pilots were more pleased with their soaring later on, over the cliffs at the coast. They got the rust off, day one, having had a short night sleep.

Frans was very pleased after his numerous visits, to enjoy another site again. And there's still more that you haven't flewn yet Frans. See you in october with the usual.

this just came in, quotes by Frans Dechaene : Difficult day today. Started out early today but halfway there Nick started getting feedback that the winds inland were too strong. 180 back to home base. By early afternoon the sea breeze started kicking in, but unfortunately south east rather east as we need on the Cabo. Nick proposed to go to a small ridge called Buenos Aires, not far from Elche. Small soaring ridge. Sea breeze kicked in and we did some soaring flights. Later back to the Cabo where we made a small flight and narrowly missed the window. So came our week to an end, my 10th visit to Nick. And it was one of the better ones. Back in October !

I think there is only one stupid guide like me. Who borrows his harnass because one of his visiting pilots forgot to bring his harnass. So I did, knowing it was a XC day.

Anyway, forget about it, it felt frustrating all the way. The only good thing was that all off the belgian pilots had the day of their life. Low airtimer Frank stayed over the hills near Biar for over an hour. Others had their personal best.

Local pilots got to 1700 m ASL and went XC to Banyeres and further. It looked as if cloudbase was reserved for our local pilots, they all got higher than the foreign pilots around.

The window lasted from 11 am till 6 pm. It was a typical doyouwanna day. Flying with the top pilots of the region, guiding all of the visiting pilots to the next hill, then them joining the locals flying higher and further. We were about 15 pilots today.

Thermals +4, sink -4, almost 1000 m climb above take off. And you ain't seen nothing yet, it's only March, beginning of March.

Watch out for Vlad, he is a natural, his style, his take off. If he stays safe, he'll be a damn good pilot. Keep it up.

Quote Frans belgian pilot today :

A boring day without flying ? Far from it ! Nick took up for a local sightseeing tour, Still howling with a 40 knots northwesterly but clear like only Spain can be in spring. The stark contrast of the bright sunlight and the typical dark Spanish pubs. Really enjoying the truly local paella in the local restaurant. Visiting the hugely impressive site of Sella inland. of Benidorm. Flying here must be superb. And what is best ? After two days of the worst gale the coast has seen in years the wind has died down this evening. Looks promising for tomorrow ! Frans

Up to 90 km/h winds in our part of Spain, up northwest it was worth, 130 km p/h registered.
If you looked inland you could only see a huge dustcloud blowing towards the
sea.
Tomorrow more of this and friday back to normal again, could be good for XC. Highcloudbase maybe, thanks to this norhtwestern winds we have now.

My webpage is down, it has to do with the DNS central who controls my domain name. I can only wait till they have it sorted. Sorry.

We could only enjoy the view at toix not flying. It was too strong.

The window to fly at Toix is very narrow. The winds have to be perfect between 15 and 20 k per hour, not cross, not gusty etc... Those who have been here know what I am talking about. So even with the very very keen freeparagliders.be around it was not doable to be airborne.

message byFrans freeparagliders.be
Hi gang, interesting day today. Woke up with palm trees shaking around the pool in a westerly wind, not a good sign... But Nick knew winds were going to turn east in the afternoon. We started off by going to Cortina, the site near Benidorm. Conditions not that easy, Vlad on the MacPara Envy was on top of the pack. But gradually wind picked up and the dust started flying. We moved back to the Cabo in the afternoon for hours and hours of first class soaring, till sunset. Wind remained strong and no sign of weakening. Great picture opportunities with gliders in the sunset. We have been here now for two days and conditions have been great ! Freeparagliders.be

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Some shots of our flying today. First at Cortina then later at the cliffs.

Harry, Derek and Mike are leaving us tomorrow morning, hey guys, it was nice having you around, I mean this, hope to see you around !

More swiss, german, belgian, german pilots who flew today. I can't tell, but I think this is exactly what every pilot wants. Being on vacation, having very good weather, blue sky, and soaring above the mediterranean before having chilled beers outside in the evening breeze.

It doesn't get much better.

Tomorrow probably Calpe, check it out.

In the morning we could still see the wave clouds from the northwest. Cold air, compared to what we were gonna get later in the day., It was promising, we had to be patient, till midday.

As the day began, the clouds were screening the sun. So the valley was heated up slowly. But already early Alex and Carmen in the air, gaining height with hardly any sun.
The cold air from above worked like a silent hoover. We knew when the sun was gonna hit the valley it was gonna be sportive. And it was.
We host some british, german and belgian pilots for the moment. On the photo you can still see the wave of cold air up above, yesterday racing from the norhtwest still.
Here are some word of Frans, Belgian pilot, who left his old Sol behind to fly a Niviuk Hook.

//////////////////////////
Hi gang, I will try to serve as a host writer for Nick's today this week. Today Nick had a gorgeous day or Palomaret in store for us freeparagliders and a couple of Brits. I have been many times in Palo the last few years but this was my best day so far. First time also with my Niviuk Hook and boy what a difference this glider makes ! Very agile. As mid week looks less promising for meteo we made the most of it. Temperatures up to 26c with a good south east breeze made it more feel like September than winter ! Day was wrapped up by picking up Vlad in Tibi after his first cross. We found him in the local pub where he was throwing a party. Boy was he in outer space.

Peña Rubia for some of us, untill it got too strong northwest. Rafa with his brandnew Skywalk Chill all the way to Biar and back. We left for La Zafra, but it was strong their as well.

I took off when it looked like it was dying off, but once in the air it was pretty bumpy and strong headwind. Had to use full speedbar to get to landingfield. Wasn't a pretty ride.

Later in the evening we all watched the eclipse of the moon, with the necessary sangria ... .

The sky was crystal clear, so it was well worth it, watching it in T-shirt. It got to 30 degrees on our beaches today, amazing, but not very normal.

Peña Rubia for some of us, untill it got too strong northwest. Rafa with his brandnew Skywalk Chill all the way to Biar and back. We left for La Zafra, but it was strong their as well.

I took off when it looked like it was dying off, but once in the air it was pretty bumpy and strong headwind. Had to use full speedbar to get to landingfield. Wasn't a pretty ride.

Later in the evening we all watched the eclipse of the moon, with the necessary sangria ... .

The sky was crystal clear, so it was well worth it, watching it in T-shirt. It got to 30 degrees on our beaches today, amazing, but not very normal.