Bit boring to read that we again had good weather and flew inland. Daniel, with his Gradient Golden2, was our skygod today.

When others bummed out, his skills got him into the smooth thermals and topped up his airtime.

I was busy making tandems. Having to fight hard with lots of ballast in front of me.... but most enjoyable to make a family happy letting them experience our passion which is flying.

Hardly cloudbase to mention, no temperature gradient, only some instability in the back gave us a window. It was not necessary to get on the hill early and bake.

It was better to enjoy the spanish rythm of the day and arrive late, as we did.

Looking to fly somewhere else, so we left for Reconco, Onil, where Juan Pedro, Felix, Tomas and more were flying when we arrived.

Flying at the cliffs. Henrik did it again, he smashed his own durance record. We flew till now, and its getting dark. Tomorrow more, it looks like this summer is gonna be smashing good for paragliding down here. Isn't it always ......

Very enjoyable flying again. Thermals at 6 pm still kicking in 4 m/s at times. Very enjoyable.

A typical Alicante day, morning swim in the sea, afternoon lunch and siesta under the fans, then moving inland to fly in fresher air ! Ice-cream on top.

Happy flying today. Lots of hours thermalling, at times even circling together with an eagle, always impressive.
No traffic in the air, all relaxed and smooth. Thermals kicked in but were so enjoyable, nobody worried about the heights we got, about the constant climb. And later in the day the restitution was present, while you were climbing so smoothly you could easily scroll on your Ipod and get the best tune on.

First time in years difficult to write something on my 'today'.

No foto's, no fun today. Somebody lost his life today at the Cabo de Santa Pola.
Got a phone call this morning that something bad had happened, an accident. When I got to the site, Max, German colleague, told me the sad news. A pilot from neighbouring city Murcia had an accident and crashed. He must have died instantly.
The happening itself is already so sad enough, that it doesn't need more details. When more details are known, and can help to prevent any more accidents, it'll be surely posted on my blog.
My condoleances to the whole family and friends of the pilot. I do not know the man, don't even have his name.
But god be goddamn careful out there you guys. It's not worth it ! Fly safe.

Western winds earlier in the day, didn't permit us to fly anywhere near. Later on the breeze kicked in and off we went. But no good. I hated it.
In the air, doing a tandem, I felt uncomfortable, winds from the back, west and east. Making sure the approach and the landing went smoothly, safe so.
One of the lesser days for flying today in Alicante this summer. Although blue sky, beach, swim and siesta, but not cherry on the pie with a late afternoon flight for us.

Small and rough take off at Fortuna. But no problem for all 6 pilots who took off superbly and had some great flying near Fortuna, Sierra del Corque.

Some views during flight. A very dry area, looks more like Algeria, Morocco at times.

We don't go there quite often. Although it is a site that never let me down. Every time but once, it was working fine. Early morning if you like rought stuff at midday, and later in the afternoon when the breeze settles everything.

Fordu and Augustin local pilots, Henrik our Sweed, Marcus the German, Geoff the English, Chris the Brit, all with us today to have an unforgettable day near Fortuna. Thanks for joining us guys on this excursion.

Todays site, tomorrows site. Tomorrow site is planned near Fortuna.

We waited till late to go out and fly, and did best. Again better when the breeze kicked in, the cold air tilting up the warm air. Good fun.

Simon ! New pilot on the block.

I fly a Niviuk TAKOO, one of the best tandem gliders I have ever flewn. And I consumed some already.... .
Getting ready Houston, tranquilo.

Nicolas being geared up by my buddy Raul, who with Antoline are always eager to help.

Nice shot eh !
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Sometimes it is about huge climb, sometimes it is about big thermals. Today there were tandems to do. So today it was about sharing the passion with passengers who never had flewn before. At the cliffs of Santa Pola, easy stuff.
Five in total. Suzanne, german-french, two norwegians, and two little kids. All different flights. Asking different questions, having the time of their life.
It was very enjoyable today. Temperatures were nice, not too hot, even nicely fresh in the air.
Wind were off a little, but that made it more sensational if we got a good climb. And we had. Sometimes even climb all the way over the sea.
I flew with Simon, a 8 year old german kid. He loved it. It was interesting what he focuses on during flight. He was watching the sea, the colour of the sea he mentioned, and the birds he saw. The older passengers were asking more technical questions about howcome it flew, how we found the lift, how much a course cost etc... .
But if you fly relax, I think we are all nearer to what a kid thinks or experiences during flight. On a soaring day like today, there is no mobile, no watch. We just float and don't think about anything, we absorb the views. Automatic pilot, we don't have to think what to do, it is all second nature as if. Great, a fantastic way to end this day was getting a hug after flight from the 8 year old. So much fun today.

In the july issue of the british paragliding magazine Skywings on page 6, we can read that Jimmy Kedoshim, paramotor pilot, got killed in Israel by a mortar shell, fired from across the border.
The day before he supported the 60th anniversary celebration of the founding of the state of Israel by flying with his paramotor over a giant Israeli flag.
In the article he is said to have been a freedom seeking man ....

Next video, is a freedom seeking Israeli soldier shooting at a blindfolded and handcuffed Palestine ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hdm89WxkGs

Nice one today. Not too many pilots. Nice and easy, smooth conditions at the cliffs.

Just enjoying the lift which was every where.

I don't know what ZEN feels like, but if this was close, I'd love it. Floating, nothing to think about, just let yourself sink into the quiet Feeling disconnected, very peaceful and nobody else on board, heaven.

Heaven as being a step from paradise, that's how it felt.

Gone for a city trip. Back home now ready to fly. This morning already east for the cliffs. Friends have been flying the last few days when we were gone. But nothing epic, too much inversion, so better flying late when everything cooled down. But still flying every day, every day, and that counts doesn't it.

Meanwhile getting ready, all set, gear up for a .... siesta ..... because temp reaching 35 degrees today. Better to relax with a movie in the house, the fan on, sheds down, now and then rushing out to dip in the pool to cool off. At 5 pm we'll be flying again.

Arcones is one of the main sites in Spain to go XC from. A huge ridge in central spain with a big valley in front of you. Ideal to go kilometers.
This weekend most of the local pilots will be there.
See you all on monday. Today flyable at the cliffs down here.

Rainy and windy. Looks and felt like autumn. Damn weird weather we had today.

Jump in the waterfalls. Flying, not thinking about it, winds too strong. So a refreshing afternoon near the falls of Algar.

I got up very early this morning, to see if we could fly at sunrise. But no chance, weather so unstable, winds too strong first hour.

Got the kajak out, and some of us did the Isla Tabarca tour. Which is kajak-ing 4 km into the sea to the island of Tabarca. Have breakfast and then paddle back to Santa Pola.

Underneath the charts of the day. As you can see in the southeast of Spain, that's where we are (sureste = southeast), there was a front right above our heads. Moving eastwards to Italy, Turkey. On the second chart you can see we had to cope with 4 to 5 beaufort winds. Kitesurfing an option. And down below to rub it in guys, satelite foto of the clouds, again right above our heads, so not the best place to be for flying today was Alicante. Lets be honest eh !

Winds died off, we can fly at night, hush ......

You had to be early to fly. Early at Palomaret for instance, or San Antonio. Then you could fly for a couple of hours, best heading southwest, because winds up high were northeast.

Or you had to go to the beach and do another adrenline sort of sport, kite surfing, not bad. Foto taken by Paco, my son.

Parachuting, free fall for some of the local pilots yesterday near Ontur. Other flew later in the afternoon, on the hills. Where for starters it was strong, but as always died off in the end and still delivered a couple of hours of flying.

Tomorrow the northern part of Spain is under alert, Catalonia region where we were last week. Down here maybe a bit windy, but surely flyable somewhere.