Up Bright and early as usual, reminding myself that it is a Saturday so filling up with 2 caffeine shots would suffice. Switched on the Beeb to check the 7:25 news and weather pressing ON Button @ my PC before returning to kettle to do same. This is an ideal time as my PC boots up in same time as kettle takes to boil 1 cup o water. ( Yes , I did have a slight vino del collapse hang-over )
METO Site showed very light winds for the day pointing towards the Glens and no rush to bother Murray at such an early hour. Plus time to let reality kick in . Car was already loaded up in anticipation and also on the off chance that during the week Nigg would present a possible hours lunch time flying.
After my usual 10 minute call to Murray to review MET and general chat I Headed off South from Portlethen around 11:30 ish towards CLOVA and coming across Murray drying his wing in the morning sunlight at the head of the Glen. The 2 of us then convoyed up to Clova Hotel but left My car on-route in case of down valley flights.
We then hiked up 1/3 of the way towards Loch Brandy level and tried the air. Small thermals were cycling through with Murray managing to stay aloft, but yours truly still had the habbit of flying with tooo Much brake and tooo far our from hill.
When venturing further on and across the path towards the plateau conditions improved with regards thermals and wind strength, which was expected. Joy, the vario began to sing and the 2 of us flew for a few hours with me being restricted on height due to heavy hands (approx 900 ft above the plateau) and Mr Hay managing to punch through the inversion at approx 1500 ft above the plateau.
The day was finished off, after ‘jumping’ back to a void the long flat walk, with a great top to bottom flight from t/o next Loch Brandy, to landing in the field out front of the Hotel.
Perfect finish, with a cold Guinness to re-fresh at the hotel before heading back north.