With moderate to fresh winds predicted for today is was in doubt that we would be able to get a task in today. Our fears were compounded when we arrived on the hill to be greeted by a fair wind blowing slightly across launch from the north.

We setup anyway and to our amazement the did not increase and alternate launch were able to get underway without any problems. It seemed that we would get another task in today.

Tamborine > Rathdowney > Hillview > Lara vale

Lift was very prevalent around launch. My upper harness zip was undone as I launched but a quick climb at 3.8m to base gave me enough time up high to sort it out. Phew.

The main gaggle were set to take the second gate at 12:00. I left with these guys but snagged real nice climb just outside the start. Jonny, Rohan and many others were also in this climb. We gained a lot of altitude in this one and by the time we reached the top we were only 2km from the start circle with only 2mins to go to the next start gate. Jonny, Kiero, Cam, Enda and I went back for the next gate.

A buoyant glide back to the start and back on course meant we caught the gaggle in front within the first glide before we crossed Beaudesert. An awesome start!

Then things got interesting. A Cu Nimb had developed on course line over Mt Mohammed. The angry looking cloud was dropping rain and the Cu Nimb just to our north was shooting out lightening. Not a place I wanted to be. I stuffed the bar in order to get down to the ground as fast as I could. Once I was low enough, I ventured closer to the black siething mass  before turning back with my tail between my legs to look for a safe landing paddock. Apparently, at this stage the task had not yet been stopped. I didn’t care, surely sooner or later someone on the ground would look up and see what we were being sent through. 

The task was eventually stopped at 1:30pm. I believe the task should have been stopped at 12:45pm as do many of the other pilots in the air at the time as this was the time that lightening was first observed near course line.

Let’s see what happens tomorrow and if the current timing of the stopped task stands there may be sufficient interest in lodging a protest. We’ll have to see what happens in the morning.

Another fun day in Canungra regardless and we might even get to go over the range tomorrow. Fingers crossed!