Sunday 4/11, Pre-Frontal SE Coastal Sites

[sd]

Pre-Frontal, building SE wind. Too much for the mountains. Recommend staying lower on the costal cliffs. More wind than yesterday afternoon, and the direction may not be as good. There should be numerous costal sites that will work to varying degrees, depending on the direction and velocity. Some may be blown out for PGs later in the day. Normally we expect a SE to diminish and clock around as the day heats, but this is a pre frontal transition and the SE is forecast to increase as the center of the low approaches and the pressure gradients tighten. Had some early morning sprinkle in Carpinteria, and the radar showed a couple bands of light precip moving through, but the bulk of the rain is not forecast to arrive until late in the day or tonight.

[sd]

Went to upper Bates with my gliders about noon. The velocity was ok but building, and the direction was pretty cross from the left. Only the west end of the cliff bow was working. Opted to pass and check back after low tide. Left my glider in the garage and rode the length of the cliff on my bike about 4:30. The direction was about the same, maybe a little worse. The velocity was borderline blown out for PGs, but the birds were out in force. Large bomber flocks of pelicans were cutting up wind with ease. The seagulls were pulled in some. Turkey vultures were getting bounced about, and a lone red tail was prowling for a snack. No fly day for me, and didn't see any human foot launch craft airborne either.

[oj]

The early SBA reports of SE @ 10 had me at Bates around 9, but it was so East that it was offshore. Went to the rookery launch but too E there as well. Found Art at Bates later and went back to the rookery when it started to come out of the SE. Rapidly building from the low teens with stronger gusts, we attempted to launch but really needed speed wings instead of pg's. Art made several trys but lost 20 yards on each attempt. I waited for a lull and pulled up, but only got the glider to the 10 o'clock position before the next gust had me airborne 8 feet up still reversed. I rapidly covered the same 20 yards Art had before getting a refresher course on proper PLF methods. That was enough for both of us and we called it a day.