Sunday 1/5 SB Social

[sd]

Link to SD flight article for Sunday
http://paraglide.net/log/14/01-05/1_sb_social_sunday.htm

Sunday morning update:
A bit late on the post, but the phone rang at 6:30 so I've been looking.

The Santa Anna event is a bit late, but it is blowing down the Santa Clara River through Fillmore, but not all the way to the ocean. The buoys show light offshore flow across the region that should clear out any marine air.

The lapse rate is weaker below 3K and good above. More east wind in the forecast for SB compared to model runs last night, but only 5 to 7ish at 6K, and L&V below ridge line this afternoon. Ojai looks like a better call, but I've got my wife Pam and TQ's new girlfriend Robin coming to launch, and they aren't going to hike up to the Nuthouse.

I expect SB to be weak down low, but work ok above the ridge. You may want to launch high. The Eagle Bus posted a 9:30 meet at Parma. You may want to leave a vehicle at East Beach. I expect to roll through Parma about 9:45ish with South Side, TQ, plus the girls. The girls don't plan to chase, but they will get our vehicle down from launch.
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Saturday afternoon look at Sunday
Sunday and Monday are looking better than Saturday.

Building Santa through Monday with offshore flow. The surface temps should be warmer, but the 6K temp is forecasted to be cooler on Sunday compared to Saturday. The Sunday temp spread from the surface to 6K is forecasted to be in the mid 20s (degrees F). Saturday's forecasted spread is only in the high teens with weak onshore flow. Light wind on course. Light north at altitude in SB, but NE further east, and likely blowing catabatic down the Santa Clara River from the east. Lower level wind will likely be light from the SW unless you can reach the east end of Ojai. Looks like the lapse rate in Santa Barbara may be better above 3K, so you might want to launch from EJs. Ojai looks more robust, but the road is closed and the east flow isn't strong enough for me to hike. Hopefully, the Santa Anna will arrive in time for Sunday to work and we can eke past low part of the range behind Carpinteria to reach the better lift in Casitas Pass.

Link to the sounding forecast for SB and Ojai for both Sat and Sunday
http://paraglide.net/log/14/01-05/sounding/0a_forecast_04_sat_run_for_sat-sun.htm

[Faoro_Ron]

Lots of pilots on the short course today. After flushing on the early launch, I drove back up and left Skyport after the Eagle crew. Got my strongest thermal ever at Skyport - up to 4,360 feet - and bounced down range to Castle Ridge in the high threes and low fours. Air was a bit uneven, so I left the mountains and flew to Padaro Grill. One and a half hour second flight.

[SA]

Good to see everybody out there today. We had Eaglets getting first high flights both Saturday and Sunday, and a few of them today got to soar on their first high flights. A fully loaded Eagle van pulled out of Parma just after 9:30 and dumped a group at EJ, and then drove back to Skyport to launch Eaglets on first high flights, and do a couple tandems. It was working all day at Skyport, and it sounds like Faoro hooked his strongest thermal ever there today. All the new P2’s were boating around in the lift at Skyport before heading to Parma. Brian Howell was even making the Antenna Farm and Rock work with a decent sized tandem passenger. I watched Marite get up at skyport and ping pong back an forth between the factory and double R a bunch. I climbed out from Skyport with my tandem (thanks for the help on launch Ron), and we hooked up with Blake, Malcolm, Marite, and OJ at the factory. OJ is sporting some new colors up there, and that wing pops! We thermalled a bunch with that crew then made a glide for the beach, landing in a 10-15 MPH SW. Super fun day, and I love it when it lines up on a Sunday! I saw Andy D., Chris Paul, and Dave Turner heading east. Where did you end up boys.? How about you SD? Great way to start off our first weekend of flying in 2014.

[DeVietti_Marty]

Niiice!

Sounds like most everyone is starting the year off right. Sorry I missed it, but glad so many others got some! Nice post Rob!

Cheers,
Marty

[Southside]

Some pictures from Sunday. Write up here: http://socalxc.blogspot.com/2014/01/san ... ra-15.html