SAFA Skysailor Magazine

57 AUTUMN 2025 | March-April-May SKY SAILOR Looking at my instruments, I found I had to go between Albury stepped airspace and Wangaratta, but I was tracking into the lower step over the Buckland Ridge and had to divert further south. This broke my rhythm, and I soon found myself at 30m above the ground. I managed to catch a broken thermal on a tree line which firmed into a silky smooth 4m/sec up. Then my airspace alarm went off! I was 100m from airspace above me which was 8500ft, so I (reluctantly) pulled out of the thermal. Brian had launched after me but only made 10km on the day, my thermal set me up for the 160km run. Paragliding is different every single day and you use what you’re given, good days, bad days and the disappointing days. Fly safe. You can check James’ Strava links here: https://strava.app.link/l5KPcGkmaQb https://strava.app.link/23GaAermaQb https://strava.app.link/EvhYP5vmaQb https://strava.app.link/GoAxALHmaQb https://strava.app.link/9qRSR4CmaQb 160km into Mystic LZ