SAFA Skysailor Magazine

19 May | June 2024 SKY SAILOR a captured line. Once released, I was good to head back to launch. Adam took off first and was slow to find a thermal. I launched, quickly found a thermal, and radioed him with the hint. Soon we were both heading up... escaping airspace by mere metres as we crossed over the back. My first vol-biv was on! Adam struggled, landed, walked up and relaunched. I was on my dream adventure on my own. Flying seemed a breeze! Soon I was well on my way to Wanaka. Continuing to Mt Maude, I encountered my first issue – lack of planning put me onto what was now the lee-side as a northeaster came down Lake Hawea. Slowly figuring out what was going on, I tried to go deeper for that elusive lee-side thermal, but the unpleasantness pushed me back out to cleaner air. Limping back towards Wanaka, I found a great thermal over Albert Town campground which easily got me back to Wanaka and Pembroke Park for a rockstar landing, food and the comfort of the campground. The next day, the locals again chose Coronet Peak, and a ride was offered! Jumping at the chance, my full kit and supplies still intact, we headed off. The chairlift fast tracked the trip to the top and we set up for launch. Some got away quickly, but a few of us seemed trapped on launch as the cycles turned off. We did not have to wait too long, and got away, chasing down pilots on our way up the Shotover valley. I got to a point near Mt Saint Just and found… nothing. Scoping a small, steep sided gully, I fell below ridge line in unfamiliar territory and decided to top land and relaunch. It seemed such a good idea, not so! I managed over very rugged terrain. After stripping down to cool off while I walked, I found myself a relaunch spot I was confident would work and launched. The pilots further up the range looked low and going nowhere, so I crossed the Shotover to try work my way further along but got too low. Applying valley wind principles and a west facing slope got me little joy, so I decided to get my first night in the wild ticked off... and a long walk out! First NZ bivouac After a two hour walk, I came across my goal for the night, Strohl’s Hut, a basic old hut by the river. Some shelter! Making myself at home, bathing in the river and enjoying a very basic hot meal – I hadn’t counted on NZ’s infamous sandflies! To escape their hunger for blood it was time for an early night’s sleep. The morning’s choice was to continue the ~20km along the very rough road towards *Tip: Take a video of wing cleaning for NZ Customs as they don’t like Australian weed seed. All photos: Tim Marshall