Across the Swamp

A week ago Sunday, Dennis and Art were preparing to head back home to New Hampshire and Vermont. However Dennis wanted one last flight even if it meant driving through the night and next day.  Both Dennis and Art assured me that hitching a ride back to Wallaby Ranch wouldn't be a problem if I landed with Dennis.  So the deal was struck.  Jason, Dennis, and I declared a course that would take us west away from the stronger easterly winds, but around the Tampa controlled airspace.  We had a turn point across the southern end of the swamp, then one at Dade City, with goal to the northwest at the airfield in Crystal River.

Dennis and I hooked up at cloud base soon after launching.  We headed off downwind along Deen Still road to the west.  Two other gliders also broke free and joined our sightseeing tour.  (I later found out it was Marco and Philipe).  We worked well as a group and were soon approaching the trees in the center of the Green Swamp.  Marco probed the area first and wasn't treated well.  Meanwhile Jason was keeping us informed of his progress a few climbs behind us.  After some topping off, the group ventured across the swamp.  Dennis found a really sweet 1000 fpm (5 m/s) climb that wakened the racer in me as I was tossed at the clouds.  I zoomed off to Dade City and took a wide sweep that didn't pay off.  The rest of the gang caught up and passed by as I kept searching for a thermal I "knew" was there but I never found.  Lesson learned.

It was also easy to see the affects of the drought in the lake boundaries.

We all floundered a bit around Dade City until Dennis once again found a strong climb.  I was too far away to catch the climb but could see Dennis glide off into the blue along course line and Marco and Phillipe head more to the west.  I was centering a strong climb north of town when Dennis radioed he was getting low.  I quickly reached cloud base and started cruising down a line of clouds along course line at 5800 feet (1700 m).  I saw Marco and Phillipe turn more the to north well west of my position and assumed I would soon connect with or even be in front of them in a few minutes.  I called for Dennis' position but didn't get a response.  As I floated along under the clouds I kept an eye open for Dennis and finally found him on the ground.

I was a bit concerned since the glider was pointed into the wind, not the "tail into the wind" position we typically use.  I called again on the radio but there wasn't a response.  Art chimed in and said he couldn't reach Dennis on the cell phone either.  I started spiraling down in case something was wrong.  At 1500 feet (450 m) Dennis walked out from under the glider and rotated it around "tail to the wind".  In a few minutes I was standing next to him in a pasture surround with way too many fences.  :-(

I sent coordinates to Art and started breaking down.  A neighbor that skydives at Zephyrhills using winged suits drove out in an ATV with his boys and brought us each a beer.  A short time later his wife brought us some bottled water.  What service!  We had a nice chat before returning to packing up.  A few cows ambled by and one in particular was interested in our activity.  She stayed even as Art drove into the field and we loaded gliders.  She didn't leave until I said goodbye as we stepped into the truck.

We didn't reach Crystal River, but had a fun day flying with friends and met nice interesting people we probably would not have met any other way.  Art and Dennis made a quick stop at the ranch to drop me off and then started their 26 hour drive home.  Jason landed about 50 miles out while Marco and Phillipe landed at the Hernando County Airport a few miles beyond us.

Flights: 1, Time: 2:36, Distance: 40 miles