Flight to the South West Ridge.
If you stand on the Rex lookout, and look to your right, you will see a massive ridge line running to the southern horizon. This is the legendary South West Ridge, a place of big air and even bigger stories! A flight to the SW ridge is always a memorable experience, and there is always something new to learn when you get there. Sometimes the ridge is working really well, and cloud base is yours for the taking. Other times, the ridge doesn’t want to know, and will push you away with a westerly wind that will have you scurrying back to the Rex, tail between your legs! Let’s hope you have enough glide!
It’s a spectacular place that demands respect, but the rewards are immense.
August 2nd, 2011 at 3:59 pm
i crashed on take off at rex’s in the 1980’s and some hells angles on bikes got my glider onto my van and i drove for two days with broken bones to byron hospital where a freind looked after my gear ..but its a nice launch just dont stall and go into the cliff as i did ..better luck next time .. skeatesy.com
August 3rd, 2011 at 2:37 pm
the island out to the right of rex’s look out in a s/e wind seems to have an effect on take off .. because of the laminar flow of the sea breeze is easily turbulated by the island and the turbulence lasts for some distance and spreds out ..i was amazed i had to take this into account when flying on the coast as i am normaly an inland flyer and turbulence is the name of the game with thermals and bubbles mixed in so its not quite as trouble some you just get used to being thrown around but the coastal turbulence can be dangerous all the way to the ground ..this seems to be the major lesson between coastal flying and inland flying ..skeatesy.com