Blue Velvet
Trip Start
Dec 03, 2007
1
8
9
Trip End
Apr 09, 2008
Makapu'u, Hawaii
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Fairly small cleared area on an eroded rock slope by the side of a road with power lines behind you and the ocean before you. Sounds scary does it not? So I asked my friend: "So where is the launch area?" Turning to me with a smile on his face he bluntly replied: "This is it!" After a few seconds of awe with a not-so-inspired grin I said: "O'right brah, ya go first!"
After hauling our wings out of the truck, he laid out and took off in a breeze. I followed just moments after. Albeit a pretty intimidating launch, what followed was a seducing blue velvet, charming silk-smooth air coming from the ocean and gently elevating us high in the sky above the majestic coastal ridge. For hours, we were soaring above the coast and Pete even made it above the nearby Rabbit Island.
The air was so smooth that I flew hands-free for the last hour while I was getting busy capturing beautiful pictures of the sun sinking into the horizon on the other side of the island; such view is the privilege of a small group of people since it can only be appreciated from the air. Being the last pilot in the air and having enjoyed every second of daylight available, I joined the other pilots at the LZ just before nightfall for yet another flight debriefing session.
What a magical moment!
