Sunday, June 24, 2007
Sunday 24th
Well my batteries are charged and I'm ready to go, the only problem is - its raining. Doesn't look very promising at the moment, but you never know, we may be able to get out later. Here's hoping as I haven't been out flying, let alone kaping for a couple of weeks now.
Monday, June 11, 2007
What a plonker
Well I checked all the gear the night before, before carefully packing it away. Loaded the car and left home at half past six to get to Matt's house for seven to pick up Matt and Bill before heading off to get the 8:40 ferry. Some light drizzle in the air, but I hope it isn't going to develop.
Queued at Dover for a while before boarding, and into the restaurant for breakfast. Another long queue, but breakfast was worth the wait. P & O should give cetring lessons to Little Chef!
Arrived in Calais, and seemed to take a while getting off the ferry. THis was probably due to the fact that a coach had broken down right at the gangway on our side, so we all had to reverse out and go down th eother side. Then just as I got to the gangway, they were towing the coach, so we had to wait again. So by the time we arrived at Hardelot, it was getting on for lunchtime. Ho hum, how we suffer. Strolled thorugh the town for a while then had a very pleasant lunch. Then headed back to the beach to get in some flying.
Right, lets get some kap in. Good steady wind, just right for the large rokkaku. So launch the kite and tie it off temporarily while I get camera set up and loaded in the rig, suspend the rig from the line and let some line out to keep i airborne. Line is tight, kite is nailed to the sky, sun is shining, everything is righ with the world. Turn to the transmitter. OH NO. The power switch looks like it is half way between on and off. Turn it to fully on. Nothing! Dead as the proverbial dodo! A few nice english expletives follow, which I hope were lost on the local people. I haven't got my autokap rig with me, so I'm completely stuffed, and I spent ages debating whether to bring it! Really annoyed now as I had found something of interest to kap! Hopefully the other KAPers (I saw two rigs flying) did better than I did.
So pack everything away again and just fly for the afternoon. Like I say, fabulous afternoon, so managed to fly a couple of kites and hung some spikey balls off the line. Someone came and took some photos. Then as the afternoon drew on, decided to have a two line session. Out with the Trident lite on long lightweight lines. Really getting into it, getting lots of lewises, and yo-yos and wrapped up fades and things then just pulling an axel and twang - line break. So spent the rest of the day flying on short (20ft) lines. Not nearly as much fun, but could still get some action out of the kite.
Time to head off. Its been a nice long relaxing day. No rush, and no worries. We've got plenty of time before the ferry, but not enough time to eat, so we take a gentle drive through the country up to Boulogne, then take the motorway back to Calais. Arriving at Calais about 45 minutes before the ferry, get through check-n and are early in the queue for boarding. Just settle down for a snooze when they call us forward for boarding. Unheard of! We're on the ferry and in the restaurant. Poor Matt, no vegetarian options, so he goes off in search of something he can eat, while Bill and I tuck in to some nosh. We've finished before the ferry is due to leave harbour. Totally uneventful crossing as the sea is flat calm
Great day out despite the kap disaster. If you want a relaxing kite festival somehting like Teston with wind, then I strongly recommend Hardelot. If you've never been there, the houses as you drive down into the town are magnificent, it really is a pleasant little town.
Queued at Dover for a while before boarding, and into the restaurant for breakfast. Another long queue, but breakfast was worth the wait. P & O should give cetring lessons to Little Chef!
Arrived in Calais, and seemed to take a while getting off the ferry. THis was probably due to the fact that a coach had broken down right at the gangway on our side, so we all had to reverse out and go down th eother side. Then just as I got to the gangway, they were towing the coach, so we had to wait again. So by the time we arrived at Hardelot, it was getting on for lunchtime. Ho hum, how we suffer. Strolled thorugh the town for a while then had a very pleasant lunch. Then headed back to the beach to get in some flying.
Right, lets get some kap in. Good steady wind, just right for the large rokkaku. So launch the kite and tie it off temporarily while I get camera set up and loaded in the rig, suspend the rig from the line and let some line out to keep i airborne. Line is tight, kite is nailed to the sky, sun is shining, everything is righ with the world. Turn to the transmitter. OH NO. The power switch looks like it is half way between on and off. Turn it to fully on. Nothing! Dead as the proverbial dodo! A few nice english expletives follow, which I hope were lost on the local people. I haven't got my autokap rig with me, so I'm completely stuffed, and I spent ages debating whether to bring it! Really annoyed now as I had found something of interest to kap! Hopefully the other KAPers (I saw two rigs flying) did better than I did.
So pack everything away again and just fly for the afternoon. Like I say, fabulous afternoon, so managed to fly a couple of kites and hung some spikey balls off the line. Someone came and took some photos. Then as the afternoon drew on, decided to have a two line session. Out with the Trident lite on long lightweight lines. Really getting into it, getting lots of lewises, and yo-yos and wrapped up fades and things then just pulling an axel and twang - line break. So spent the rest of the day flying on short (20ft) lines. Not nearly as much fun, but could still get some action out of the kite.
Time to head off. Its been a nice long relaxing day. No rush, and no worries. We've got plenty of time before the ferry, but not enough time to eat, so we take a gentle drive through the country up to Boulogne, then take the motorway back to Calais. Arriving at Calais about 45 minutes before the ferry, get through check-n and are early in the queue for boarding. Just settle down for a snooze when they call us forward for boarding. Unheard of! We're on the ferry and in the restaurant. Poor Matt, no vegetarian options, so he goes off in search of something he can eat, while Bill and I tuck in to some nosh. We've finished before the ferry is due to leave harbour. Totally uneventful crossing as the sea is flat calm
Great day out despite the kap disaster. If you want a relaxing kite festival somehting like Teston with wind, then I strongly recommend Hardelot. If you've never been there, the houses as you drive down into the town are magnificent, it really is a pleasant little town.
Friday, June 08, 2007
Off to Hardelot tomorrow
I've not been out flying for a couple of weeks now, and am beginning to get withdrawal symptoms. But tomorrow is Hardelot Plage kite festival and me, Matt and Bill are planning a long day trip on the sands there. The weather forecast isn't wonderful, and from memory there isn't anything particularly photogenic there, but I'm hoping to at least get airborne again nd click off a couple of shots. You know where to find them if I succeed.
TV producer wants help
I had a conversation with a researcher from a television company the other day. They are planning a program on photography and wanted to involve a KAPer in Kent. This sounded interesting, but unfortunately due to time constraints, I wasn't able to help out on this occasion. Maybe next time
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