Southern Finland is covered by a large swirling mass of upper level stratus and sunshine reaching the ground today was very rare. There was some good convection giving some reasonable climbs but overdevelopment was very common even pushing up into the upper level cloud layer and thickening it, causing very dark, dead areas of sky.
Pre-start gaggles were such a huge mix of gliders, 30 to 40++ at times. I started with a small group and crossed a very long dead patch of sky, completely unlandable beneath. We got our first climb over the first area of paddocks and took that nearly to cloud base. Yet again, a long glide over unlandable terrain and a then a climb over some good landing options. By this time I was in the thick of a large gaggle 3/4 to the top of it and just into the first turn. Not a bad position to be in at all. Showers approaching from northeast, good clouds further west, second turn point north, but terrain not looking very friendly. I went West with an ASW 15, and into what I though was the much better part of the sky. It turned out to be just him and I with every one taking a different route. We took one very nice climb, about 3kts from bottom to top and charged of to a sunny spot where Adam was just getting to. The gaggle was obviously working very well in what looked like worse sky but still faster.
Into the sunny patch I saw some birds soaring. It was rough bumpy air. A few turns and I still couldn't get the core. The ASW 15 left while I hung in. I was right and cored 4.5kts from 1100' above ground right up to cloud base at 4600'. I steamed on and shortly passing the 15 1000' above. I missed Adam's warning about the second turn point and passed up a few weaker climbs and didn't get high enough to get to the turn and back in the dead air. I ended up dropping the wheel at 500' still trying to hang in there. Landed safely and then was expecting 6 other gliders to be dropping into nearby fields shortly. I was watching from the ground and was sure they would follow. Hanging in their they were eventually working half a knot. Not even above winch height they left toward an area of developing cu and then I lost sight of the group. They were 200' above me when I dropped the wheel, that group eventually made it home. Bugger bugger bugger!
I played it safe, did the right thing for me so only looking forward now.
Very tricky day. Adam touched the second turn and drifted back with the wind to almost the first turn. He made it back on a single thread of hair after nearly 4.5 hours on task. The task was an assigned area task of 2.5 hours...
Very tricky, but it's world's so what else do you expect. Pushing limits. That's what I'm here for.
Gliders rigged again and wheel box has had the mud hosed out. Ready for tomorrow. Can't wait for better weather.
Looks like you had company. Who was the pilot that the other trailer in the picture was for?
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