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DontfallOff

Cloud Surfing - Solo Cloud Surfing vs flocking

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I did this jump at the end of a week of boundary pushing flocks a few months ago - we don't get too many clouds here in West Australia, so when I had to choose between flying a slot or flying a cloud valley, it only took me a minute to apologise to the rest of the guys and go solo - best jump I've ever done...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF69nmDmf3o

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Good call, great jump. Sometimes you just have to do something for you :)
Went up for a two way last weekend and decided to stray from the flight plan to catch some insane clouds. I truly thought my buddy had seen what I saw and would follow but he didn't. His loss!

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I did this jump at the end of a week of boundary pushing flocks a few months ago - we don't get too many clouds here in West Australia, so when I had to choose between flying a slot or flying a cloud valley, it only took me a minute to apologise to the rest of the guys and go solo - best jump I've ever done...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF69nmDmf3o



Nice! Shouldn't have to apologise for chasing the big puffy clouds, wing suit pilots should understand. Getting clouds in the correct range is rare. When the opportunity presents itself, take it!

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Damn straight. Its not that I bail on my amigos. Its just that our predive go-over at 10k on the way to the top of a sky like that consists of "Screw the dive plan, lets go get those puffies!" This suggestion is typically greeted by huge grins among all concerned.
Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

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Damn straight. Its not that I bail on my amigos. Its just that our predive go-over at 10k on the way to the top of a sky like that consists of "Screw the dive plan, lets go get those puffies!" This suggestion is typically greeted by huge grins among all concerned.



Out here on the west coast, we just have to say one word.


SQUIRREL!!B|
50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

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This season has been particularly good for us up northeast. Last summer was so-so with just a couple days where we got the big puffy 10000 footers, although those WERE very tasty. But this year since about mid july we've had a series of spectacular weekends go through. Either broken ragged walls 7k high and frequent multiple layering with good development all the way up.

A couple weeks ago we got uniquely epic conditions. Extremely high humidity combined with several different weather patterns at differing altitudes. So depending on where you looked you could see 3 or more cloud decks, each going a different way, and actively building puffies coming off the lowest cloud deck at about 2k so it was surf all the way to pull time.

The resulting surf was unreal. Total fluidity of movement, layer after layer of puffies, so cluttered with clouds I got lost for awhile till I spotted something familiar to fly by. The sense of flying in an enclosed, yet vast space is just amazing... walls, holes cracks and gaps to fly across EVERYWHERE. I was bouncing and giggling in the plane on the way up, rode copilot, got a good, long look at what I was gonna be flying in, thinking "Holy fuck this is one of the most awesome skies I have ever seen".

Got reason to expect more of the same or similar this weekend.
-B
Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

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Thou shalt not use my name in vain.

(Puffies are never in vain...)



I said SQUIRREL!!, not Skrl.

We get those big beautiful puffies so seldom out here, all dirt dives are forgotten when one comes within range. Just make sure you aren't stacked over bodypilot1, or be ready to get burbled.B|:D
50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

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Here in the land of the giant Texas Puffies at Skydive Spaceland in Houston, we always have the dirt dive plan and the surf puffy plan. There are massive 15,000+ foot puffies all the time in the summer. If you'd like to surf some great ones, then come fly with us!

My hardest decision this weekend will be whether to put on the Phantom 2 to backfly, or the Vampire 3 to surf puffies. I usually make this decision around the 5 min call since loading is just ten seconds from the air conditioned packing.

Special thanks to all the pilots at Spaceland for bringing us closer to the Puffies B|

-Purple Mike

P.S. Bring your cell phone!


For Example:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r53ufMVOuXE


http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4170760;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

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Rub it in, why don't ya...
Although I admit I envy your local puffy resources, 15,000 footers being rather hard to come by up here, I simply could not deal with your climate. You know how I am about heat... when its too cold for you, its getting just right for me. Gotta be something to do with your redbull habit or something.
Last week we did a high pull flying party cross country style jump. I exited after the others, flew back and intercepted the canopy group, then we all flew home. A weather system was coming in and much to my surprise since I'd been jumping all day, discovered the temperature at altitude had suddenly dropped below freezing and I was hanging under canopy at 12,800 feet gasping like I'd just been tossed into a half frozen lake... so unexpectedly cold it was breathtaking. I freakin' LOVED it, it was stimulating as HELL.

-B
Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

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