When it is light, thermal soaring can be quite good. When it strengthens it breaks up thermals and dramatically increases their drift. This reduces our flying to ridge soaring in bumpy air. Summer evenings, as the sea breeze relents, the heated valley can produce some wonderfully smooth and pleasant flights. Normally, when using the north or west launches, we land in fields on the river plain about half a mile upstream from the village of Kidasi.
Thermals are strong but disorganized here.
A permanent windsock has been erected at our most used landing field just downstream from a large quarry that is visible from both north and west launches. Landing fields for the south launch lie a few miles downstream near a village called Prastio on the map. We currently use three launch sites in this area. The north launch lies northwest of Dora village just off the main road as it crests at the north end of a mile wide bowl. The slopes here are terraced and cultivated, largely with grapevines, before plunging through a ravine or over cliffs to the river plain nearly 1300 feet below.