Nice climbs, David.  Those views are worth a lot.

Having gotten up from the 750 easily on Friday at 4 PM with a Falcon 4 170 in nice afternoon sea (60 mi. away) breeze, I decided to launch from the same place on Saturday, but earlier and with a smaller wing. The few pilots up higher were mostly having no problem staying up higher. That’s early afternoon in May. So very surprised I had to pull off a low save shortly after launching the Sport 3 155 at 1:30!

My lowest ever, IIRC. Lowest in the video era for sure. My VG was still tight and I’d been on the hunt. The vario beeped like a kettle soon-to-boil but not-quite-yet. The flags were all slack and from where I was I had numerous approach options, albeit brief options. If I’d sunk on the first CCW turn I’d have popped the VG off and done a quick leg east for a SW final. Wouldn’t scratch there with traffic.

I could see the sock pointing weakly in my direction like a skeletal finger, slowly wavering up and down, so I had two points of a drift line. Turned as flat as I could with everything I could point pointed, tuck tucked, clench clenched. Stayed patient as it met the slope after the tree line and got nudged up. Much luck as well. Got up above the 750 and flew for a little longer.

What a disaster it would have been if I’d sunk out!