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GRADE : BASIC
DESCRIPTION : Basic grade. Thermic and soaring. A long ridge shaped like a gentle wave provides consistant flying conditions. Ridge-lift with a healthy sprinkling of thermals makes for some interesting flying. Hermanus is generally a relaxing place to fly, although the thermals and wind-shears can sometimes be quite strong. In springtime, you may see whales in the bay.
WIND : S - SE, (SW on the western end). GPS : S34þ24_06ý E19þ14_33ý
LAUNCH : Clearly defined area on the right of the scenic road, with windsocks, netting, and benches for spectators. Please confine your preparations to the area demarcated by the yellow rocks. In a SW, it is possible to launch to the west side of the radio tower at the beginning of the ridge, to soar the bowl overlooking the white pillars which marked 'Rotary Way' on the drive up. The landing is then the soccer field across the main road.
ALTITUDE : 180m asl, with airspace ceiling at 2300m.
LANDING : The school fields, avoiding the cricket pitches (special strip of hardened grass in the centre of the field). The rugby fields closer to the ridge are okay, though beware of wind-shear as you approach the protected lower layers. An emergency landing field is slightly to the left below takeoff, a long, open plot between the houses. It is also possible to slope-land at the base of the ridge, though be careful of the powerlines strung along a third of the way up the slope. The field beside the graveyard is also open and easy to negotiate. Toplanding is to the left of the takeoff site, close to the road, or behind the fence.
CAUTIONS : Please do not land on any portion of the golf-course. Beware of a prevailing Easterly wind; it wraps deceptively up the takeoff site, but is in fact side-on to the ridge (from the left) and extremely turbulent. Beware south-westerlies, which will become very turbulent as well.
At the end of the first unbroken section of the ridge to the left of takeoff sits a white trig beacon. This point produces some heavy turbulence if you fly above and behind it - be careful here, and stay clear and in front.
When top-landing, be careful of crossing the ridge too low, as the cliff edge produces strong rotor turbulence near the front of the the ridge to the left of the takeoff site.
Flying to the right of takeoff and crossing the first big gap in the ridge, there is a set of high-tension powerlines which run down the mountainside. They are difficult to see, especially in the afternoon.
DIRECTIONS : Take the N2 towards Caledon. After Sir Lowry's Pass, and Houwhoek, you will descend the Houwhoek Pass and see the rolling hills before Caledon. Turn left off the N2 on the R43, signposted 'Hermanus'. After some distance you enter the outskirts of Hermanus, and an area of cheap labourer's cottages on the left (behind a row of trees). Turn left at the white pillars which are marked 'Rotary Way, scenic route'. Follow this tar road until it becomes gravel, and continue for another 1km. You will see a signboard beside the road 'Paragliding', and an obvious launch site overlooking the town and the sea.
RECORD : 50km E (Abraham Meyer), 25km N to Caledon (Phil Bristow)
— HG : 100km route - Stanford to the E, Hawston to W, back to the launchsite.
CARETAKER : Glen
PERMISSION : none needed, no site fee.
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