Super Brad demonstrates the "yoyo" paraglider landing

November 25, 2006 I am a photographer. I have 1,2,3,4,5, no, 6 cameras at home. And yet only one that can really be taken up with me? And that one is with my wife right now. Grrrr. That's what I thought as I saw the godlight bursting through the black clouds in the distance o'er the Pacific. Because after almost two months of lousy weather and unsuitable or missed conditions, I fly again! 30 minutes at the Dump in great pre-frontal conditions. Like last time, drove up around 3:15pm, hiked, launched well on first attempt, got high, and soared back and forth as usual. Unlike last time, I witnessed what appeared to be a newbie and an experienced guy also launch. The newbie launched with the experienced guy's help, and then seemed to decide that he would gun it for Japan. The experienced guy started screaming, turned red, and almost popped a vein, yelling at him to presumably turn somewhere. With the wind coming in at 10-15MPH, I doubt if the Japan-bound newbie heard a thing. It was a tense minute watching what would happen. Finally the newbie turned to the left (wrong move if the intention was to soar), as experienced guy continued screaming and running to the cliff to the left of Walkers. Finally the newbie landed I think. I launched after that but perhaps should have told these guys to consider radios! And make a flight plan before launching! After about 30 minutes in the air, I noticed things getting a little breezy as the smallest of white caps formed and that large black cloud mass got closer to shore. There were still people in the air, but I decided to come down on speed bar. Just as I made a mental note to ask someone more experienced if I did the right thing or chickened out needlessly, saw one guy land in the bushes because he was unable to even penetrate, and another landed beside me citing the same concerns. Soon the remaining 5-6 guys were on the ground as well. Chalk one up for calling it correctly! Got my DSLR rig out to try and get a sunset, when I saw this guy Brad demonstrate extreme patience in a "yo yo" landing unlike anything I have ever seen at the Tomcat launch. That's me in the sweatshirt in the distance with the tripod. Video courtesy of Simon Waddington (link below)

Brad demonstrates his "yoyo" landing at the Tomcat launch of Mussel Rock. Click play a couple of times to make sure it plays. Video courtesy of Simon Waddington http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7666569817514871279&hl=en