A pile of pilots and gliders headed off to Aboyne this weekend for the first Inter-Club League weekend of the year.
High hopes for some keen competition were dashed when we awoke on Saturday to foggy cloud down to 200'-300' and drizzle, with little or no wind, sat under a fairly stationary occluded front.
No task was set at the briefing - scrub day.
Things improved in the afternoon a little - enough for Bruce to get a check ride with Ruth Housden in the Puch, having just completed a 100km out and return to Aberdoeen with Cap'n Andy and Phil (by road, sadly!) to replace Andy's broken Kindle.
At the Saturday briefing, there was some optimism that Sunday would be better. Sunday morning dawned with very similar skies to Saturday, although with a crack of blue to the north. Met indicated we were on the edge of a clearance and a 2 hour AAT was set for everyone: Aboyne - Linn of Dee - Ballater - Corgarf - Aboyne. We rigged and gridded and sent up Sant Cervantes as a sniffer. The vote taken among pilots showed 1 out of around 15 wanting a comp launch, so the day was scrubbed.
All of the EAS pilots (Robert, Stuart, Phil, Mike Black, Ian Tait and Bruce) and some others decided to fly anyway, having taken the trouble to rig. Those who towed higher were rewarded with better conditions (isn't that always the way?!) with Robert, Stuart and Mike all having decent flights, though the consensus was that the task would have been next to impossible in the conditions.
Never mind. Old acquaintances renewed, new friends made, good food, plenty of drink and great craik. Next leg is at Feshie in August.