Day 1 - Algodonales - Flying with vultures

I went to Algodonales last week for a weeks paragliding in Spain.
I stayed with Nick of Paraglidingguide.com who I can highly recommend. We had some wind on take-off, more than you would usually find in Algodonales. One of the lessons I learned was that wind is ok and thermals are ok, but when you combine them, it can make it rough and unpleasant.
I watched as pilots lined themselves up for this windy launch. It turned into a bit of a circus with a few pilots ending up in the bushes just below take-off.
Waiting for the evening was definitely the right tactic and made or a very easy evening flight.
In the video I talk a bit about my skydrop and the wind direction arrow. I don't know if anyone uses this feature. I used it on one of my flights but I didn't see it turn as I was flying. I am looking forward to trying it here in England to see if this works well to indicate wind direction.
I found that doing a turn and watching your ground speed was ok, but took a lot of thinking effort. I feel that you need to make things as easy to work out while flying as possible. Take away as much of the calculations you need to do in order to keep things safe.
Enjoy and thanks for watching.

[@sandrainthesky1011]

What an experience flying with those marvelous birds! Thanks for posting this. Always wanted to fly there, looks lovely!

[@theflyinggauntlet]

Awesome. I will be there in November.

[@jacquecilliers]

Have fun.... Jeff?

[@theflyinggauntlet]

@@jacquecilliers Thanks Jacque, yes, it's me.

[@keithdolezel]

what an experience! thanks for sharing!

[@haukewalden2840]

Algodonales is great, I've been there roughly the same time as you were there! And flying with vultures is really touching and a fantastic experience. We are so lucky that these huge birds will iust ignore us, or sometimes even join you when you found a good thermal before they did! Imagine they would attack us the whole time - scary! Concerning the landing site: We've been told (and for good reason, I'd say) that once you crossed over the power lines, you shall never go back again. I also would not recommend doing you S's over them. In any case, circling right over the landing site is a really bad idea, at least as long as you're not there all alone (which you hardly ever are) because you're kind of blocking the airspace that way. You can can come in from either the west or the east, normally the wind (if any) is coming from either of these directions. Oh, and there's a wind indicator close to the road.

[@southcoastairsports]

Nice. Planning another trip out there soon.

[@jacquecilliers]

Next February right? I'd come along except I'm planning to go to south Africa in January.

[@MJHKing1]

Wonder what the vultures made of you. Looks heaps of fun.

[@jacquecilliers]

I was wondering the same. Do they see me and my lines and the paraglider, or so they think they can fly between me and my paraglider? I think they can see the lines, being birds that scavenge.

[@southcoastairsports]

Was the beer man there when you landed

[@jacquecilliers]

He was... We did

[@neilbarnes3557]

@@jacquecilliers Good to know that Pepe's Landing Bar is still working properly. It's been five years since I flew at Algodonales but I recall coming over that cliff one evening at close to sunset and dozens of vultures took off at the same time...

[@jacquecilliers]

It's so good there. There is something magical about thermaling with huge vultures like that!

[@mrhopster1]

Hi can you tell me what camera you are using as I am looking to buy one.

[@jacquecilliers]

This is the GoPro hero 5. I bought it second hand off CEX.

[@mrhopster1]

thank you for getting back so quick@@jacquecilliers

[@jacquecilliers]

No worries... Have fun and fly safe

[@aircloud1]

Do a little more groundhandling. Your launch does't see really good. To much skaking around, the glider come more on the left side. If you try to take left riser left hand, and right to right riser, you are able to pull it up in the middle. If you like, try it...