Think this was in the late 90s. Light wind day, mostly W to SW, odd looking milky white clouds hugging the cliffs down by Westlake. Fred & I were the only ones to try it. We had gotten down to Westlake before the gap and were just above the top, nothing very strong. Just for yuks I tried heading out over the water – straight west. And I was climbing! Slowly, barely 50-100fpm. Circled as I went, but kept the general movement heading west. As I looked back at Fred, he was not climbing at all and he ended up heading back to Funston. But I was still climbing! Past 1500′, and now a good 1500′ or so out over the water – further out than I’d ever been, but the wind was WSW, and whenever I pointed east, it felt like an easy glide back to land. And I was still climbing! At the highest point I was easily over 2000′. And WAY out over the water, maybe 1/2 mile or more. As I looked down, right below me, was a odd formation in the water – a ring of bubbling water – a small pod of huge humpback whales were making a bubble ring to catch food! I hung there for about 1/2 hr, watching them surface with big gulps, then disappear. An unforgettable sight! The clouds that had once been a wisp by Westlake began to fill in the sky – I soon found I was in the center of a blue hole in the sky, as if I was in the center of a giant bubble of air, and at the edges clouds were forming. Decided to head back to Funston – arriving still over 1500′. The cloud level kept dropping, so I had to bail and land. But it will always stand out as one of the most incredible flights at Funston. And when I decided I REALLY should carry a camera!

• This topic was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by  flyit.