Diamond Climb No. 3.
A varied wave that improved throughout the day as the moisure in the atmosphere increased.
I launched at 9:40am and found moderate lift above Mount Ararat, on the leading edge of wispy bits of rotor cloud. There were clearly marked bands of small rotors stretching out towards the ranges near dunkeld. East of Mount William there were no signs of wave, and was most likely because the flow was blocked by the ridge.
I flew South West through successive waves to the secondary approximately 10km north of Glen Thomson and reach 12,000 ft. I then flew through the valley of the Grampians in the same wave up to Halls gap and Lake Bellfield.
I slowly climbed to 21,000 ft (very slowly - it took 2 hours!) in the secondary wave from the victoria range about 3km east of halls gap. Early on, I was tempted to push into the primary, but i was put off from the rough terrain and possible high amount of sink. When i got high enough to make it safely there, the wave started to break down and the foehn gap closed up.
I then flew back towards ararat (i was at 5 hours by this stage), but was tempted by a very odd looking roll cloud - it was very smooth like a lenticular but had depth of a big roll cloud. I found lift above it, and i straighten up to try to keep in it but found severe turbulence. This was at 19,000 ft and i'd just spent the past 4 hours in smooth air at lower altitudes so it was a little unpleasant. I can only assume it was a breaking wave, and thats why the cloud below looked so unfamiliar. I got out of there quickly by pushing straight into wind and out through the front of it.
Then i had planned to go back to the field but then i noticed the Mount William wave really started to fire up. The whole cloud was rotating in about 2 minutes and it was a big tall roll cloud. So curiosity got the better of me and i went to investigate.
In moving from the secondary to the primary i lost 6000 ft, which was a good sign. The lift was about 6-7 knots up to 21,000 ft and took about 20 minutes (remember it had taken me 2 hours earlier) and the lift decayed to about a knot at 24,000 ft.
I called melbourne centre on my way up but they told me not to go above 24,000ft because of the traffic (though we actually have clearance to 24,500). I stayed at 24,000 for about 10 minutes waiting for clearance. At 4:30pm i decided to turn for home - The sun was almost face on and the the cold was getting to me, and i couldn't have improved on my PB for absolute height in the time remaining so it was an easy decision.
I landed at 5:05pm cold and numb, but happy.
7 and a half hours, but it felt like 2 hours.
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