South Piha
I've been up to what used to be a hg launch there 10 or so years ago.
It's overgrown now, waist deep in gorse and natives. There's a bench that I believe council workers keep the scrub short to preserve the view. Is there anyone at ARC we could informally sound out to find out if there's any chance of us clearing out a larger launch and rigging area again? It would take W-SW.
I'm not holding my breath; if the bench wasn't already there - it's marked Friends of Arataki 1995 - I wouldn't even bother asking.
South Piha: Old hg launch, since overgrown
South Piha
The site was also flown by a few paragliders including Bryan Moore back in about 93 - 96, even back then the site was small and almost unusable for PGs.
It's a great site as it allows trips to be made to the south and the huge height of the cliff means it works in lightish winds. From memory the launch was always a bit tricky, especially if the wind goes towards the SW it gets turbulence generated from the ridge to the front left.
I've also looked at this site in the past few months and would certainly help out with a bit of clearing if we could get the okay from the ARC.
The ARC Park Ranger is Andy
The ARC Park Ranger is Andy Pedersen and will be easy to contact through the ARC. I have had a few conversations over the years about PG launches. He is a very helpful guy and does a lot of work with the Community Corrections Dept on track maintenance etc. I think this would be easy to organise if handled appropriately with consideration of conservation and ecology.
South Piha
Cheers Brett,
Does anyone know why use of this site fell off?
Because Kario took a wider wind range and was an easier retrieve? Or other reasons?
I'd lke to understand why such a spectacular site fell into decline in the first place before trying to resurrect it again..
South Piha
The only time I had the opportunity to fly it I didn't because I considered the launch too turbulent on the day and was not happy with no bomb out options directly below launch. The nearest landing options are Mercer Bay to the south (about 1Km) and Piha to the north (also 1 Km). Good luck getting out of Mercer Bay with a paraglider let alone a hangglider if you bomb!
This site, if opened up would only suit very confident pilots or newer ones with big balls. Not being able to see your landing options from launch could be another reason the site never saw much activity.
The retrieves - yes, a little more difficult but no worse than CC flying.
There are a lot of negatives to this site but I'm still keen to fly it. :-)
Soth Piha
As I thought - I would only consider flying there on a day when it was adequately soarable but not too strong, with a good direction - not at all off to the S. This may narrow it down to a very few weekend days in the year.
We should limit it to advanced pilots - anyone who can't make it to a beach is a goner.
I think we'd want to clear about a tennis court's worth of undergrowth. We'll have to see what ARC says about it.
Given that I work for ARC and
Given that I work for ARC and know a few of the rangers I might be able to assist. If there's a consensus on what we'd like to do and the exact location then I could put out some feelers and see what process is likely to be.
Graham.
South Piha
Hi Graham,
If you can manage to get the image through to any of the Piha rangers they'll know where it is. In order to make a safe launch and rigging area, we'd need to take an area about the size of a tennis court down to ground level. From what I could make out the slope drops off nicely about 5 or seven metres in front of the seat.
There may not have been that much space cleared previously. If the rigging space was off to the right that would give an unimpeded view up the coast to the north which might be of appeal to ARC; or then again they may prefer it the way it is. They may also want to sound out locals or the Friends of the Arataki - in which case someone may object for rational or irrational reasons. I doubt we could get round that. Unfortunately I could see that dragging the process out for months or longer, but it's no reason not to put out feelers at this stage.
Cheers,
South Piha
I've spoken to Andy Pedersen and he's going to find out if our previous use of the site is in the existing management plan, which would make putting the case for resurrecting the site much easier. Will call him again next week.
Thanks for everyone's input.
South Piha
Hi Dennis,
I've just had a look through the draft Regional Parks Management Plan (available for download from this page) and the only reference to paragliding and hang gliding is on pg 116, see below:
11.3.1.1 The following activities may be undertaken on regional parks......
i) kite flying; model aircraft gliding and paragliding and hang gliding where exclusive use of all or part of the park is not required and the height of flight does not impact the visitor experience.
Without boring anyone with the details, it looks like any work to clear vegetation for a launch will be a discretionary activity. The work may conflict with the section of the plan below:
17. Actively discourage off-track activity unless formally approved as a discretionary activity, because of its impact on the park environment, particularly indigenous vegetation and fauna, and riparian margins.
and it looks as though sections 158 - 162 (pgs 350-351) about Mercer Bay Loop Walk and lookouts (Piha) relate directly to the area in question. It appears that there may be a threatened plant that grows by the side of the track in this area, which could stymie the proposal.
In short, the previous use of the site doesn't appear to feature within the section devoted to Waitakere Ranges Regional Park and any work is likely to be a discretionary activity requiring a formal proposal to ARC.
Cheers,
Graham.
South Piha - repsonse from ARC
ARC have contacted me and asked us (the club) to make a formal request to re-clear the launch so they can look at it. Probabably another couple of years of red tape followed by a Dear John letter, but who knows?
South Piha
If you want a hand with any working bee (if we ever get that far) let me know.
I flew on the North Piha
I flew on the North Piha takeoff last Sunday and it appears the water tower at the Southern end of the ridge which faces W and is quite low has had some vegetation cleared and likely enough to launch from.
Anyone flown there?
South Piha
I use to fly at this site numerous times back in the dark ages & certainly in my books was one of the best coastal sites to fly.
It’s has some of the spectacular scenery you find on the west coast, in both directions.
Even a sledge ride down when the wing drop off was not a problem to reach the beach at Piha on Moyes GTR162.
But I love the most about this site; in summer time the iron sand beach along Whatipu generates some of the best thermal activity I have ever experience on a coastal site.
Even when the grouse was cut down it was never the best place to set up a glider.
I for one would be more than happy to help with the clearing if permission is granted.