However, a few days later British pilot Hugh Kindell managed to fly right up to Mount Cook. He took this close up shot of the mountain:

Mount Cook, New Zealand

 

 
 

The LS-4 I rented belongs to the South Canterbury Gliding Club operating near Omarama (e-mail: jscott@es.co.nz). The commercial operation in Omarama supervised and managed the rental. There is also a Discus and an ASH 25 available.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Omarama is located on the South Island of New Zealand, at the eastern edge of the Mackenzie Basin. Due to its location in the lee of the Southern Alps the basin is very dry with a desert like climate.Westerly airflow across the Southern Alps generates the wave conditions for which New Zealand is famous. It is not uncommon for the wave to extend the entire length of the South Island and even into the North Island.This photo was taken on a blue thermal day with local flying up to 7000 feet. The mountains in the vicinity of the airfield are 6000 feet high.

Omarama

Lake Benmore is located east of the airfield and is part a system of natural and man- made lakes, connected by canals for power generation. The lakes, three of which are shown here, are fed by glacier run off. Since New Zealand has rejected the use of nuclear power most of the nation's electric power is generated in hydro electric projects like this on the South Island.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The suspended limestone powder (ground from the rock by the glaciers) gives these lakes their remarkable green color.

Unlike most other great soaring locations,
the ocean is never far in New Zealand. 
Sea breezes and the mixing of humid air 
masses with dry air can create interesting 
effects. It is quite common for a strong sea 
breeze to develop later in the afternoon. 
Returning pilots can be surprised by 20 - 25 kt
easterly winds on landing resulting from a sea 
breeze in combination with venturi effects 
between the mountains. Since the cold sea 
air flows in close to the ground there is no 
warning (drift, etc) until one is below 1000 ft
AGL, when all hell seems to break loose. 
Just imagine, you are on a tight final glide 
and you get hit by a 20kt headwind as you 
sink below 1000 AGL. I believe at least 
one glider got broken during the Worlds in
just such a situation.

These photos were taken on a day when 
general flow turned easterly during the 
day and brought in moist air from the east 
coast. While the dry airmass in the basin 
still allowed soaring up to the local mountain
tops (6000 ft), the moist air can be seen in form
of low clouds pushing through the valley and
over the mountains. Although disappointing
in terms of soaring, the day provided a unique
visual experience.
 

Joerg writes: " The cloud street: That day I was committed to business and could only dream of being up there running the street. I found it hard to concentrate on the matters at hand and my eyes kept wandering up into the sky. Later I was told by a pilot participating in the NZ Nats that the street had worked great and base was at 11,000."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Popular tourist and vacation spot in the southern part of the South Island, three hours by car from Omarama. Great for sightseeing on non flying days. Ideal starting point for excursions into the southern fjordland and Milford Sound.

New Zealand at cloudbase

Cloud streets over New Zealand

Queenstown