For paragliders, getting the next hit of adrenaline depends on good wind and they will hunt the island in search of the perfect spot.
Warren D’Ancona drives to the Top of the World in Madliena, from where he had flown the day before for several hours but to no avail. It’s pointless so he attempts another location close to Ġnejna. He races to the next location, which seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. Wasting no time he is on the phone with another paraglider, David Cassar, who has been scouting the island for a good spot to fly.
Where the road ends there is a small ridge dropping off to fields, in the distance the dome of Mġarr stands out and there is a view stretching across the island.
There also seems to be a breeze. Mr D’Ancona produces his wind metre and measures the wind. It is between 15 and 16 kilometres an hour, which, apparently, is good enough to fly.
The glider is unrolled and laid out on the bare rocks. The bag from which it has just been pulled out of also has the seat and harness cleverly built into it.
After checking the lines and strapping himself into the harness, he quickly pulls the lines of the glider and instantly the canopy fills with air and opens above him.
In one blink he has turned and is running off the edge of the ridge into the open space. Within seconds he is up in the sky gliding effortlessly as the wind, coming off the ridge, lifts him higher.
Mr Cassar is next. He pulls out his paraglider while explaining the principles behind thermals.
To soar you must find thermals, which are created by warm air rising from the ground. Depending on the size of them you can stay in the thermal and gain altitude, sometimes rising to as high as 500 metres.
Soon he is in the air, clearly a good flyer. He flies past several times doing low fly passes and steep turns.
After about 30 minutes flying along the ridge, the wind seems to drop and Mr D’Ancona loses the lift that was keeping him above the ridge.
Within less than a minute he is on the ground gathering his paraglider. Mr Cassar has also started to lose height and lands soon after.
The walk back does not seem to take them that long and after a while they turn up chatting excitedly about their short flight. Until the next high.