Paragliding Adventures -Mozambique – Bilene – 7-11 June 2007.
Bilene is a lagoon lying parallel to the sea, 33 Km long by 2 to 4Km wide situated 190 Km north of Maputo. The lagoon has a connection to the sea.
These are the location coordinates. (25 deg 17’ 13.06”S 33 deg15’ 10.96 E)
This lagoon is a reserve and is the natural hatchery for many species of fish and plenty prawns.
These are the location coordinates. (25 deg 17’ 13.06”S 33 deg15’ 10.96 E)
This lagoon is a reserve and is the natural hatchery for many species of fish and plenty prawns.
I went to Bilene this year 2-7 May 2007 for some de-stressing exercise.
I camped with Joao da Silva at his building site at Bilene. During this time I spent a lot of time on my own driving a quadbique around Bilene and getting to scout in detail some possible flying potential.
I came back with some pictures and having showed them to my friends it generated some interest. A next trip was set to 7-11 June 2007.
After a lot of interest a lot of people pulled out leaving the “going” group to 10.
Hendrik van Zyl, Carlos Rafael, Dieter Brendt and wife, Wikas and Addele, Edzard van Ballen Edzard Jr. and Frikkie, Johan van der Merwe.
Johan, Hendrik and Edzard had H&E paramotors, and Hendrik and Edzard were flying the Apco Thrust HP wings.
Two instructors, four PPG’s, two PG’s one PG student. Four non pilots went for the ride.
The preparation involved communicating with the chairman of the Aeroclube of Mozambique Mr. Antonio Alves to ask permission to fly in Mozambique and to arrange the necessary Notam’s for the period in Bilene.
Bilene is served by an airport with very little traffic. Never the less is necessary to adhere to regulations to stay out of trouble. We got the confirmation of the Notam and the invitation to visit Bilene from the Aeroclube.
I also got to contact Cesar Silva a Portuguese PG pilot living in Mozambique and trying to kick start the sport there. I was told that Anton Naude was already teaching some student in Maputo – Catembe. They came to meet us in Bilene.
We had a meeting on a Tuesday before we left to give everybody an overview of what they were going to see and experience as well as what to take and discuss the route.
We were all excited and looking forward for this outing.
Hendrik van Zyl, Carlos Rafael, Dieter Brendt and wife, Wikas and Addele, Edzard van Ballen Edzard Jr. and Frikkie, Johan van der Merwe.
Johan, Hendrik and Edzard had H&E paramotors, and Hendrik and Edzard were flying the Apco Thrust HP wings.
Two instructors, four PPG’s, two PG’s one PG student. Four non pilots went for the ride.
The preparation involved communicating with the chairman of the Aeroclube of Mozambique Mr. Antonio Alves to ask permission to fly in Mozambique and to arrange the necessary Notam’s for the period in Bilene.
Bilene is served by an airport with very little traffic. Never the less is necessary to adhere to regulations to stay out of trouble. We got the confirmation of the Notam and the invitation to visit Bilene from the Aeroclube.
I also got to contact Cesar Silva a Portuguese PG pilot living in Mozambique and trying to kick start the sport there. I was told that Anton Naude was already teaching some student in Maputo – Catembe. They came to meet us in Bilene.
We had a meeting on a Tuesday before we left to give everybody an overview of what they were going to see and experience as well as what to take and discuss the route.
We were all excited and looking forward for this outing.
Finally on Thursday morning 02:30 we assembled at Edzard’s house and we loaded the vehicles. We were off at 03:15.
We travelled the first four hundred Km to the border in four and half hours. We were loaded with two quad bikes, 4 PPG motors, winch, tents, and camping equipment.
At the border “the withies” were overwhelmed and a bit intimidated by the cues on the Mozambique border.
I had a lot of explaining to the customs officials about all the paraphernalia, but we were lucky to have an official invitation from the Aeroclube.
We travelled the first four hundred Km to the border in four and half hours. We were loaded with two quad bikes, 4 PPG motors, winch, tents, and camping equipment.
At the border “the withies” were overwhelmed and a bit intimidated by the cues on the Mozambique border.
I had a lot of explaining to the customs officials about all the paraphernalia, but we were lucky to have an official invitation from the Aeroclube.
We went over and just after the first toll gate we turned to Moamba. This town almost brought nostalgia tears to my eyes as it was here that I went to my first year of primary school. We proceeded with the sand road for about 130Km. This road was easy to drive and we passed many small villages. Poor people everywhere, but always cortageous with a greeting and a smile. We stopped at a roadside cantina to get in the groove with some 2M beers. At first the South African withies were a bit hesitant but they soon went along with the exercise.
We went trough Magude in the direction of Xinavane. This part of the world has sugar cane everywhere. My dad was the railway station master in Xinavane when I left Moz in 1974. We connected with EN1 highway going north. We passed the town of Palmeira and got to Macia where we turned right in the direction of Bilene. About 50km later we arrived in Bilene at about 15:00.
We immediately started setting out the camp site and headed for the lagoon’s edge with the paramotors. Edzard, Hendrik and Johan set up and were up in the air in no time. They started their 18 to 20 hours each on
the motors for the long weekend. At first they were scared of the water crossing and they chose to go around the perimeter of the long 33 km white sanded lagoon. This problem was soon overcome and they soon venture to the middle of the lagoon and to the other side where the ocean lives.
We had an early dinner braai and sampled a few of the local small beers (550ml). We retired fairly early in anticipation of a fantastic new day.
It is now Friday morning. The dawn patrol (PPG’s) were out early and they varked (pigged) out for 3 hours flight. We remained at the camping organizing breakfast and planning our winching day. After the arrival of the PPG (varkies) and breakfast we left for the plains around the
We had an early dinner braai and sampled a few of the local small beers (550ml). We retired fairly early in anticipation of a fantastic new day.
It is now Friday morning. The dawn patrol (PPG’s) were out early and they varked (pigged) out for 3 hours flight. We remained at the camping organizing breakfast and planning our winching day. After the arrival of the PPG (varkies) and breakfast we left for the plains around the
lagoon to do some winching. We set Wika’s gazebo 2 meters from the water’s edge, set out the chairs, checked that the 2M beers were comfortable in the cooler box, and we started winching.
The sand is as white as flour, soft and warm. We remove the footwear and the flight suits and started winching on swimming costumes and helmet. We were getting heights of over 400 meters. The view from that advantage point is incredible. One could see the blue of the lagoon with shades of light green and brown from the feeder river waters as well as the blue sea at a distance. Some of us were enjoying the quad biking whist the others were winching.
The sand is as white as flour, soft and warm. We remove the footwear and the flight suits and started winching on swimming costumes and helmet. We were getting heights of over 400 meters. The view from that advantage point is incredible. One could see the blue of the lagoon with shades of light green and brown from the feeder river waters as well as the blue sea at a distance. Some of us were enjoying the quad biking whist the others were winching.
The air is warm and the water inviting even though is winter in South Africa. Some of the dawn patrol participants were also winching during the day. From time to time we shared some of the local cool drink named 2M (2 Marias). This beverage can only have a small trace of alcohol as you can consume large amounts of this stuff without any side effects.
At about 13:00 we were buzzed by a King Air twin motor 10 seater. We had a PG pilot in the air and even tough it was not life threatening it was a bit uncomfortable. We had the aiband in scan and heard the pilot announcing a VIP arrival.
At about 13:00 we were buzzed by a King Air twin motor 10 seater. We had a PG pilot in the air and even tough it was not life threatening it was a bit uncomfortable. We had the aiband in scan and heard the pilot announcing a VIP arrival.
The plane left 30 minutes later. Clearly the Notam was not in place.
At dusk we enjoyed a wonderful African sunset at the beach and we retreated to our campsite.
I must comment on the sense of security that we experienced in the surrounds of Bilene.
This night the boys and girl were feeling stronger and we had a wonderful evening around a camp fire and lots of karate waters in the form of Brandy’s and Whisky’s. Even our camp priest brought out some of the famous wine that makes priesthood so rewarding.
At dusk we enjoyed a wonderful African sunset at the beach and we retreated to our campsite.
I must comment on the sense of security that we experienced in the surrounds of Bilene.
This night the boys and girl were feeling stronger and we had a wonderful evening around a camp fire and lots of karate waters in the form of Brandy’s and Whisky’s. Even our camp priest brought out some of the famous wine that makes priesthood so rewarding.
The next day, Saturday morning I went down to the beach early enough to greet the incoming local fisherman and get some kilograms of prawns. I even beat the dawn patrol.
Got back to the camp site and produced some peri peri boiled prawns for breakfast. It is a difficult decision; the menu is cereal, pap and leftovers of meat from last night’s braai or boiled prawns with salt and periperi.
After breakfast and with the dawn patrol back from their 2-3 hours expedition is time to go and meet Cesar, Anton and the rest of the welcome committee from Maputo Aeroclube.
We set up for winching on the south side of the lagoon. Anton started the show with some tandem winching to introduce the local pilots to winching. We managed to convince Cesar to give the winch
a go and he loved it. Anton’s pretty female student also got her intro to winching. They realized that winching would probably be the future of flying in Moz.
The country still has a lot of mines so cross country flying is very dangerous. One need to know where these mines camps where cleared.
The country still has a lot of mines so cross country flying is very dangerous. One need to know where these mines camps where cleared.
On Saturday night we arrange a fish braai and prawn rice at our camp site water with a lot of the local beer 2 M (2 Marias).
On Sunday the PPG’s went out a bit later (due to the previous night’s) activities, but still did their mandatory 2,5 hours flight. The smiles on their faces were margined only by their ears!
The Mozambique local pilot’s team consisted of Cesar Silva in the middle and Anton’s (pretty) student also in the middle
The south side of the lagoon is ideal for winching with a large flat low ground, with sand covered in places with some grass and some feeder low rivers
On Sunday the PPG’s went out a bit later (due to the previous night’s) activities, but still did their mandatory 2,5 hours flight. The smiles on their faces were margined only by their ears!
The Mozambique local pilot’s team consisted of Cesar Silva in the middle and Anton’s (pretty) student also in the middle
The south side of the lagoon is ideal for winching with a large flat low ground, with sand covered in places with some grass and some feeder low rivers
crossing. The bigger river has a steel bridge. In some places you get away by paying out 200m of line and winching from the other side of the small river.
The views from up there are breath taking and inflict a sense of how small one is in the hole picture of things.
We later met up with the Mozambique delegation for some more winching on the South side of the lagoon.
The views from up there are breath taking and inflict a sense of how small one is in the hole picture of things.
We later met up with the Mozambique delegation for some more winching on the South side of the lagoon.
The wind was NE and at same point we managed to ridge soar a 30 m dune covered with vegetation and trees.
The PPG’s went out again at 14:00 and flew until dawn.
The next day Monday was spent breaking down the camp and we left Bilene at 12:30.
We travelled trough Maputo and to the border. We were home at 23:30 that evening.
Carlos Rafael Paragliding Adventures Instructor
www.flyza.co.za
carlos.rafael@za.abb.com
The PPG’s went out again at 14:00 and flew until dawn.
The next day Monday was spent breaking down the camp and we left Bilene at 12:30.
We travelled trough Maputo and to the border. We were home at 23:30 that evening.
Carlos Rafael Paragliding Adventures Instructor
www.flyza.co.za
carlos.rafael@za.abb.com