Flying free and weightlessly,
O’er the motion in the sea,
Breezes briskly cut a pace,
Tears of wonder streak my face.
The electric wires in the bottom of this picture are enough to make me think twice about ever trying paragliding. This paraglider is much farther from the wires than it looks on the photo, but still, it makes me wonder about the many obstacles a paraglider might come into contact with.
This fellow was just over my neighbour’s house so I tried to get a picture. It’s still too far for a good photo, but enough for you to get the idea.
In the video below, he continued on his gliding trip just beyond the houses and over and along the beach below. From my house, I couldn’t see what the paraglider could see, but it must have been a wonderful trip for him, flying above the ocean. Just at the end, a faraway eagle flies into the frame, perhaps to join him on his trip or to check him out.
Full screen is best.

January 27, 2024 at 1:27 am
Fantastic capture, Anneli. As a pilot, I naturally love flying, but paragliding doesn’t appeal much. Great poem, too.
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January 27, 2024 at 8:10 am
Thanks, Lynette. Seems to me like a lot of risk for that pleasure.
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January 27, 2024 at 5:16 am
The feeling of freedom from Earth’s bounds. The closest I ever came to this was downhill skiing and riding a bike downhill. I can understand the appeal, but would not be a fan of this sport or jumping out of a perfectly good plane either. Have a wonderful weekend Anneli. Allan
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January 27, 2024 at 8:11 am
I know the feeling of trepidation.
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January 27, 2024 at 6:50 am
The views must be wonderful but I like the solidity of a plane when I fly 😏
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January 27, 2024 at 8:12 am
I watched a video of professional paragliders and although it was beautiful, it seemed to be very risky. Too many chances for things to go wrong.
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January 27, 2024 at 7:13 am
I had an opportunity to paraglide in college–passed. I wish I hadn’t. I’m a lot braver now. I wonder what the eagle thought of that big bird!
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January 27, 2024 at 8:13 am
Looks like he was going over to check him out.
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January 27, 2024 at 7:47 am
I have been parasailing twice – like paragliding, but attached to a speedboat. It was absolutely wonderful. But at least there are no electric wires over the sea!
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January 27, 2024 at 8:13 am
I’m sure it would be fantastic, as long as you survive it.
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January 27, 2024 at 8:19 am
Not only did I survive, I’d do it again in a heartbeat!
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January 27, 2024 at 9:12 am
Good for you! It must be a big thrill. I know even waterskiing is fun and you don’t leave the ground/water for that.
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January 27, 2024 at 8:32 am
I admire all people which do this sport. I am too scared of heights so I better stay on the ground. Nice little poem and good pictures and video.
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January 27, 2024 at 9:11 am
I feel safer on the ground too.
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January 27, 2024 at 9:34 am
I’ve not tried parasailing but might give it a go, especially at the beach over sand or water.
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January 27, 2024 at 10:30 am
I bet you’d love it.
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January 27, 2024 at 10:53 am
Maybe. 🙂
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January 27, 2024 at 11:54 am
I would feel nervous about gliding close to the power lines also, Anneli. Perhaps he was not as close to the wire as it looked. Flying over the ocean and having an eagle flying next to him is exciting. My husband swam with the dolphins once or twice.
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January 27, 2024 at 1:11 pm
These power lines were far enough away, but it is a consideration for paragliders. I would be concerned about so many other things I could run into – like a cliff or a pole or a fishing boat. But maybe these things are not an issue once you learn how to do it right. I wouldn’t drive a car without first learning how either.
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January 27, 2024 at 2:49 pm
I know, it looks nerve racking to glide cider too so many obstacles. It may take practice to steer the glider like driving.
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January 28, 2024 at 8:55 am
Definitely would take practice, but how many chances would you get before you impaled yourself on a nearby fir tree?
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January 27, 2024 at 3:25 pm
Amazing photo and video, Anneli. I’ve never tried this and probably won’t. Although, it would be fun to try parasailing sometime. 🙂
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January 28, 2024 at 8:54 am
I would love to be there for a few minutes and then get Scotty to “beam me” back to my home.
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January 28, 2024 at 4:43 am
It’s not for me, but I do admire these folks. We see a lot of paragliders over the bay, which offers a terrific, obstacle free environment. There’s one spot they like to take off from; you might enjoy seeing the photos of my encounter with one.
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January 28, 2024 at 8:53 am
Nice post. But the whole time I wondered what if you landed way out in the water somewhere and the sharks got you before a rescue boat did.
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January 28, 2024 at 6:16 pm
That’s less of an issue than possible injury. A lot of the guys have spotters, and over the bay there are so many fisherman and general boaters that someone probably would be able to reach a fallen flyer pretty quickly. As for sharks, we do have them in the bay and offshore, but there are far more boaters, and no Great Whites. The paragliders who prefer to run the beach down at the Gulf stay pretty close to shore, and I doubt they’d run into problems with sharks. There are oodles of surfers year round, and I can’t remember the last time I’ve heard of a shark attack in our area. Most stories involve wade fishermen who let their stringers trail behind them: prime targets for hungry sharks.
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January 28, 2024 at 6:18 pm
That would be a good lure for sharks, dragging bait like that.
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January 28, 2024 at 4:51 am
Yikes!
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January 28, 2024 at 8:47 am
Just fasten your seatbelt and you’ll be all right.
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January 28, 2024 at 3:55 pm
😳
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January 28, 2024 at 5:12 am
Fantastic so optimistic
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January 28, 2024 at 8:47 am
I bet it would be a fantastic ride. Unfortunately I’m too much of a chicken.
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January 28, 2024 at 7:53 am
Just looking at the power line and the many trees makes me shiver and I say, NOT FOR ME!
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January 28, 2024 at 8:45 am
It’s definitely for the younger crowd. You have to be pretty limber to negotiate some of the obstacles when you’re landing (never mind power lines when you’re up there).
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January 28, 2024 at 3:01 pm
I thought that was you when I read your poem. 🙂 It’s not something I would do now, but when I was younger, I took hang-gliding lessons. What a thrill that was! Ah, to be young again. 🙂 I enjoyed the video. It was so peaceful.
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January 28, 2024 at 6:15 pm
It wasn’t me. I’m also not “younger” anymore. I was just imagining what it would feel like.
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January 28, 2024 at 3:16 pm
So incredible to see the glider like a bird in the sky. I would only dare this in my dreams. It must be an out-of-this-world experience. Great video and post.
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January 28, 2024 at 6:14 pm
It would be quite an experience, but not one I’ll ever do, especially now that I’m well on in years.
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January 28, 2024 at 6:06 pm
The view must have been fantastic, but I couldn’t handle those heights!
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January 28, 2024 at 6:09 pm
Could be dizzying.
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January 29, 2024 at 6:06 pm
Yes
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January 29, 2024 at 8:40 am
Great photo and video! In someways I think oh I’d love to try that. In other ways, I’m much more practical and think oh no, so many things could go wrong.
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January 29, 2024 at 9:54 am
Exactly how I feel about it too.
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January 30, 2024 at 8:32 am
Anneli, your sense of wonder and joy at seeing this paraglided is captured beautifully in your poem. The video is terrific and one can follow the peaceful descent! When I was younger we used to go and watch the paragliders above the moors, I used to long to try but knew I’d never overcome my fear – yet I envied the beauty they witnessed as they headed down to the ground! A lovely post! 😀
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January 30, 2024 at 9:36 am
Thanks so much, Annika. I feel the same – it seems a wonderful experience, but I’d be terrified to try it.
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February 7, 2024 at 5:20 pm
Great photo and video, Anneli. Sounds like it must be a real rush but I am not that adventurous.
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February 7, 2024 at 9:10 pm
Me either. I like my life the way it is.
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