Women's Coastal Paragliding Meet-Up

The 1st Women's Coastal Paragliding Meet-Up

Friday, May 15 - Sunday May 17, 2026

Hosted & Organized by Bonnie, Yvette, and Melanie

Sponsored by Little Cloud USA &

West Coast Flow Paragliding

Who: Women!

Beginner to Advanced

(must have a P2 to fly; anyone can listen in!)

Sign up here!

We want to get a head count, find out what you're interested most about this event,
where you're at in your paragliding career, and how we can help!

Request an invite to our What's App group to stay in the loop and ask questions!
We will provide updates and more information as it comes!

VOLUNTEERS - Sign up here!
We will think of other ways to volunteer along the way! Thanks! We appreciate you!

Cost: Free!!

Our mentors are volunteering!

What: The 1st Women's Coastal Paragliding Meet-Up

Yoga, Strength Training, Demos - wings of all shapes and sizes; high wind kiting tips & tricks; gain experience ridge soaring; learn about coastal weather briefings; parakite demonstrations and demos; top-landing guidance, spot landing practice; and so much more!

When: Friday May 15 - Sunday May 17, 2026

Bonus - After Party - The Butchers will perform at Rockaway Beach Brewery
Saturday 5-8pm

Where: Mussel Rock Park, Daly City, CA

(just south of San Francisco)

Why: To gain confidence in high-wind! Hone in on your kiting skills and become more confident pilots while meeting other women in the sport! We want you to leave with the ability to launch when you're ready, in control, and alleviate the fear of being on take-off.

"If [ridge] soaring is boring... you're doing it wrong!" - Bonnie

Let us show you how the coast can be fun! For more experienced pilots, I can give tips and guidance on how to top land different take-offs, if interested.

Meet Our Hosts & Organizers:

Bonnie Hobson, Little Cloud USA

Hi! I'm Bonnie and I started paragliding in 2009 when I bought a one-way ticket to Oahu, Hawaii. I saw pilots flying at Kahana Bay my first day on the island, went for a tandem a few days later, and started lessons the next day - and was instantly hooked!! I have since logged over 12,000 flights; 2600 hours and fly (almost) anything that flies: hanggliding, speedflying, paramotoring, skydiving (sort of), and speedriding (with skis!)!

A few years into my flying career, my mentor approached me and admitted I needed more work on my kiting skills. I asked for their help, and we worked together with ground handling as often as possible, almost every day, before flying, after flying, and for several months and realized just how fun it was to actually be able to control the glider and move around and "dance" with the wing (not just holding it over my head, or attempting to get it over my head)!

Now, I want to pass this information along and mentor others! I want to help pilots succeed at controlling the glider and improve their skills - as everything on the ground translates to the air.

I received my instructional tandem paragliding license in 2017 and have since done almost 900 tandems!

Last December I got to sit down with Gavin McClurg and talk on his Cloudbase Mayhem podcast.

In 2015, I flew a Little Cloud glider for the first time and knew my paragliding career would be changed forever. Being a small pilot (52kg), is difficult because I was always too lightly loaded on every other paraglider - until that day I flew a Goose and finally felt in control, and the glider actually did what I asked it to do! I was a huge fan and as soon as a new (smaller) Goose was made, I would buy it (I started on a 21m, then 19m, then 16m (that was the sweet spot!!) then down to a 13m, a 10m, and finally, a custom 8m!!! I was in love with the brand and style of flying that it offered and when I (and my boyfriend, Jarred) was asked to take over Little Cloud USA and import the wings back in 2021, it was an instant, "YES!!!"

Now... it is my goal to share the stoke in Little Cloud and how well it handles in strong wind, the safety aspects, and the control that is felt when flying one of their many styles of wings. At this event, we will offer all kinds of demos and explain the difference between each one. And we just want everyone to have a great time!

Want to find out more? Shoot us a message: littlecloudusa@gmail.com

or 650-273-0482

Yvette M.O. Aguayo, West Coast Flow Paragliding

Hi! I’m Yvette. I’ve been flying for around 11+ years across sailplanes, hang gliders, general aviation, paragliding, and now parakites. I also run a paraglider repair workshop in Monterey.

After a few close calls in both planes and paragliders about six years ago, I moved to California in search of smoother air and a more consistent flying environment.

Coastal flying gave me my passion for flight back. The steady ocean breeze and long flying windows reinvigorated my joy for free flight and reminded me why I fell in love with aviation in the first place.

I’m an authorized Flow Paragliders dealer, a basic instructor, and advanced tandem instructor through WestCoast Flow Paragliding.

I’m deeply excited and honored to be part of this journey and to serve as a safe, supportive stepping stone for women pilots looking to advance their ground handling skills-whether that’s dune gooning with paragliders and parakites, or simply rediscovering the joy of flying straight and level. I’m here to support you wherever you are on your aviation path. Looking forward to flying!

Got a question for Yvette? or (831) 889-2169

Melanie Corey-Ferrini, Organizer

I'm Melanie, and I'm a P3 pilot living in the PNW with coastal soaring dreams! I'm a mom, grandma, entrepreneur, and avid starter of ideas that bring people together. I've been flying for 6 years. My favorite place to fly is Bali and Blanchard (WA). I have fun kiting and soaring around mountains. My goals for this event is for you to reclaim (if needed) that joy in flying, but also understanding your risk tolerance and limits at the same time; and whatever that is for you - own it!

Itinerary:

Safety is number one for us! The most important rule about flying is knowing when NOT to fly. Conditions, conditions, conditions! Choose what's best for your skillset, don't force it, fly another day, don't be afraid to hike down (-and reward yourself with ice cream if you do!). This isn't a competition and we understand that every pilot is at their own level, and learning at their own pace. Please don't try to fly like someone else who may be at a different level than you and just have fun!!

We will have a Raffle drawing with fun prizes!

Friday, May 15, 2026 -

5-7pm - Meet & Greet and Virtual Site Intro with VR headset and projector

- Sports Basement, Bryant St, San Francisco Community Room
1590 Bryant St, San Francisco, CA 94103

Directions here

If you're just arriving, come and meet us and join us for a casual meetup and site intro that we will discuss via Google Earth

Sports Basement will offer a 20% discount in the store!

Reserve check- we can briefly view your reserve to ensure it is secure in your harness (if you want to bring it to the store)

*More information to follow

***Saturday, May 16, 2026* *- [weather permitting]***

9am - Strength training with Lo, a certified woman's coaching specialist

at Mussel Rock Park: either the kiting area or on the Tom Cat take-off (subject to change)

While our event is free and our instructors are volunteering, we suggest a donation to the instructors (not required)

*More details to follow

~11am - site intro and weather briefing [blah, blah, blah] - TONS of info! If you're new here, don't miss it!

Reserve check- we will briefly view your reserve to ensure it is secure in your harness

Take time to eat a packed lunch or run to a local shop

12pm - GROUP PHOTO!

Kiting tips & tricks - what this event is all about!

Learn As & Cs (like, really learn them!), Cobra inflations, how important your hips are and how to use them for controlling the glider; tip touches, boosting. We will discuss and demonstrate top-landings for those curious and interested.

We will also have parakite demonstrations and demos for those qualified and interested!

Ask about demos - we will feel out your skillset, find out which wing will work best for you, and watch you kite before flying the demo!

We will have Little Cloud and Flow paragliders

*When time and weather permits, Bonnie and Yvette are offering site intro tandems for those interested! This is the best way to learn how to fly here! (Even a quick flight will teach you a ton!)

The rest of the day - Demos - ask about trying a wing. Fly, fly, fly!!! Get as much air time as you can! Ask questions and advice, work on ground handling, and fly some more, and work on top-landings and spot landings!

5pm-8pm - The After Party!!! The Butchers band at Rockaway Beach Brewery

Rockaway Beach Brewery

4627 CA-1, Pacifica

Come watch Bonnie and Jarred perform with their band, The Butchers, for the After Party on Saturday! It's at a fun, outdoor, kid- and dog-friendly stage! Butchering the classics! We creatively slice and dice songs (get it?) and rearrange them in a fun way! We play all kinds of covers in different genres: classic rock, rap, disco, and funk

Sunday, May 17, 2026 - [weather permitting]

9am - yoga with Lauren, a yoga instructor and paraglider

Bring your yoga mat! We will hold this at either the kiting area or Tom Cat take-off

While our event is free and our instructors are volunteering, we suggest a donation to the instructors (not required)

*More details to follow

~11am - site intro and weather briefing [blah, blah, blah] - TONS of info! If you're new here, don't miss it!

Reserve check- we will briefly view your reserve to ensure it is secure in your harness

Take time to eat a packed lunch or run to a local shop to pick something up!

12pm - GROUP PHOTO!

Kiting tips & tricks - what this event is all about!

Ask about demos - we will feel out your skillset, find out which wing will work best for you, and watch you kite before flying the demo!

We will have Little Cloud and Flow paragliders

*When time and weather permits, Bonnie and Yvette are offering site intro tandems for those interested! This is the best way to learn how to fly here! (Even a quick flight will teach you a ton!)

The rest of the day - fly, fly, fly!!! Get us much air time as you can! Ask questions and advice, work on ground handling, and fly some more, and work on top-landings and spot landings!

What to bring:

LAYERS! (This coast is cold!)

You may think you're coming to warm, sunny, California, but the water is 55 degrees year-round, and the wind comes off of that and is humid which makes it very cold when you are in the air. We are often flying in ski gear! (long underwear, ski pants, ski jacket, and gloves). Layers are nice because when you are kiting you will want to wear less than when you are flying

Sunblock

Buff (there is no shade at the park)

Water

Snacks/Lunch (pack a lunch or leave the park to pick it up; lunch suggestions are at the bottom of this page)

A chair or blanket

Beach towel for Strength Training

Yoga mat

Radio (we will have different frequencies for different reasons)

Hook knife with lanyard

Paraglider, harness, helmet!

Stoke! (bring it!)

Please note: we rented a porta potty for this event and will have a combination lock for it.

Other places you can go about a mile from the park are:

(Chit Chat Cafe, Safeway, McDonald's)

Also note (not to scare you, but to make you aware):

We will give you the best knowledge to launch when the conditions are right for you; but there may be a chance that you sink out and need to land on the beach. With the recent construction that we had, beach access is currently tricky with giant boulders that you must climb over. We are hoping to find a solution prior to May.

Lodging:

For lodging assistance and looking to share a room, please join our What's App chat thread here:

Lodging Assistance chat

We already have women who have booked Air BnB's and need roommates to help split the costs.

Hotels in Pacifica:
(we are inquiring about group rates to save you money at the following hotels):

Inn at Rockaway (~$175/nt)

Pacifica Lighthouse (~200/nt)Ocean View Inn (~230/nt)

Pacifica Beach Hotel (~$250/nt)

Anchor Inn Pacifica (~$275/nt)

Fairfield (~$289/nt)

Air BnBs - search Pacifica and Daly City to be close to the park

We can try to connect you on What's App if you want to share with another woman!

Camping
Francis Beach Campground - $35/nt (Half Moon Bay - about 25 minute drive)

Car camping - acquire within (please ask and we'll share the spots)

San Francisco RV Resort in Pacifica - (~$120/nt and up) Thousand Trails

Airports:

SFO (San Francisco International) is the closest - about 15 minutes away

Other options:

OAK (Oakland) - about 45 minutes

SJC (San Jose) - about an hour

Weather hold activities:

We all know that any event that has to do with paragliding is weather dependent. We will have fun activities to do if we are placed on a weather hold. Oftentimes we can kite if we can't fly, but in the event that we cannot do either:

Melanie will offer water color class; you can bring a small "travel" kit so you can sketch while we're waiting.

Yvette will offer a patch kit course, using patch material for glider repairs

*More details to follow

In case of bad weather, we have a few ideas lined up. If you want to do a paint course with Mel, here is some information and travel kits that you can purchase and bring with you:

And sketch tools. Amazon.com: Zoorka Mini Watercolor Paint Set for Beginners, Art Lovers - 12-Color Pocket Watercolor Travel Kit with Palette, Sketchbook & Brushes - Unique Creative Gift for Birthdays, Holidays & Creative Doodling : Arts, Crafts & Sewing https://share.google/9UHZqqjUUewzbSF6L

plus Amazon.com : Brusarth Precision Black Micro-Pen Fineliner Ink Pens, Waterproof Archival Ink, Drawing Pen, Artist Illustration Pens, Multiliner, for Art Watercolor, Sketching, Anime, Manga, Design, 9/Set(Black) : Arts, Crafts & Sewing https://share.google/XzUYltQQ2ZbF9Hwpw

Can also bring own tools of similar. 5x7 sketch water color pad is ideal. Amazon.com: Funto Watercolor Pads, 100% Cotton, 20 Sheets, 7X 5, 140lb/300gsm, Glue Bound, Double-Sided, Easy Tear Heavyweight Art Paper for Painting https://share.google/2FTd8s0wwXXJsP7oU

Another option is to go into the city and check out the Women's Building:

https://share.google/qnzQctzTvN0ZS8Fo3

We want to thank our sponsors: Little Cloud, Westcoast Flow, Athletic Brewing, Crush Groovin, Recaps, and Outspirex for donating product and swag for the event!

Sponsors: