Paragliding
St. James
Cape Town, Western Cape
Today
Flyable2 stars — Flyable655m soarable · 13 km/h S
Best window this week
Tue 10 · 14h00 · 👍 2 stars · 655m tops
Soarable tops — 7-day
Reference lines show historical 75th and 95th percentile for St. James.
▸Detailed forecast table
| Time | Stars | Tops (m) | Sfc Wind | BL Wind | BL Top | BL Ht (m) | Thermal (m/s) | BL Cloud % | Sun % | Temp (°C) | Dewpt (°C) | Rain (mm) | Pres (hPa) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 9Clear | Stars | Tops (m) | Sfc Wind | BL Wind | BL Top | BL Ht (m) | Thermal (m/s) | BL Cloud % | Sun % | Temp (°C) | Dewpt (°C) | Rain (mm) | Pres (hPa) |
| 08h | — | 120 | 5 NNW | 6 NNW | 7 NNW | 165 | 0.0 | 0% | 90% | 21.1 | 9 | 0 | 1018 |
| 11h | — | 1,011 | 10 W | 13 NW | 23 NW | 1312 | 2.0 | 0% | 98% | 27.8 | 9 | 0 | 1018 |
| 14h | — | 596 | 24 W | 26 W | 25 WNW | 750 | 2.0 | 0% | 100% | 25.7 | 8.7 | 0 | 1018 |
| 17h | — | 380 | 20 SW | 23 SW | 20 SW | 576 | 1.0 | 0% | 94% | 23 | 9.3 | 0 | 1019 |
| Tue 10Clear | Stars | Tops (m) | Sfc Wind | BL Wind | BL Top | BL Ht (m) | Thermal (m/s) | BL Cloud % | Sun % | Temp (°C) | Dewpt (°C) | Rain (mm) | Pres (hPa) |
| 08h | — | 120 | 16 S | 20 SSE | 22 SSE | 253 | 1.0 | 45% | 90% | 17.9 | 15 | 0 | 1019 |
| 11h | 👍 | 540 | 12 SSE | 9 SSE | 7 S | 683 | 2.0 | 0% | 96% | 23.6 | 8.7 | 0 | 1019 |
| 14h | 👍 | 655 | 13 S | 13 SW | 16 W | 822 | 2.0 | 0% | 99% | 24 | 13.4 | 0 | 1018 |
| 17h | — | 501 | 17 SSW | 20 SW | 21 SW | 686 | 1.0 | 0% | 96% | 22.1 | 9.3 | 0 | 1018 |
| Wed 11Clear | Stars | Tops (m) | Sfc Wind | BL Wind | BL Top | BL Ht (m) | Thermal (m/s) | BL Cloud % | Sun % | Temp (°C) | Dewpt (°C) | Rain (mm) | Pres (hPa) |
| 08h | — | 177 | 13 W | 18 W | 20 W | 417 | 1.0 | 38% | 91% | 19.3 | 15.3 | 0 | 1018 |
| 11h | — | 771 | 22 W | 30 W | 32 W | 974 | 2.0 | 79% | 98% | 21 | 16 | 0 | 1019 |
| 14h | — | 710 | 26 WSW | 36 WSW | 37 WSW | 921 | 2.0 | 98% | 69% | 19.5 | 15.8 | 0 | 1018 |
| 17h | — | 846 | 21 SW | 27 SW | 28 SW | 1137 | 2.0 | 82% | 97% | 19.5 | 14.1 | 0 | 1018 |
| Thu 12Clear | Stars | Tops (m) | Sfc Wind | BL Wind | BL Top | BL Ht (m) | Thermal (m/s) | BL Cloud % | Sun % | Temp (°C) | Dewpt (°C) | Rain (mm) | Pres (hPa) |
| 08h | — | 404 | 25 SSE | 34 SE | 32 SE | 822 | 1.0 | 83% | 91% | 16.6 | 13.1 | 0 | 1020 |
| 11h | — | 572 | 25 SSE | 32 SE | 27 SE | 944 | 2.0 | 70% | 98% | 17.9 | 13 | 0 | 1020 |
| 14h | — | 489 | 30 SSE | 36 SSE | 28 SSE | 728 | 2.0 | 23% | 98% | 18 | 12.5 | 0 | 1019 |
| 17h | — | 421 | 28 SSE | 38 SSE | 35 SSE | 732 | 1.0 | 28% | 99% | 17.2 | 12.2 | 0 | 1019 |
| Fri 13Clear | Stars | Tops (m) | Sfc Wind | BL Wind | BL Top | BL Ht (m) | Thermal (m/s) | BL Cloud % | Sun % | Temp (°C) | Dewpt (°C) | Rain (mm) | Pres (hPa) |
| 08h | — | 479 | 31 SE | 36 SE | 40 SE | 776 | 1.0 | 85% | 100% | 15 | 10.9 | 0 | 1021 |
| 11h | — | 578 | 34 SSE | 38 SSE | 39 SE | 776 | 2.0 | 9% | 100% | 16.6 | 10.5 | 0 | 1022 |
| 14h | — | 568 | 34 SSE | 37 SSE | 34 SSE | 758 | 2.0 | 0% | 98% | 17.9 | 10.1 | 0 | 1021 |
| 17h | — | 490 | 36 SSE | 41 SSE | 43 SSE | 725 | 2.0 | 39% | 90% | 16.5 | 11.5 | 0 | 1021 |
| Sat 14Clear | Stars | Tops (m) | Sfc Wind | BL Wind | BL Top | BL Ht (m) | Thermal (m/s) | BL Cloud % | Sun % | Temp (°C) | Dewpt (°C) | Rain (mm) | Pres (hPa) |
| 08h | — | 305 | 44 SE | 50 SE | 51 SE | 594 | 1.0 | 0% | 100% | 16.2 | 10.3 | 0 | 1021 |
| 11h | — | 474 | 42 SSE | 45 SE | 47 SE | 638 | 2.0 | 0% | 100% | 18.4 | 11.9 | 0 | 1020 |
| 14h | — | 479 | 42 SSE | 49 SSE | 50 SE | 636 | 2.0 | 20% | 98% | 18.8 | 13.3 | 0 | 1019 |
| 17h | — | 384 | 40 SSE | 52 SSE | 63 SE | 573 | 1.0 | 51% | 90% | 17.7 | 13.8 | 0 | 1017 |
A Silvermine-cluster launch on the cliff-top circuit above St James, on a short-fynbos slope over occasional sandstone outcrop. Foot access only, well off the beaten track — hikers here have usually walked over an hour, so passing traffic is minimal.
Notice something outdated on this page? Let Ria know →Table Mountain National Park requirements
Licence required: Advance Grade licence for paragliding (Basic-licence pilots only under supervision); B grade for hang gliding (no A-licence sign-offs) — some Silvermine launches require C grade.
Reached on foot only via recognised footpaths — unlike the other Silvermine launches, there's no vehicle/boom-gate access here. Activity Card and SAHPA membership still required. No night flying, no damaging vegetation. (Per the Oct 2004 TMNP EMP — confirm current requirements with SAHPA/TMNP.)
Flying conditions
Wind recommendation
S-SE
Flyable directions
SE, SSE, S
Wind speed range
0–18 km/h
Air School training site
Not used for Air School training
Quick facts
- Grade
- Sport
- Region
- Cape Town
- Distance from Cape Town
- 21 km (straight-line)
- Coordinates
- -34.1136°S, 18.4577°E
Want to train at a site like this?
See Beginner CourseReady to fly?
Your first solo flight is three sessions away. The beginner course is available year-round — gear, sites, and SAHPA registration all included.
Or call +27 78 095 8136