AN SGS-232 GLIDER PILOT EXPERIENCED AN AIRBORNE CONFLICT WITH SKYDIVERS DESCENDING THROUGH A CLOUD LAYER. THE GLIDER PILOT REPORTED HE WAS NEAR BUT NOT INTO THE DROP ZONE.

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I FLEW THE SGS-232 FOR TIME-BUILDING REASONS AND ENCOUNTERED A GREAT DAY FOR SOARING. THERMALS WERE NOT FAR IN BTWN; AND I WENT FROM THERMAL TO THERMAL GAINING LIFT. AT ABOUT 3500 FT AGL; I TURNED EBOUND TOWARD THE END OF RWY 26; REMAINING ABOUT 1 MI S OF THE AIRFIELD. THE SKY ABOVE ME WAS OVCST; WITH BREAKS TO THE N; OVER THE WATER. I REMAINED ON THE BORDER OF THE DROP ZONE; IN MY OPINION; WELL CLR; AS THE OVCST LAYER ABOVE PREVENTED ANY SKYDIVERS FROM FALLING THROUGH. UNFORTUNATELY; THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. AS I TURNED IN THE THERMAL; I OBSERVED CHUTES OPENING AROUND ME. IT WAS APPARENT THAT AN ACFT MADE A DROP LOAD OF SKYDIVERS INTO THE CLOUDS AND WERE DEPLOYING THEIR CANOPIES AROUND ME. I DO NOT KNOW IF THEY WERE JUMPING INTO KNOWN CLOUDS; BUT THEY CREATED A HAZARD TO ME. I IMMEDIATELY GOT THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE DOWN; LOST ABOUT 1000 FT AND CLRED THE AREA. UPON RETURN; I RECEIVED AN ANGRY PHONE CALL FROM THE COMPANY; STATING THAT I WAS CARELESSLY IN THEIR DROP ZONE. WHILE I WAS OPERATING UNUSUALLY CLOSE TO THE ZONE; I FELT THAT THERE WAS NO DANGER BECAUSE OF THE CLOUD COVER ABOVE ME; AND THAT NO LEGAL PARACHUTIST IN COMMAND; OR THE PIC; CAN ALLOW SUCH JUMPS TO HAPPEN.