So here I am again, it’s been a while since my last posting…. Let’s just go ahead and put it out there! SKYDIVING? yes? no? maybe? abso*freakingly*not!! Well, I had always been in the maybe side. I would like to do this, but when…. things happen right, job, kids, life really. Then one day, out of the blue it happened. The opportunity came up and presented itself. A friend of mine, whom I also play soccer with, had signed up through the Skydive Gan company out of Gananoque. They were hosting a fundraiser event for Make a Wish foundation. She posted through Facebook, no one was biting on her offer to drive with her, and even I had thought of it and figured it wasn’t doable with my hubby possibly having plans.
This is where the wonderful thing began: hubby – no plans, myself – no plans, myself – emailing organizer to see if I am able to book the same time as my friend, coordinator – booking time good, myself – holy $&#* let’s book it.
THREE, get that, three days is what I gave myself for preparation. Booking happened Wednesday morning, Skydive time 9am Saturday! What was I thinking?? Oh yea, bucket list, awesome opportunity, crazy, etc. This is now where I tried to keep my nervousness down. Keep myself occupied with other activities over the next 3 days, so that I don’t have to think about what I am about to JUMP into. Swimming with son, check, soccer, check, trip to the zoo, check. Anything to keep my mind free of what is to come. What is inevitable because there is NO way I’m backing out.
Saturday morning July 28th 2012… I wake up at 5am. Not intentional since my alarm was set for 6am. Tried to fall back asleep, but my mind was too busy. 15 mins, 20 mins, 30 mins… I seemed to see every 15 minute interval or so in between 5 and 6 am. Ok, so just get out of bed right, stop the torture, and get my butt in motion. Met my friend at the local Starbucks, pre flight drink and then hit the road. Amazing how time flies when your mind is racing. In just over an hour we pull into the local skydive airport. Not much of a building, or a facility.. oh crap. Now what? It’s really hard to explain the feelings in the next few minutes as we signed our life away on little pieces of paper warning of the dangers we are will could embark on. Something about breaking bones to death. I really don’t remember, sign away, and pay. Ya. Hands shaking as I try to write my name and sign forms, hit the correct buttons on the machine to pay. All in all, I feel good nervous excited elated!!
 |
| The Before! |
I am besides myself. I truly cannot believe this. I know.. just get to the fun stuff.. but really, what’s the point in writing about it if you don’t get the full story. At this point, the wait begins. The plane had to have a wheel replaced so we wait… and wait….. and wait…… almost 3 hours. Great, now I’m really starting to panic, get nervous, get excited again, and question myself. Then about 5 guys that are regulars go up in a small plane and do a quick jump. About 3000 ft up we are told and they soar, fly, nope.. they rush to the ground like crazies. My excitement has now exploded to infinity. I’m ready to go and do this.
Finally there is video and pictures being taken of our events prior to flight. We get suited up in harnesses, go through some pre-flight instructions on what to do in the air while free-falling, while under canopy (that’s when the parachute is open) and also what to do on landing. Now I’m excited. As I climb into the little air-plane that will fit 14 jumpers which 4 of us are on tandem with an experienced jumper, my stomach does flips. Not good. I feel the sweat start to accumulate on my palms, my heart races, sweat beads on my forehead. OH CRAP! There is no turning back. All this time I am being followed by a videographer taking video and pictures of the whole experience. Will, who I am grateful to have there, must notice and tried his best to make me laugh, tell jokes, and just do anything to get me to relax. It is their job after all, and he has done almost 6000 jumps himself and counting.
The plane door opens at an altitude of 13 500 ft, air rushes in, we scoot forward into position. Foot on the black tape, Ready, Set, GO!……. Gone….. out the door of the plane I go. I really don’t remember much at this point. I know I try to smile, hard to do with the wind hitting your face at terminal velocity (yes, that is some physics for you) which is a speed of 195 km/h. I’m actually doing this! Falling to the earth, thankfully with someone and a parachute.
 |
| In the air with Jim my tandem instructor. |
Then comes the next best part, under canopy. I am drowned in feelings as we glide through the air with Kingston to my right and Gananoque to my left. Of course this is about 5000 ft below me and we fly around taking it all in.
Beauty.
Awesome.
I feel as if this experience is too short. No time to think, cause here comes the ground. Just have to remember, feet up and in front. Ok.. the landing, not the best. Butt slide across a weedy ground, some of dirt ends up in my mouth and I nearly gag. Then it hits. OVERJOY!! I am standing with a huge smile on my face actually commenting to Will and my instructor Jim, I would totally do this again.
 |
| First jump complete |
I get a rush that is so hard to explain, only my fellow jumpers on this day would understand. I have so much going through my mind and have time to process it all while the photos and video gets processed.
Now I go back to my friend. So, as we wait…..apparently it’s cheaper to jump a second time if you pay on the day of your first jump. She is ready to go again and of course….. convinces me to do a second. Yes, a SECOND jump on the SAME DAY!!! I go for it. I have been know to be impulsive, do crazy $^%*, so I pay for my second jump, sign up on their board and repeat the process again. The second time a few things are different. Different instructor,Scott, no video, no friend in same plane, and I get to DO new things when jumping.
So you know the process of the before and the flight. Now comes the jump. I am told by my new instructor, that since this is my second jump of the day, we will do things differently. On exiting the plane, we to a front roll. So now as I look up, I see the under body of the plane go by, then the horizon back to it’s usual position. During free fall, we spin right, then left, then hard right… so going faster around in a 360, then left again. HOLY CRAP. I’m doing manoeuvres in the sky. I seem to be free falling for a much longer time than the first jump. Maybe it’s because now I know what’s going on. I’ve done this once before. Then Scott grabs my hand and I… yes me… yes…. I get to pull the rip cord! Now the awesome sailing, gliding to the ground. BUT it’s not over. Scott hands me the cords and I get to control the parachute as we sail along. We go left and right, again in circles…. then… oh no.. my stomach starts to argue. Please Stop Spinning!! Ok, so my stomach gave up on me and won. No more spinning in the sky and just land. On the ground I know I’m done for the day. I need to recover, just like after riding too many roller coaster rides. Not saying it’s the same feeling, just my stomach has had enough.
 |
| Coming in for landing on second jump. |
As I end here…. I will return to jump again!
Like this:
Like Loading...
