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Published: February 6th 2008
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Date of jump : 3 February
I might as well write this whilst I am still buzzing. I arrived at the Wannaka airstrip at 3 pm today.
3.00: Pay the fee and watch a safety video
3:10: Sign my life away on the usual legal paperwork re 'Parachute failure, unusual funnelling wind conditions, equipment malfunction, death' - quickly signed this bit.
3:11 Decide on either DVD and photo or just handycam footage. I decided the full works. LOTS of money.
3:12 Waiting and more waiting - the worst bit.
3:30 ish Meet my tandem skydive pal! and put my jumpsuit on (at this point you start think there is no going back)
3:35 Walk to the plane (is that it?! no practise landings/ run-throughs/ briefing!!!)
3:40 Sit in very small plane and hear the crokey engines as it makes its way down the driveway erm I mean 'air strip'
3:41 Airbourne and climbing quite steep - the views are superb but at this point I am in some strange out-of-body delusional state. Call it 'dead calm'
3: 50 A bit more nervous laughter and jokes for the camera and chats to my
dive-pal but really its all pretend. The young lady opposite me. Poor girl - trembling and looked like she was going to freak out - but she didn't.
3:52 What AM I doing?!!?!?! I should be looking at the window admiring the view but I couldn't really - not yet!
3:55 A red light comes on. Whats that? Then he says its air traffic control 'holding us' at altitude.
He continued to explain 'We are in a flight path so we have to go when it is clear'. He continued ' We are actually jumping at 13000 feet not 12000 as he had to climb an extra 1000. I actually thought 'COOL' - am getting an extra 1000 ft free fall!
3: 57 I notice his hands more and more slipping around my waste strengthening various belts and clips but all done very very sneakily.
4:00 A few more words and bits n bobs of filming by the cheerful camera buddy. I even asked where else my buddy had been parachuting around New Zealand. He replied 'Nowhere else. I am on probation here. Only been doing it 9 months'. I only hoped he was
Inside the tiny plane
Anticipation overload just joking. This really wasn't the time to say that.
4: 02 My World War 1 (Biggles) flying hat goes on, and down come the goggles. Not long now.
"In 2 minutes Sally we will be jumping out of the plane"
At this point I take 2 long deep breaths and try and admire the view a bit more out of the window (after all this is a scenic flight as well and I am paying 197 quid for this 'pleasure' - but are you really in the mood for looking sedatly out of the window at this stage?!!
4:04 I edge slowing towards the exit him right behind. My legs dangling. I really do start to wonder how mad I am. As rehearsed, my head leans back on his shoulder and am thinking 'thank god I cant see the ground!....and he then shouts' "Here we go"
The jump:
I then feel the freezing cold wind.
Then the 'drop' where just for a second my stomach and guts were somewhere else.
A feeling I am totally head first, backwards, upside down and plummeting to earth like a bullet - at this point I really
am thinking 'what am I DOING'!.
Thank god only a second later I feel the re-assuring tap on my shoulder. As requested, my arms spread out after clutching my vest - I suddenly see Mother Earth the right way up. 😊
My eyes open for the first time after my totally disorientated beginning. I see mountains and valleys, rivers and lakes, forests and snow capped peaks. I then capture a glimpse of another person flying around me trying to take my picture... I feel the speed. I hoped I wouldnt with the wind and distractions but you do. You know you are going fast, and speeding up.
Upto 200 km at Terminal Velocity.
Despite this physics I still feel like a bird and totally free. Possibly the most exhilarating feeling I have ever experienced. A total overwhelming sensation.
A few turns, a couple of quick drops (air pockets?!) and then suddenly a yank and a feeling of going backwards. I was just wondering what was going on....
arr that was the parachute then.
I was so pre-occupied my 30 seconds of free fall felt more like 4. I felt totally cheated almost!
Getting into position
I think the adrenaline took over at this point - It didn't actually feel that bad! I nearly accused him of lying as I said 'surely not! thats it?! no way 30 seconds!'.
Apparantly the brain/ senses speed everything up - amost like time travel.
Well thats what it felt like.
Ears popped suddenly then..
The parachute bit was magical. Suddenly warm air and sunshine was around me. A total peace descended. No more cold, rushing loud wind. Or cold air through my teeth. Just total sedate floating. I could have been up there for hours.
I asked for no spins or funny business - so he opened the parachute a bit sooner so we could glide down nice and slow. The landing perfect - I didn't even fall on my arse!
And the dvd and pictures? cheesy yes but I don't regret it one second!
or the jump.
A.M.A.Z.I.N.G
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Pam
non-member comment
WOW!
My God Sal - that is amazing! Your comments are hysterical. So bl*ody brave - there is no way I would be able to jump out like that. Well done, from all of us!!!