Skydiving!

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This morning I woke with a great excitement. I am off for my first (tandem) skydive! Sadly Dan is too heavy in NZ - the limit is 100Kg!

We headed to the hanger at Rotorua airfield to get kitted up for the jump. My jump guide, Matt, got me all kited up in jumpsuit, harness, hat and goggles and preceded to run through all the safety stuff- I wont bore you with it all.

Due to the numbers of people jumping and logistics etc, I actually managed to head off to the plane with Matt and the photographer only- we had the plane to ourselves… good thing too, the plane was tiny, the smallest I have ever been in. The body of the aircraft was maybe only 8ft in length and once I was harnessed onto Matt’s front- basically sitting on his lap, and the photographer was on board, there was no more room for any other jumpers, it must feel really
cramp when it is full.

There were no seat belts, just a hold on tight signal and then the glass door came across. The strangest feeling was first taxiing off on grass, then taking off facing backwards, sat on Matt’s lap, looking out of a glass door, watching the world rush away from behind us!

Then excitement really set in, we watched on an indicator as we climbed to our 12,000ft, in just a few minutes, and then the photographer climbed outside onto a metal bar to wait for us to exit.

This was it… I had wanted to do this for such a long time… we shuffled into position on the edge of the plane and then came the 2 pats on my shoulder I was waiting for- WE WERE OFF- I couldn’t breath, the free-fall was amazing, I couldn’t open my eyes as the wind rushed into my face, trying to catch my breath, really wanting to scream from the exhilaration… OH MY GOD!! The photographer who had now caught up with us was in front of me taking shots,
holding my hand so that I could focus on him… it was so hard to open my eyes!

Then came next tap on my shoulder, we were going to open the parachute, after 45 seconds of free fall, with a thumbs up from me to give the ok, we suddenly shot upwards away from the photographer! Finally as we slowed, I could catch my breath and scream- ARRRRRRRR, THAT WAS AMAZING!!

As we floated over Rotorua lake and headed to the ground, Matt went over the landing procedure once more. I had a quick chance to wave to Dan on the ground as he looked up and then that was it… it was over all to quickly. Landing on our bums (so not to brake an ankle), breathing in and swallowing the freshly cut grass! We were down…

I was on such a high! I ran over to Dan and couldn’t stop talking and telling him all about it. In my hyper state more so shouting then talking in a normal tone… certainly the best thing I have ever done!

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Comments

[Dad G]

Well done Clare yes with Dan on board you would not have been able to reach 6000 feet!! indeed you might not have got airborne. what more can I say. Mum says you should have used the Makkie Dak. Dad G

[Charlotte]

OH MY GOSH!!!
Wow, Clare, wow, wow, wow. You describe it all so well, I am getting excited and butterflies in my stomach just reading it. It sounds like such a rush! WOW WOW WOW!!! I'm so impressed with you. I hope I can work up the courage ... just don't tell my mum! xxx

[Nicky]

Bloddy Hell !!!
Oh my god you 2, your poor parents must be nervous wrecks after seeing you launch yourselves out of that plane!!!!!!!Clare all those nightmares I had before you left are coming true, stop it. I can’t afford to keep dying over the grey!!!!!!!!!!

[Nicole]

You finally did one!!!
Yey! You finally did a tandem jump! After the day we drove all the way to Bristol and back it was about time!!

[Charlotte]

Me again
I just have to say WOW one more time!

[Nicole]

fly catching...
Your pics look like you did what i did on the way down... they tell you to keep your mouth shut but because you're smiling so much you can't possibly! so when you get to the bottom your mouth is dry and you wonder how many flys you accidentally swallowed!!