Ergo, Sky Diving.
I've always been open-minded about sky diving, but not exactly chomping at the bit to do it. Everyone I know who has gone has told me that it was one of the more thrilling experiences of their life and how free falling is actually very peaceful and serene.
I disagree. Here is my account of the happenings on Saturday August 25th, at the Parachute School of Toronto.
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We had mustered up a group of 10 people to go Sky Diving for my Birthday Adventure. We arrived for our 3pm appointment and, as per the guy on the phone, had anticipated 3-4 hours of total sky dive ritual - perhaps including some sort of adrenaline inducing chant to pump us up. Instead, we signed some paperwork while a video played in the background, were told that our first group was to be on the plane in 20 minutes, and then were ushered into their garage to get fitted with a harness while my jump escort Garrett tells me to put my head back and starfish as we jump out of the plane. That was about it. To be fair, I guess 'falling' is a pretty self-explanatory activity, especially when you're jumping tandem...but really...I feel like I could have benefited from that false sense of control.
At the last minute I decided to get a camera man for my jump. It was an additional $150, but I figured this would probably be the only time I ever jump out of a plane (recreationally anyway...I'm not ruling out last minute heroics should the need every arise) and there is a strong chance I'll only turn 30 once (though I'm not ruling that out either...just in case). This turned out to be a great decision.
Drew, Jackie, Steven, Adam and I were the first group to jump, so we were loaded onto the plane like a can of Pringles, each person sitting between the previous person's legs. The door was left over during our ascent. That was freaky. At around 5000 ft, the first couple jumpers high-fived everyone they could reach and somersaulted out of the door. As cool and calm as they were, their exits only incited more panic from the rest of us. We had to scoot up closer to the door for our turn next. While our tandem partners started rechecking and tightening our belts to the point of cutting off circulation, I remember thinking, "Oh shit, I'm actually doing this" and resigning myself to fate as there wasn't any option left.
Another 9000 ft higher and the door was rolled opened again. We had arranged to have Drew jump first so that we could record his jump on my video, which also served the purpose of me not having to go first. Drew and his tandem partner scooched up to the open door and knelt on the ledge, half hanging out. Watching him get sucked out of the plane was pretty stomach churning but there was no little time to get upset about it. Mr Video stepped out of the plane first and then Garrett and I stepped to the edge. I was strapped so tightly he was nearly lifting me off my feet as he got us ready to jump. I tried looking over the edge to see where Drew was, and saw for the first time our height - it was memorizing. I had heard before that it's unlike a typical fear of heights since you're too high to actually calculate how high you actually are (did you get that?). I would agree with that. You can't compare it to any other height you're familiar with because it's just not. Unless you've been sky diving before. Then I guess it is. It like of looked like we were going to jump into an old, soft, faded quilt.
Then Garrett snapped my focus by grabbing my forehead and pulling it back against his chest. Crap. One of the only two rules I got, I already disobeyed. Bracing us by holding onto a bar, he rocked us back and forth preparing to jump. One....two...THREE! He threw us out of the door and the wind wrenched us out behind the plane.
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| Just passing the line of no return |
I tried screaming as it happened, but I'm not sure if I succeeded. It was so loud I couldn't hear myself. The sheer pressure of gravity was shocking and almost painful as I could feel my skin being stretched around my bones, likely trying desperately to get back into the plane. Staring down at the ground, I tried to breathe but found that with the force of wind pushing up against me, I just couldn't. Beginning to feel panicky, I struggle to breath while Garrett tries to impress me by spinning around in circles. I stopped being able to spin about 10 years ago and get very motion sick, very fast. So now I'm dizzy, gasping for air, feeling nauseous and praying for Garrett to pull the shoot before I pass out completely.
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| Not happy...can't breathe and skin is trying to escape |
All that happened within 30 seconds, so I still have another 30 seconds of free fall to enjoy. And it really isn't all that bad! I can't say that it was peaceful or serene, but it was quite thrilling.
Ejecting the shoot (is that the right term?) was really neat. First you're plummeting to the ground, then you're suddenly yanked back up into the air. I imagine it was a bit more of a painful experience for the dudes, but it might have been my favourite part of the jump. Now that we were falling at a controlled pace, Garrett and I were able to chat a bit and he decides to inform me that our shoot was twisted for a bit, but he got it sorted out. That was what he and my video guy were communicating about...Mr Video more than earned the $150!
During our parachute down, Garrett showed me how to control our speed by extending or lowering my arms, and how to steer the parachute by drawing in one or the other arm. He quickly dipped back and forth a couple times before I was able to tell him that me and my poor stomach couldn't handle that type of motion. He was able to point out to me where Drew, Jackie, Steven and Adam were by the colours of their tandem partner's parachutes. Although really neat to see where all my friends were floating around, finding them really threw off my sense of horizon and my stomach started to turn again. Before the end of my parachuting experience I was already eager to get on the ground in fear that I was going to barf on all the poor sods waiting to get on the next plane out.
We had originally intended to land on the slip'n'slide that was set up as an end-of-the-summer treat, but had to follow where Mr Video landed so he could capture our landing. A few minutes before we actually touched down, I was instructed to lift my legs up as high as I was capable of, and Garrett would do the rest. It was a really smooth landing and I couldn't have been more excited to be on the ground.
I smiled and lied through my nausea while Mr Video filmed my post-jump reactions. Afterward, I had to lay on the ground for a solid half hour while my body reorganized, while Drew, Adam, Jackie and Steven were already planning their next jump. Apparently I'm the only one who forgot a key function of the nose and who's stomach can't handle rotating.
Would I go again? Maybe...I would definitely enjoy myself more armed with the knowledge of how to breathe, and would wear sea bands and take gravel before jumping.
