What goes up...
Trip Start
Sep 01, 2008
1
2
20
Trip End
Sep 23, 2008
Kerikeri, North Island,
New Zealand
Friday, September 5, 2008
There's not much to it really. You just sign a form that says that they're not responsible if you die. My confidence was very high when they said I wouldn't have to pay until after we'd landed. My tandem dive was with Gavin, a personable Brit and Peta, an Aussie--called Pete--who would serve as photographer of the entire event. Pete has 700 jumps; Gavin has 3,000. Both appeared to be in perfect health.
I opted for the 12,000 foot jump which gave us the longest free fall and cost the most. When Darren, our pilot, arrived from Auckland with the airplane, we harnessed up, I got on this really cool looking hat, and away we went. Ground school took five minutes.
The climb to altitude took 25 minutes. We spiraled and spiraled and spiraled with me sitting on my 'bum' in front of Gavin...both of us in the rear of the airplane on the floor. Pete sat where the passenger seat would have been facing us and Darren 'drove.'
Pete popped the door open when we reached 12,000 feet and stepped out onto her 'veranda'--a homemade platform atop the right wheel holding onto the wing strut with one hand. She looked a bit otherworldly with her helmet on top of which was a digital camera and, to one side, a video camera.
The sun rises over long beach
The shutter for the digital camera she operated with a shutter cable that ran to her tongue. Click to shoot, as it were.Gavin told me to sit on his lap (a thrill for him) and then he scooted us to the doorway. I had been told to make sure my feet hung down to the rear of the wheel strut, not to the front. I was careful to comply. Crossing my arms across my chest, I was literally in Gavin's arms as he rocked once, then twice and, well, we jumped out of a perfectly serviceable airplane.
It was cold. It was noisy. And, it was very windy. We fell 7,000 feet. I've never fallen that far before.
At 5,000 feet, Gavin popped our chute. We spun and looped. It got quiet. And slow. And the ground? Well, it went into slow motion. After looping upwind, we turned with our backs to the sun and dropped in 100 feet from the back door of our airport hanger door, landing, as we planned, on our bums.
Another experience checked off my list. I didn't really know what to expect and that's exactly what I got. I wasn't really nervous and, during our ascent, I was anxious to get there, to get this show on the road, so to speak. But when Pete popped that door and the cold air rushed into the tiny cabin and she, well, left; it was weird. But then Gavin scooted and we leapt and the Bay of Islands on the North Island of the island nation of New Zealand started rushing headlong at us and my heart raced. My thoughts went briefly to Dr. Timothy Blackburn. He's the cardiologist who takes care of my stent. Pretty soon though I just went along for the ride. It was a trip. I recommend it.
We drove into Paihai for what was described as "the best cheeseburger in New Zealand" and then drove back to Russell where we changed into our walking shoes and set out over the hill to long beach and back. Quite a day, I'd say. Up next, bungy jumping from a bridge. More on that later.
Comments
Check! sky-diving
Glad the stent held! You look awesome in your gear. Thanks for the details; felt like I was there with you.
Freefallin'
that is what is going on in my head right now
you got guts Paul
can't wait for the head first bungee pics