What can I say about this experience? Holy shit.
A friend of mine is a big skydiver and has been for many years. He's been the root of my temptation to jump out of a plane for a long time. So, at the start of the year, I turned to my wife and said, "We're going to jump out of a plane, you keen?"
We drove from Jhb to the Vaal (about an hour and 15 minutes) to a small airstrip just outside a small town called Deneyes Ville. We never went into the town, and I was considering staying the weekend but decided not too due to the unpredictable weather forecast for the day. I believe it's nice.
8 am, we parked and headed to meet up with my friend, who was also jumping (several times), and so were a couple of his friends for the first time. There was a briefing happening at the bar/office/till/suit up area. A bit of fear set in because people were getting ready to jump and I was expecting a call to suit up. Let me say, if we did jump as we arrived, I am sure I would have had to take an adult diaper.
After watching several jumps, and hearing stories and understanding what the hell goes on up there and all the way down, by the time we were called to jump it was already 1 pm. My friend warned me that it could take a day, and my wife had the foresight to pack a bit of a picnic basket, and time flew relaxing under the tree, watching parachutes open 11,000ft above us and drift in the sky until the touched the ground next to us.
Suit up. We booked a tandem jump. That's the one where you are strapped to the front of a tandem master. So he's behind you. All you are really wearing is a jumpsuit (as seen in the video), and a harness that connects to your guy.
My guy's name is Corne. Cool guy. All the tandem masters were awesome and made an effort to get us in the vibe.
After suiting up we headed to the plane. I sat right alongside the door. The plane ride to 11,000ft is about 20 minutes long. It went by fast. My wife (seen in the video) and I spoke afterwards about the lack of fear we had. There was none to speak of, to be honest. I don't know if it was the long wait that got us settled, or just knowing that there was nothing to fear but fear itself. We just simply enjoyed the experience and moment, fearless ;).
When we got to altitude, the door slides open, and the next thing I know I was hanging out of the plane (my bum was on in it), looking 11,000ft below me. The video is incredible, and massive thank you to Dino (my friend and video dude - you'll see him in the video when we fall through clouds) and Corne and the video editor for an incredible video. I was in tears the first time I watched it.
Yes, it's that awesome as my facial expression, and comments on the video show. I don't think I have to comment too much on the experience itself. Words to describe the feeling - free, bliss, ecstasy, calm, peace, amazing.
I can say I will do it again, and probably not tandem. There is this course called AFF, Assisted Free Fall I think. You jump out not attached to, but with two other jump masters on either side of you, and you basically practise.
I would obviously recommend SkyDive On The Vaal.Awesome bunch of guys and I am sure I will be visiting them again soon.
Thanks for reading and watching my experience.
