no f*****g way in this life would i do that unless i was close to comatose to start with.
i'd feel safer walking around harlem dodging traffic wearing a thousand dollar leather jacket carrying a paper bag full of cash.....
I've been a few times, just out of curiosity, but I imagine the purpose and experience is different for different people. Sometimes people create their own grandiose expectations.
I absolutely hate thrill sports. Danger is a *major* turnoff for me because I don't like fear. Also, when the whole point is to pump up ones adrenaline, you need to increase it each time, shaving it closer and closer until the inevitable injury. I get plenty enough danger in real life that I don't need to seek the unusual thrill. A quiet evening at home sounds pretty gratifying, serene and beautiful to me. So I tried skydiving for the activity not the danger.
I had to check out the skydiving equipment, actually test the straps and buckles, tug on them, hang from them, stomp on them really hard and see how incredibly tough and safe they are. See the parachute, how it's packed, understand how it operates. Then I had to sit and think about the fact that per-hour, skydiving is much safer than driving a car. Then my mind can make a logical decision that it's okay, the technology is sound, reliable, and trustworthy.
At that point I'm no longer putting my life on the line. Not in the slightest. And each time up, there was no sensation of height or of falling. At 15,000 feet everything is so far away there's almost no sense of movement.
So it was a lot like stepping from a pier onto a sailboat. There is a little swaying, some rope and some sheeting. You have to watch your step, pull on the correct gadgets and make minor adjustments as you get under way. Bring the right clothes for the weather and you'll be fine.
The freefall was just noisy that's all. Once the canopy opened there's no wind at all because you sail with the wind. Perfect stillness and quiet. You can hear voices from over a mile away, reflected up by the ground! You could actually read a book if you got too bored. It can take 10-15 minutes to float down, very peaceful.
It's a bit like cruising in a convertible, where you can see clearly up, left, right, forward and backward, except now you can see down too. One more dimension, that's all. It's a little odd to see ones feet with nothing under them, but that's just peculiar not scary.
With a directional canopy you can steer, circle, and sail towards this thing or that. On the landing, if you make a gentle swinging beforehand you can skim the grass with your feet for about 40 yards, before stepping six inches onto the ground just like stepping off a sidewalk.
The one part I didn't like? The instant the chute unfurled and we set sail. The first tug is when things feel most liable to break. For about two seconds I was panicked: Is it okay? Is it okay? Is everything okay?
I checked, checked again, but yeah, the gear is solid and strong. It's been refined and proven with literally millions of jump behind it. Two, maybe three seconds of fear, because the setup is unfamiliar.
The freefall and the leisurely sightseeing float under the canopy felt interesting and nice. Ho-hum. A good action movie wears you out a hell of a lot more. I guess the real attraction is for people who do gymnastics while skydiving. There's a lot to play with using air, mass, and balance, kind of like balancing a catamaran, or doing Aikido or ballet.
After a few tries there just didn't seem much to it. I'm glad I tried it, to inform myself, because I don't like being ruled by glamour and myth.
My sister was one of the unsuccessful ones - after 250-odd jumps. Splat!
I'd give it a go. We've got a school locally. I might have a go this summer.
Damn Margo, is that true?
I've always wanted to try it but man, I'm scared!
