Warning: Picture Overload
I've been wanting to skydive for years. What prompted me to schedule a tandem skydiving jump over Memorial Day weekend? I don't know. Lance and I were supposed to camp overnight at Lake Elsinore for our third wedding anniversary, but on Friday afternoon, Lance asked if we could just make a day trip to Lake Elsniore because poor Buddy was not doing well. Buddy and Bella had spent the last three days with their Daddy on Tide the Knott. He had run, swim, and had limited sleep because of all the sense stimulation. He also scraped up his paws by climbing over rocks. He was hurting so yes, we stayed home. We were good parents.
On Saturday morning, we took the one-hour commute to Lake Elsinore. We had breakfast at this very quaint little diner before heading to Skydive Lake Elsinore. Unfortunately, all skydiving jumps were indefinately postponed due to weather conditions. It was too cloudy. It was estimated to be a three-hour delay so Lance and I decided to adjust our plans and instead of skydiving first, we took the Gryphon out for a ride on Lake Elsinore. Why have we not gone here before? It is only one-hour away from home, and it just a wonderful place to take the family. Lance and I decided we would try to make it back out there in two weeks or so with the dogs and kids. We could camp, play games, take the dingy out, and spend quality time together.
Lake Elsinore is the largest natural freshwater lake in Southern California. It is 6 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. Lance had me take over driving the boat. I was nervous because he tends to get frustrated easily when it comes to the boat. He showed me how to start it, stop it, maneuver it. I got nervous because there was boat traffic in the water, but I managed pretty well. He also did well in training me. Normally, he loses a fuse and has smoke coming out of his ears and nose, but he was very patient and good. He was a wonderful instructor.
We returned to the skydiving camp in the afternoon. It really felt like a camp. There were tents up. I dont know why. Maybe some of the trainers stayed overnight? It felt like a little commune. They had us sign a waiver and they videotaped us reading the liability release form as we signed the waiver. We then went into a side room where this guy appears on the screen and begins to warn us that there is never a perfect skydiving trainer, parachute etc etc. The guy invented the harness for the tandem skydiving, and he looked like one of the singers from ZZ Top. Watching the video did not calm my nerves. It made me more nervous. I really was not nervous until I got videotaped signing the liability release and when Mr. ZZ Top issued a warning.
At the skydiving camp
I did my research. Brandon made me feel guilty because when I told him what I was going to do, he asked very concerned and worried, "Why? Why Mommy?" There are .003 fatalites out of 1,000 tandem skydiving jumps over the past decade. In 2013, there were 3.2 million jumps with only 24 deaths. Statistically? My odds were good, very good.
My trainer was Cliff, a United States marine. I could not have been in better hands. He was amazing. I didn't get to wear the jumpsuit, which I was disappointed about because I thought they looked very cool. Cliff walked me through some directions until I felt comfortable. Ok, I never felt comfortable. I was nervous, but not yet scared. Having Cliff though made me feel safe. I saw some other trainers, and Cliff, my marine, was the best. If I can't be in the arms of my husband, the next best thing is a trained Marine.
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| Getting the harness on. |
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| Curtis tightening my harness |
teaching me what to do
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| Boarding the plane-- |
We boarded the plane. There were about 15-20 of us squished into that plane, and as it slowly ascended, I felt like I was not breathing. Things went in slow motion. I kept looking at the ground get smaller and farther away. I had to remind myself to breathe. The nervousness began to transcend into fear. What made it worse for me was Cliff yelled to me..."We are almost half way up now." I was thinking, "you got to be fucking kidding me? Half way up? I thought we were about to jump out the plane. How much higher are we going to go?" We were not yet at 6,000 feet. Cliff told me we jump at 12500 feet. I could not believe it. I felt numb. It was not like panic mode, but more like a "blur". Everything became a blur. Cliff then told me to sit on him, which I did and he connected my harness to his. When I was watching Mr. ZZ Top on the video, he said we would be touched inappropriately, and well, you get very close to the person you are doing the tandem jump with.
When we reached 12,500 feet, I saw the other jumpers getting ready to jump. Cliff and I got on the plane first so we were one of the last to jump off. Slowly as we got to the open door, I felt my heart freeze, and then he yelled, "position one" which meant I put my hands on the harness and my head on his left shoulder. He then yelled "pelvic out" so I thrusted my pelvis out and bent my legs so my feet touched his ass, and then.....BOOM! We flew out.
I was scared shitless for the first 20 seconds. I thought I was dying. I have never been that scared in my life, but after those 20 seconds, the fear went away and a splurge of euphoria and freedom embraced me. It was wonderful! In tandem skydiving, you freefall for about one minute before the parachute opens and you descend for about 3-4 minutes.
You have more chances of dying from lightening or from a bee sting then you do from tandem skydiving. I did pray when the plane was ascending. I am not that stupid. When I came home later that night, I was exhausted...emotionally exhausted. I just crashed.
People ask if Lance jumped too, and no he didn't. He didn't want to, and even if he did, he couldn't. There was a weight limit, and he was above that weight limit. I could sense his excitement though. Lance is a man's man. He loves engines and planes and all this stuff. Years ago, he rebuilt a World War II plane that now sits in a museum. Lance and Cliff had alot in common.
Would I do this again? Absolutely. I know what to expect now, and I think I could enjoy it more the second time around.
Another thing off that bucket list.....
Video to be uploaded soon....
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