Not that birding on beautiful Pelican Island was too tame for our tastes but that afternoon we decided to head to the local airport where skydivers from all over the country did their thing. The dropzone is situated directly on the east coast of Florida, offering a freefall over the beautiful Sebastian Inlet and Atlantic Ocean. First, we checked out the hanger where the jumpers were putting on their equipment. 
Then a quick lunch, while we waited for the big plane to take off with a load of jumpers. What a sight. At 18,000 feet and out they came. Not familiar with this activity other than seeing movies of the 101st Screaming Eagles take off in planes and gliders for the drop over Normandy, France in 1944, I was astonished at how fast they were coming down. As they approached the field. "Broken legs", I thought. And then, at the last second, they turned their chutes, somehow, into the wind and practically hovered, before gently touching the ground. 
"No way," Mrs T said when I gently broached the subject of my giving it a try. I've canoed wild Canadian rivers and walked across sandbanks on Montana trout streams, after seeing fresh grizzly bear tracks..... but she's right. Jump into thin air out of an airplane? No way!
Next - Ding Darling
I thought, for just a second, that you were going to say you did it! It would be a "no way" for me too.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine jumping! My older brother paraglided off a cliff in Calif. last Spring and loved it. Not me - I'm the wimp in the family!!!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you didn't try.It is a fun sport,I have a friend that takes you tandem.
ReplyDeleteThe quickest way to jump without weeks of lessons and being forced to use a static line (shoot pulls open as you jump from the plane) is to do a tandem jump. I did a tandem jump from 10K ft. b/c I wanted the experience of the free fall. It was amazing! Another item crossed off my bucket list.
ReplyDeleteWhew, I'm relieved at the punchline. I'm fearless when it comes to a lot of things, but hurtling out of an airplane with some kind of fallible thing that's supposed to keep me from going SPLAT doesn't appeal at all! Tell Mrs. T she did the right thing!
ReplyDeleteNever did catch on to the concept of why someone would want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane...nice photos though.
ReplyDeleteFeet firmly planted was the way to go... for me anyway.
ReplyDeleteLove the header photo!
I have too big a fear of heights to ever consider falling out of a plane and nosediving toward earth at an exorbitant rate of speed. I'm with Mrs. T on this one. NO WAY!
ReplyDeleteYou should check out DJan's blog at http://djanstewart.blogspot.com/
She is a skydiver and often posts about her exploits in the air.
I thought for sure you did it...LOL I don't blame you though, course I am a big chicken anyway, lol
ReplyDeleteI've done hang gliding, but I just don't know that I could try sky diving. I was only tempted once, by a neighbor, and I'm glad he never asked again...
ReplyDeleteWhew, I thought you were going to be jumping yourself! Actually this was something I dearly wanted to do - when I was much, much younger. I've definitely lost the desire now. Still....it looks like a lot of fun, doesn't it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started reading I thought possibly you went for a jump! I have to say I would skip it myself. Nice to watch, but that is all!
ReplyDeleteI thought too that you had done it!! My former SIL jumped and loved it and had a video of her jump with the song "Spirit in the Sky" playing in the background! Me? Uh, no.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw the title of this post, I thought you were skydiving. It is fun to watch, but I could never do it.
ReplyDeleteI have to confess, I really want to do a jump. Maybe for one of those milestone birthdays!! Thanks for stopping by-- we school teachers must stick together. (We "GET" each other.)
ReplyDeleteI second what Rae said! I couldn't ever do it either..it is lovely that Mrs. T still wants you in one piece:)
ReplyDeleteI think Mrs. T is wise! Looked scary!
ReplyDeleteI've never gone sky diving, but I did do this once, which was close (note, this is not my video--which is only 47 seconds, fyi--but it IS the actual ride I was on.)
ReplyDelete