Skydive at 18000ft

I’m back from my holiday in Florida. I didn’t do a cruise this time. Just a land based holiday. I must have had an impulsive moment of madness as I signed up to do a Tandem Skydive at the highest level possible of 18000ft

I don’t know what came over me but it was something to tick off my Bucket list. My girlfriend and friends thought I was insane and that it’s not normal to be in a plane at that altitude with the door open. I suppose they do have a point. I had to do it. Once I signed the waiver and got on the plane there was no way back. I could feel the adrenaline rush and as I watched the plane rise and the earth look further away I was starting to feel a little nervous but no backing out. Only one way down and that was out the door. I was putting an awful lot of faith in the instructor who i’d only just met 5 minutes prior to boarding the plane. My safety and life was in his hands. These guys are experienced and with well over 500 jumps under their belt I was sure I was in good hands.

Once we took off, we were then attached to the instructors. We got to an altitude of 14000ft where the plane stopped and we had a couple of jumpers go then. I thought you know if you’re going to do this then you may as well go all the way. Go high or don’t go. I mean 14000ft they may as well have gone the little extra. I don’t think it would have made that much difference.

The most nervous part is when you hang out of the plane, your legs are dangling and your just told lean your head back and keep your arms folded. I’m sure this is to prevent the natural instinct of reaching out to hold onto something.
You first look down and it’s a long way to the ground. You’re up above the clouds. I could feel the adrenaline rush at this point. Then before you know it your thrown out and you start the free fall. At that altitude I could feel the pressure in my ears and it was also very cold with the air pressure. You free-fall for about 60/90 seconds of speeds up to 120 mph and then once the instructor pulls the parachute you feel like you’ve just stopped and no more free falling. It’s then another 4 minutes or so before you hit the ground. Touchdown. The rush is over then, the ground looks a lot closer, you can now feel the sunshine heat, your ears may have popped with the difference in pressure. It’s then a nice slow decent back to the ground.
The landing was a piece of cake too, you just lift your legs and they land you. Very smooth and I have to say it was well worth doing and I would do it again.

I chose to do this in Florida as I thought I’m going to get the Sunshine. Wearing shorts and T-shirts was just fine. I did this jump last week on May 4th so being a Star Wars fan I was hoping the force was with me!

This really was an amazing experience and I’m really glad that I chose to do it overseas rather than here in the U.K I honestly believe that makes all the difference. I’m planning my next jump but instead of being near Tampa I’m going to go to the East coast of Florida and maybe I’ll be above the Kennedy Space Centre. I’m hoping to get a few more pictures loaded and a video too so do check back. If you do this you have to have the video and photos or there’s no evidence you did it!