JUMPING FOR JOY
Y
ou might have jumped for joy when you booked your vacation to Jamaica and when you first glimpsed the beautiful island from your airplane seat. Certainly, you took leap of joy when you first stepped into the lobby of your hotel, when you felt the warm sand of the beach between your toes for the first time, when you made your first Jamaican friend and when you first tasted the island's mouthwatering cuisine. You probably also felt that special, thrilling tingle when you reached the top of Dunn’s River Falls or received a kiss from a dolphin. If you are adventurous and a little bit brave, you can now take jumping for joy to a whole new level with Skydive Jamaica, the first tandem skydive adventure of its kind in the Caribbean.
The fun begins. Skydivers right after exiting the plane (Photo: Skydive Jamaica)
See Jamaica from a different angle! As a matter of fact, you will be able to see the island of Jamaica in its entirety with Skydive Jamaica, the island’s brand new, thrilling attraction located at the Boscobel Aerodrome in St. Mary, approximately 15 minutes east of Ocho Rios.
Introduced by German skydiving instructor Volker Haag and his Austrian business partner Guntmar Kerbl, who is also a skydiver and pilot, the experienced ‘duo of divers’ ensures maximum safety by using a secure tandem system. First-time thrill seekers are paired with an experienced tandem jump master, who provides the required instructions and ensures that the gear fits properly before the exited, and maybe a bit nervous jumpers, enter the aircraft. Upon reaching the target altitude of 12,000ft., a final safety check is performed before the pilot slows down the aircraft and the door is opened leaving adrenaline junkies feeling the crisp rush of air and the excitement building. Get ready to jump! “Oh no! Wait!” you may think. But your tandem master is ready and before you know it, you are jumping out the door, freefalling at a speed of over 200km/h. Your arms are spread like wings to catch the crisp, clear air as you fly through the sky with a birds eye view of Jamaica‘s amazing coastline as far as you can see and the Blue Mountains in the distance, several thousand feet below! Around 45 seconds into the amazing rush, its time to open the parachute and a colorful canopy opens above you, slowing you down to a gentle glide. You get to take in more sights while you leisurely fly across the
blue sky for 5 to 7 minutes, and if you are really lucky, you might get to see large turtles or stingrays in the turquoise waters below. Easy! And thanks to modern parachute equipment, the touch down is smooth and soft. Your amazing, possibly life changing experience is video recorded so that you can prove to people that you actually took the plunge! Says Volker Haag, Head Tandem Master at Skydive Jamaica, “Anyone can safely make a first jump with minimal training through tandem skydiving.” Having personally performed well over 5,000 jumps and more than 3,700 tandem jumps, Volker elaborates, “I still enjoy it every time I see the big smile on our customers faces afterwards!” The Skydive Jamaica team is keen to ensure that special events are made extra special: your dream is their command! Just imagine proposing marriage to that special someone while waiting to take off for your skydive adventure or while soaring at 12,000ft. Centuries ago, Leonardo DaVinci said, “When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” Go for a jump and find out if Leonardo was right! www.skydive-jamaica.com
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