Lower Florida DZs?

[wildernessmedic 0]

Considering moving out of California to somewhere I can live better/cheaper. I'm looking at places in Florida, preferably in the lower half. Probably going to end up somewhere in the middle so either side isn't a far drive.

Whats the jumping like in the southern half? Is it year long minus the hurricanes? How often is it winded out? Anything BASE related to jump off out there? Seems like it's pretty flat.


Thanks

[gowlerk 2,192]

????? South central Florida is the skydiving centre of the world. Why do you think that is? It is also very flat.

[roostnureye 2]

wildernessmedic

Considering moving out of California to somewhere I can live better/cheaper. I'm looking at places in Florida, preferably in the lower half. Probably going to end up somewhere in the middle so either side isn't a far drive.

Whats the jumping like in the southern half? Is it year long minus the hurricanes? How often is it winded out? Anything BASE related to jump off out there? Seems like it's pretty flat.
i live in south florida and love the jumping scene.
im on the west coast about 2 hours south of zhills.
from my house its an hour to clewiston dz, 2 hours to zhills, 3 hours to sebastian, 3.5 to deland. there are a metric shit load of antennas and buildings down here that are prime for base. i would heavily consider choosing one side of the state or the other. you will hate the center of florida. its no mans land, all orange tree groves and cattle fields. you will have no life and very few friends if you try and move to central south florida.


Thanks

Flock University FWC / ZFlock
B.A.S.E. 1580
Aussie BASE 121

[gowlerk 2,192]

Quote

you will hate the center of florida. its no mans land, all orange tree groves and cattle fields. you will have no life and very few friends if you try and move to central south florida.

Lake Wales is in that part of FL. Decent DZ, but it's in Polk county. P.O.L.K. People Of Limited Knowledge

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[Justincblount 4]

I'm looking to move to DeLand and live in a tent! My home DZ is Jacksonville, but it's rough when I don't have my own transportation, because there's so much walking involved in catching a bus there... I'd be exhausted by the time I get there. Nowhere safe that I'm allowed to camp nearby, and it's just 4 or 5 people jumping out of a Cessna, plus tandems always go first... now add the bullshit weather on top of that. I haven't jumped in over 2 months, which just sucks! No way that's gonna work. I still haven't even finished my AFF! Gonna need more tunnel time as well, so I can get better at docking. DeLand is pretty close to an iFly, people who work there probably skydive at DeLand, bet I can hitch a ride with someone.

[roostnureye 2]

Check out zhills also. Big tent crew there. Also pretty close to ifly tampa.

Flock University FWC / ZFlock
B.A.S.E. 1580
Aussie BASE 121

[3331 137]

This is from the USPA web page.

http://uspa.org/DZlocator

I Jumped with the guys who invented Skydiving.

[wildernessmedic 0]

gowlerk

????? South central Florida is the skydiving centre of the world. Why do you think that is? It is also very flat.

No idea. Never paid any attention.


Roostnureye-

Appreciate the heads up. That bad huh? If it is I guess I better start looking at the best dive spots nearby and make a choice. Were flying over in a few weeks to check out a few towns. I just figured in the middle would make it a shorter drive in any direction.



I know there are a handful of DZs there. I just wasn't sure if it was year round jumping or what. Sick of this NorCal weather screwing it up for so many months in a row.

[Justincblount 4]

roostnureye

Check out zhills also. Big tent crew there. Also pretty close to ifly tampa.

That does sound like a better option... as long as I don't get eaten by an alligator! Glad you suggested it. I might stick around DeLand for a while, if they'll give me a job. If not, I may as well keep moving. I'll probably get bored quickly without Youtube in my life.

[flyhi 24]

Quote

Check out zhills also. Big tent crew there. Also pretty close to ifly tampa.

If you want to live near Z-Hills, live near Z-hills. There are not a lot of other DZs in the area. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with jumping at Z-hills. Great place. Great airplanes. iFly Tampa is south of there, so if that is a consideration, may want to skew your location in that direction.

If you want to go to the East coast of Florida, somewhere in the Deland/Daytona Beach area gives you easy access to Deland, Sebastian, and Palatka. All great places to jump. If transportation is a concern, tenting it at Deland would probably work out best.

The jumping season here runs from the beginning of April to the end of March. We don't stop. There are hurricanes and other things that can influence jumping, but in general, 365 a year is possible. 200 jumps a year is very easy to do.

Shit happens. And it usually happens because of physics.

[skymama 37]

South Florida is super hot and muggy for most of the year. The rest of FL is just hot and muggy.

You can jump all year long, the hurricanes aren't that bad. We went about ten years in between really bad hurricanes. The summers are pretty dreadful when you have all of your gear on, not gonna lie. Most people tend to get up early to get a few jumps in, and then stop in the afternoon to go do water sports or to just go inside. You'll get afternoon storms on most summer days, but sometimes they only last for about 20 minutes before they pass.

As others have said, you'll get more bang for your buck if you stay in Central FL because there are so many dropzones within a few hours drive. Check out the area that I-4 goes across the state, and focus on the towns that fan out from there. The east coast is more old school, the west coast a little more upper crust. Tourists are everywhere, just like the mosquitoes and roaches.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon