12 years and counting - thank you all

[Genie 0]

It was 12 years ago today that I first left an aircraft in flight, and flew to earth under a parachute.

A cold, clear, blue skies, day with the dark closing in about 4.30 in the afternoon, and I had not got to the drop zone until 11am that day. A late night in the local pub, after completing the first jump course the day before made getting up a little more difficult. I wasn’t very hopeful about getting to jump when I saw how busy manifest was, so I was thrilled to be told to gear up at about 3.30pm, with the 288sq foot Manta and heavy cumbersome student harness.

I was the only first jump student on the last load of the day. My jumpmaster was there, a guy doing his 2,500 foot hop ‘n pop to finish his static line progression, and one guy grabbing the chance for one last hop n pop before a week of no jumping until the drop zone opened again next weekend.
I remember the jump clearly, falling off the strut as I tried to move further out, canopy opening and swinging under it, releasing my toggles, pumping my brakes, looking around me in awe at the setting sun, and the beauty of the countryside and bog below me, finding the dz, being talked down and landing, skidding in on my ass, and then just sitting there on the grass in the big student field, bemused by the wonder of it all. While they shouted at me on the radio to Stand up! And I never heard them. It took John running towards me shouting “are you ok?”, for me to realise I had to re-join the real world again.

In the last 12 years I have racked up around 220 jumps – no sky goddess here! I realised early on, that I would never be a world class skydiver – and that was ok. It meant I could relax about jumping, and not have to push myself. As long as I am safe in the air, competent enough not to hurt myself or any other, I am content.

Life has provided distractions along the way, returning to college full time and new relationships, but I have never quit jumping – to me it’s an important distinction. I sometimes just didn’t jump for a while! I can always go back and there’s always someone there to say hey “how are you, long time no see, so….. you jumping?”

Along the way I have been so privileged to jump in drop zones around the world, to jump with world class skydivers, and world record holders, to go to places I would never have otherwise seen. I went to Kenya on a skydiving trip: “You’re going on holidays to Kenya by *yourself*?!?” “No, I’m going with 150 skydivers; I just haven’t met them yet”. And I could do that in the certainty that skydivers like helping other people to jump. That I would have a fun time with fun people, and boy did I!

I have been blessed by the kindness of stranger skydivers in so many ways and places, from lifts, to places to stay, to getting me to airports, to collecting me and taking me to drop zones, to giving me free accommodation. I have returned the favour – or paid it onwards to other skydivers in return :) /waves at Bill Von, remember your trip to Ireland ?? :) and I’ve been thrilled to be part of this group.

I once saw skydivers described as a “tribe”, unifying characteristics overriding any distinctions. I thought it was a great description. During my time in jumping I have met pilots, nuclear scientists, bank robbers, tattoo artists, dentists, doctors, truck drivers, construction workers, accountants, students, psychologists, physiotherapists, software engineers, receptionists, tree surgeons, farmers, army, special forces of 4 different countries at least, etc. etc. – and no one cares what anyone else does – other than being able to look out for each other, and support skydivers business in preference. I have met people from all over the world, and then met them again on the other side of the world :)

I have done things that I would never have done otherwise because of skydiving, including travelling through Asia for 4 months – where I bumped into the refugees from the Thai Boogie on St Patricks day in Hua Hin and had a hell of a party :)

Skydiving and skydivers have enriched my life more than I can possibly say. And on a day like today, after two sweet jumps yesterday, in one of my favourite places in the world, I’d just like to say “Thank you”. To the people who, in 1956 in Ireland, set up the Irish Parachute Club, to all who developed it and grew it in the last 55 years, to all who have done the same for the sport worldwide, for every up jumper who jumped with a low timer, and encouraged them a little to keep going, to everyone who loves this sport, to everyone who has ever left a plane in flight in control of their own actions and responsible for their own lives - THANK YOU ALL!

Glad to get that off my chest :)
Genie

[Abedy 0]

Thanks for that post. I read it with interest and it made me once again think about what great a sport we share.

The sky is not the limit. The ground is.

The Society of Skydiving Ducks

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

Wow!

Thank you.

Very nicely put.

Especially the "I'll have lots of friends when I get there, I just haven't met them yet" part.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[Trafficdiver 8]

Awesome. Thanks for posting this.
Glad to hear that it doesn't stop getting better and better.

[irishrigger 32]

Many congrats on the 12 years noelle. Time does indeed fly. And here is to the next 12 years!
rodger

[cocheese 0]

[catfishhunter 2]

Thank You :)

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.