LGreg34 0 #1 January 25, 2004 Going to Playa Del Carmen this coming Tuesday. Don't have many jumps, I'm on AFF 4, but thinking of making a Tandem there but am a little leary of the Mexico thing if you know what I mean. Hell, I'm willing to do a tandem just to get back in the air! I live in Indiana and haven't been able to jump in months! Anyone know of a VERY reputable place near there, Cancun or even in Cosumel (a ferry ride away). If not, damn I understand...........safety first! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
damion75 0 #2 January 25, 2004 I doubt that there is a drama - a few of us are planning to make some sort of Mexico Boogie next new year and that involves flying all the way from UK so it better be good!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
voodew1 0 #3 January 25, 2004 Skydive cancun is a nice USPA DZ, it is a tandem factory and I believe the price is $200 a jump. When I was there they were flying a wide body 182 off of a paved runway. You land on the beach. Altitude will be 10K. The pimp hand is powdered up ... say something stupid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LGreg34 0 #4 January 25, 2004 I'm sure that part of my apprehension is just because I'm a newbie and feel the need for all conditions to be as close to perfect as possible. Thank you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
voodew1 0 #5 January 25, 2004 By the way Skydive Cancun is in Playa, the Dz is right next to Carlos & Charlies by the ferry to Cozumel. You walk to the airport 1/4 mi away and land down the beach where a van picks you up. I want to say that the DZO is a Spainard who speaks good english The pimp hand is powdered up ... say something stupid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LGreg34 0 #6 January 25, 2004 Thank You! I really love this website and these forums. So many good people more than willing to give information. By the way, I was not trying to be derogotory in any way about the "Mexico" thing and I hope that no one takes offense in any way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LGreg34 0 #7 January 25, 2004 Thanks Again!. I've told him and everyone else that I would jump with no one but him while I'm a student. I've waited 4 and 5 hours to jump with him, they keep him so busy. Gene is great and has over 10,000 jumps. I can't imagine having a better instructor.........besides the fact that he's cute as hell ! It's just too bad he already has a girlfriend. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 5 #8 January 25, 2004 The Skydive Chicago crew is in Ixtapa if you want to jump a twin otter and do a tandem. They're landing on the beach. Not sure how far Ixtapa is from you though. And not sure if I'm sp this right but Cualta (sp?) is where the other Skydive Chicago otter is until the Boogie at Ixtapa. Might look that up also.Chris Schindler www.diverdriver.com ATP/D-19012 FB #4125 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LGreg34 0 #9 January 25, 2004 Thank You, but Ixtapa is on the West coast of Mexico (been there, beautiful place!), Playa is on the East coast, otherwise, I'd love to! Don't know where that other place is you refered to. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
betzilla 56 #10 January 25, 2004 Don't know where Playa del Carmen is, but Skydive Chicago is running a tandem operation in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo until mid-March. There is also a boogie with RW big ways (two-plane shots) and freefly coaching there, from 1/31-2/8. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallen 0 #11 January 26, 2004 I made my 300th jump at Skydive Mexico onto Playa del Carmen in 1998. Besides the First Flight demo, it is my most memorable jump. The guy running the place at the time was Michel Alvarez G. Their phone number including country code was 52 (987) 3-01-092. What a blast. We took a taxi from Cancun to the location in Quintana Roo (about 30 miles south of Cancun). Our taxi driver had never heard of the place but he stopped and asked and we there in no time. The dz was basically a store front located in the Plaza Marina, Local #32. As stated above, we walked to the 182 wide body, landed on the beach and were driven back to the dz to pack. I found the locals to be very accommodating, very friendly and very happy that we were there. I actually fell in love with the place and hope that I get to go back at some time in my life. The jump was indescribable. Awesome doesn't come close. In freefall you can see Playa del Carmen (translated this means "beach of Carmen", playa = beach) and the island of Cosumel. Beautiful. Then you get to land on a topless beach. Too cool. Hope you have a blast. Let us know how it goes. Cielo Azul (blue skies)! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elfanie 0 #12 January 26, 2004 Just wanted to point out that my VERY FIRST jump EVER was a tandem in Playa Del Carmen. got pictures you can look at of the experience...see my sig line, and on that page click the link for my tandem jump in Mexico. If you get a chance to do it there...they are absolutely fan-f***ing-tastic. -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LGreg34 0 #13 January 26, 2004 Okay, that's it.........I'm definitely doin it! Good deal. Thank you so much. Those pictures are GREAT!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LGreg34 0 #14 January 26, 2004 Thank You! I feel much better about it. I'm gonna do it. Hey, you all are great and I will let you know how it goes. I'll be back Feb 3rd.........expect to hear from me! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #15 January 26, 2004 QuoteDon't know where Playa del Carmen is... Find Cozumel and go west. Cozumel is a nice scuba destination. Just remember to sky first, then scuba.----- ~~~Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elfanie 0 #16 January 26, 2004 QuoteQuoteDon't know where Playa del Carmen is... Find Cozumel and go west. Cozumel is a nice scuba destination. Just remember to sky first, then scuba. Or you can also find Cancun and go south. ;) Cozumel is an island off the coast where Playa Del Carmen is. (in my tandem pictures, you can see Cozumel in the background of some of them) Cancun is about an hour north. And they are all on the Carribean...gorgeous crystal clear water that in July was WARM WARM WARM and amazingly gorgeous. -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StevePhelps 0 #17 January 27, 2004 I kept hearing about "topless" beach -- well, when I jumped with Michel, the only thing on that beach was a lone palm tree! But it was two of the best jumps I have ever made! What a view! See attached photos I took with my camera. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
INSANEDADDY 0 #18 January 30, 2004 I made a fun jump there back in June of 2002. The guys there were super cool. The landing area is VERY small. You should jump for sure. The scenery is AWESOME. I hated packing on a hard floor full of sand though. When I got back to the states and jumped the pack job from Playa, it must have rained sand. You dont't get to choose how you're going to die. Or when.......You can only decide how you're going to live........NOW. -BASE 1605 Night BASE 227 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
el_chester 4 #19 February 1, 2004 Hey Lori! Your post asks about the DZ near Cancún, and many people have already answered about that. The Salinas brothers (Gerry and Michel) used to run the DZ and they are very trustworthy. I believe they are still there. They were part of the mexican 4-way team competing at the world air games in Turkey some years ago. As for other DZs in Mexico, the busiest are Cuautla, Tequesquitengo and Monterrey. The first 2 are just over 1hr's drive away from Mexico City, and obviously Monterrey is in Monterrey. Skydive Chicago's twin otters spend the winter here. One of them in Ixtapa (resort on the pacific (west) coast, north of Acapulco, south of Puerto Vallarta), operating mostly as a tandem factory. The other is extensively used by the mexican skydiving comunity in Cuautla, where we jump it every weekend all day long. The Cuautla DZ lies not far from two 18000ft+ vulcanoes which provide a beautiful backdrop for pictures/video. http://www.normankent.com/Skydive%20Cuautla%2003/index.htm There are also DZs in Celaya (halfway between Mexico City and Guadalajara), Acapulco (a tandem factory in this city on the Pacific Ocean). Our skydiving season is opposite yours, and although there are plenty of smaller planes to jump from, we mainly make the most out of the otters and jump less in the off-season (may-october). Everybody is welcome to come jump here! Here are some links: Skydive Cuautla http://www.angelfire.com/extreme3/skycuautla/index.htm Hermanos Orbita (mexican freefly team) http://www.freeflyorbita.com/ Mexican Skydivers Forum (in spanish) http://www.network54.com/Forum/163051 Mexican sequential RW record attempt pictures (some by our countryman Norman Kent) http://homepage.mac.com/schaechter/skydive/lucho_record/index.html http://www.normankent.com/Skydive%20Cuautla%2003/index.htm QuoteBy the way, I was not trying to be derogotory in any way about the "Mexico" thing and I hope that no one takes offense in any way. Lori______________________________________ No worries... it's not your fault that the portrait of Mexico in your media shows a picure that does not necessairily reflect reality. And also... we are used to such comments, and I for one understand there was no bad intention on your side. it just came "naturally". Enjoy your jump in the caribean, the scenary is SPEC-TA-CU-LAR!!! Chester -- Be careful giving advice. Wise men don't need it, and fools won't heed it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LGreg34 0 #20 February 3, 2004 Thank You All for your replies!! I did do it and it was GREAT!! The view was breathtaking, literally!! I will write more and post a few pictures of it in the next couple of days. Thanks Again! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
