What follows is the story of my skydive, as told by video stills I’ve pulled and edited from the GoPro footage of my jump. Video follows at the end of the post!

As I wrote yesterday, my skydive was postponed due to poor weather. But I don’t know that when I do my pre-jump interview.

I am so excited that I use my hands to talk.

JAZZ HANDS… I realize while watching this footage that jazz hands is my go-to move.

En route to the plane we see a Southern Cassowary! These animals live in this part of Queensland but a sighting is still rare. They’re dangerous creatures because they can disembowel a human with one swipe of their claw. Or they can crack a windshield with the giant bone-like feature protruding from their heads.

And then we get the call to turn back. Boo!!

Two days later the weather has cleared up and I do another pre-jump interview. This time, as evidenced by my thin smile and lack of jazz hands, I am not amused. After all the initial build-up, now I just want to get it over with.

But the jazz hands return by the time we reach the plane. It looks like this skydive will finally happen.

We do another quick pre-jump video interview outside the plane and then I’m the first one to board… which means we’ll be jumping last. I balk at first, but my tandem instructor says it’ll all be over with so fast that it doesn’t matter. (He’s right.)

Ready for take-off…

I’m sitting NEXT to the pilot. This is even closer than that time in Hawaii when Beth, Tamar, and I sat in the first row behind the pilot! That is a fun story for another day.

The views are GREAT. Mainland, ocean, islands… it’s all part of this flight.

We climb higher…

The time has come. I’ve been totally calm until now, but as I see people disappearing out the plane door, one after the next, it truly hits me:

I AM ABOUT TO JUMP OUT OF AN AIRPLANE!!??!! WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING??!!??

And then the screaming starts. But this freak-out lasts mere seconds before the deed is done and we’re flying through the air.

The moment of truth:

Eyes shut, my heart in my throat, and I’m just praying it’s not the end.

And then I’m flying…!!

My instructor taps me on the shoulder, my cue to open my arms wide.

And by now, ten seconds into it, I love this free-fall sensation. I feel weightless, like the wind is pushing me upward, even though I’m heading straight down towards earth. It’s the neatest feeling.

A few more seconds of free-fall…

…and then my instructor pulls the cord and the parachute releases.

Now we glide down gently. The next few minutes are bliss — taking in the panoramic landscape, relishing the freedom of flying through the atmosphere with little more than a parachute, and feeling ALIVE.

The instructor has me pull on the cord to turn us right.

That’s the beach we’ll land on below.

Incoming!

And seconds later we are standing upright and it’s all over.

Whew!! Exhilarating.

And here is the video proof. I asked for the original video files and cut it together myself. (This was kind of a pain — I waited about two hours for their video person to find time to copy the files onto my flash drive.) The company also provides a DVD but since that media is obsolete — I don’t even have a way to watch DVDs — I found it more relevant to make my own video using the files. I’m told that the company plans to move towards distributing their videos on flash drives in the future, which makes more sense.

I know what you’re thinking… Erica, this is 4:42 long, why would I watch all that?

It’s worth it.

I am now officially a skydiver!! Time to check that off the bucket list. I am so pleased with this experience. While I’d happily dive again, I’m told there is nothing like your first time. This is a memory I’ll treasure forever. I look forward to telling my grandkids about it one day!

Thanks to Skydive Mission Beach for offering a 20% media discount and free video footage. Opinions are my own.