free falling

On a quick trip to Seattle a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to go sky diving for the second time in my life and for the first time as a tandem skydive. Over coffee and french toast a couple weeks earlier my Seattle friend Lauren mentioned that her mum was turning 60 and wanted to celebrate the date by leaping from a plane - what an amazing woman, hey? Lauren invited me along, knowing that I have a love of heights and adrenaline and shortly after we were driving an hour north of Seattle for the jump!

We arrived at Skydive Kapowsin - a family owned skydiving company minutes from the heart of Olympia. We walked in, anxiously signed safety waivers, jumped into brightly coloured jumpsuits and within 10 minutes we were in the plane, climbing 13,000 feet. The entire thing was documented with photos and a video (though we all found it difficult to say interesting things while so nervous).



Because we were all doing tandem jumps we were securely tethered to jump maters - meaning they had all the responsibility and we could sit back and enjoy the ride! Kathy (Lauren's mum) was first to jump, she scooted to the open door of the plane and in one fluid motion, whoosh, she was gone. Lauren was next, and I was seated behind her. I blinked and she disappeared out the window. Last but not least was my instructor and I. He held onto the sides of the door as I faced forward into wide open sky, then WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, he launched us forward and I tumbled headfirst out of plane with nothing between me and the ground below. It was AMAZING.


Don't you love the contrast between our faces and body language??



Brave ladies!