Steve & Sara Down Under: Steve's Skydive!

     A couple of days after we arrived in Windang, Steve and I took the bus to the beach at North Wollongong because I wanted to check out a weekly French conversation group that meets at a restaurant there. Right next to The Lagoon restaurant we saw a business called Skydive Australia, and pretty soon we started seeing groups of people gently drifting down in parachutes and landing in a large field right near us. Later that day we also saw skydivers landing in the sand right behind the restaurant.
     Steve had an epiphany: "I'm going to do it!" Even though skydiving had not been on his bucket list, he suddenly realized, "If not now, when?" and "Why not?" He thought of his mother who had waited and waited to do so many things in retirement, but died just before turning 65 and never got to do them. He thought of our dear friend Tom who recently passed away after a rich and full life. Steve asked himself, "What would Tom do?" And Steve heard Tom's voice answer: "JUMP!" And Steve even thought of recently deceased George H.W. Bush who had gone skydiving for the first time on his 80th birthday. Steve called and made his skyjump reservation.
     Tuesday, December 4 at 9:00 AM was the time. The morning was cool and overcast as we took the bus into Wollongong. We were the first to arrive at Skydive Australia and waited for them to open. After signing all those legal waiver and disclaimer forms, Steve was suiting up and getting into his harness.

The yellow fanny pack contains a life jacket -- just in case of a water landing!

Harnessing up.

Then there was a brief group instruction on what positions to assume when leaving the plane, freefalling, and landing. Steve met his guide, Tony -- the guy whom (we thought) would literally have Steve's life in his hands. (There would later be a slight change of plans.) Everyone jumps in tandem with an instructor, with the instructor harnessed behind the student.

At last it was time to get on the bus that would take Steve and his group to the airport about 20 minutes away for their one-way plane ride to 15,000 feet and their rendezvous with the sky!

Practicing what to do when leaving the plane.

With first instructor Tony (the plans would change...)

Boarding the bus to the airport.

     Even though Steve was the very first to arrive that morning, he somehow ended up getting scheduled in the second skydiving group. This ended up making for a very long morning.
     The first group took off in the plane and a while later I watched them land on the sand. Just as they were landing, the weather turned more threatening and it began to rain. We had hoped Steve's group would get to jump before the rain got bad, but it was not to be. Soon it was pouring and Steve's group was grounded indefinitely at the airport. After a good hour's wait, the weather started to lift. I checked in at the office and it looked like Steve's group would be jumping soon.
     But, then I was informed that Steve and been bumped to group #3. Apparently, with the changing weather conditions the plane needed more fuel and that meant less weight left for passengers. Someone had to be bumped, and as Steve was skydiving by himself and everyone else was with a partner, he was chosen. Sigh... More waiting...
     But eventually at around 1:00 PM, Steve was finally on the plane and ready to go. In the meantime, there was a change of instructors for him. Now instead of Tony, Steve would be jumping with Scott. Through all the waiting and the frustrations of being bumped twice, Steve never once thought of quitting.
     Take a look at some of these amazing GoPro photos Scott was able to take of their experience. Due to the changing weather conditions, Steve's group would be landing on the grass field, not the sand.