Until recently, BASE jumping was something I saw as too dangerous to even contemplate. I mean seriously? Who in their right mind hurls themselves off an object only hundreds of feet above the LZ, just to see if their one parachute is going to open?
Even as a skydiver who has come to love and trust my canopy as a life-saving device, I still couldn’t wrap my head around this seemingly life-threatening version of parachuting.
*Photo by Sandy Weltman
But since my visit to Bridge Day back in mid-October, and having seen the care taken with safety, packing and preparation, BASE jumping continues to be a regular topic of conversation between Rick and me.
As my trusted freefly partner, and someone who’s done his share of BASE jumping over the years, my considerations to take the plunge from a static object include him standing by my side.
*Photo by Ashley Mead (We’ve talked about doing a 2-way like this at next year’s Bridge Day)
It’s an exciting picture, though not without it’s dangers.
For me, there are a few things that stick in my head when contemplating making my first BASE jump:
- There’s no reserve parachute. You’ve only got one shot. REALLY? But doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance?
- With the extremely low altitudes, a reserve would do you no good, anyhow. It also doesn’t give you much chance to toss your pilot. This girl certainly won’t be going stowed for a while.
- On most jumps, your accuracy is critical as landing areas tend to be small. This is why the Perrine looks so desirable for my first.
- The scary stat that 1 in 10 BASE jumpers die doing this. (read: 1 in 10 jumpERS, not 1 in 10 jumps…things like Bridge Day would never take place if that was the case). On the up side, at least they go doing what they love, right?
Most of these things are points of anxiety because they differ from skydiving. And frankly, the prospect of a badly timed flare that could break any number of body parts scares me to no end.
I hear it’s all about the PLF, but my stubborn ass just might decide I need to walk it out. Yep, I’m chick enough to admit that!
As I mentioned, I’d like to make my first jump off the Potato Bridge in Twin Falls, Idaho. It’s a legal jump with a landing area that was cleared by parachutists so you’ve got room for error. Though I’ve been told that Bridge Day is by far the best place to make your first BASE, as you have access to a first jump course that teaches you all you need to know about safety, packing, and making the jump.
Personally, I’d rather not go through all that. Some of my skydiving friends are also accomplished BASE jumpers, I should have no trouble finding a mentor to show me the ropes. And it’s something we can do on our own time.
This is definitely still just an idea in the making, but the longer I’m in the sport, the more appealing new experience, like BASE, seem to grab my attention.
Ultimately, I’d love to do this the right way – to find a mentor to walk me through it, have someone to show me the ropes, teach me how to pack, so that when the day comes and I’m standing on the edge of that bridge, or piece of Earth, that I can know just how prepared I am to make this jump.
What are some of the steps that you took for your first BASE jump? Did you have a mentor or did you grab a rig and wing it? Was your first object a bridge, antenna…?
Blue skies!
Ashley
185ft Antenna.. Static.. yea i know.. dum ..dum.. dum ..dum…DUUUUMMM!! lol
I really like your blog and i respect your work. I’ll be a frequent visitor.