Skydiving with Skydive Toronto

Bucket list item.... skydiving is now checked off the list!

I’ll start here. I have a fear of planes and heights. I am constantly overthinking things I want to do because I know that my fears will be triggered by the activities. But that’s no way to live life and putting a stop to things you see and say “oh I would love to do that,” or “I would do that if I wasn’t scared.”

Skydive Toronto helped me face my fears and check off that bucket list item! Best part about it.... I would do it AGAIN! Yup, you read that right! I would jump out of a plane, free fall and soar through the air again! I’ll break down the experience and steps as to how it went!

Once you arrive, you’ll fill out a form (temperature checks due to covid). Next, you’ll watch a video that was about 18 minutes long going over the legal things as well as a few key things that you will need to do while jumping. The skydiver you jump with will also go over this again with you! So don’t worry!

After the video you will be weighed for the accuracy. If you are getting a video package of your experience they will give you a card with information to show the camera person, this just makes sure your video gets to you!

After that they will have you wait until you are called for the plane. They have a PA system they make the announcements on basically a count down of time before they will be boarding the plane. They gear you up about 10 minutes before you get on the plane. Your tandem skydive instructor will then go over a few things with you while they add the harness. It was definitely tight but not uncomfortable in anyway.

After you are harnessed, it isn’t long until you make the walk to the plane and climb on in! The plane ride was about 20 minutes until they get to the altitude you will be jumping from. You will be attached to the plane for a bit during the ride. Your tandem skydiver will do all this for you. Once they undo your seat belt they will partially attach you to them. At about 5 minutes before you will jump they hook you up fully. They tighten all straps and explain some details again (ones mentioned in the video and on the ground while putting on the harness).

Once the door opens, people start to jump! You will jump in order of how you are in the plane. The door isn’t huge so you’ll most likely be kneeling at the door while your tandem skydiver prepares to FLY!!!

During the plane ride I had maybe a minute of nerves. But again this could have been linked to the fear of planes I have not the actual jump I was heading up to do. Nick was my tandem instructor; he made me feel comfortable, he explained everything so well. I like to be super informed as a person so Nick was definitely perfect for that! I felt that I was given all the information I would have wanted in order to do the jump.

Once it hit time to fully gear up, he asked me to sit on his lap. This was so he could get all straps tight and ready to jump. Once the door opened we let the people jumping first go. We then slide our way down the bench to the door. The door is small so in the door frame I was kneeling on the floor as Nick prepared to jump. Honestly this part happens so fast you don’t even have time to get nervous. Once out the door, it’s just pure bliss! You have the wind in your hair, you’re getting stable in the sky and the VIEW!!!

I never felt like I was falling, I never even had a chance to think “what if?”... your free falling is very short. We did some cool spins which was so fun! But once the parachute deploys we go from belly down to an upright position. It looks like it jolts you but I didn’t feel much. It was definitely more graceful feeling than the video looks.

Once the parachute is open you can chat. Nick showed me a few things from the sky, taught me to steer the parachute, reviewed the landing (this was maybe the 4th time) and we got to basically glide through the sky!

Once we jumped out of the plane I had this serene feeling which is not normal for me considering my fears. You don’t feel like heights are a fear from up there. The ground doesn’t appear to be approaching quickly like you would imagine if you are falling. It’s all very relaxing and enjoyable! Basically, it’s a very hard thing to describe since all of the things I thought it would feel like, it doesn’t. There was no moment of fear or worry, there wasn’t falling or ground coming fast. It was just AMAZING!

Upon landing they tell you when to lift your legs and we had decided to slide in on our bums. The video makes it look a little hard but it didn’t feel like that at all! More of a sit and slide than a thump on the ground! They unhook you once you’ve landed and well, that’s that! You skydived!

I do recommend doing a media package of your jump! I mean, if you only do it once you’ll want this to relive the moments! And hey, if you think you’ll do it again get a video of at least one of the jumps! Cuz it’s so cool.

Lastly, if you get addicted (which can happen cuz it’s amazing), they offer packages for those who want to learn more! They help you get your license to be a sky diver. If that doesn’t sound like a cool license to hold, I don’t know what does!

So I’ll leave you with this: Be fearless, live life, crush your bucket list and FLY!!!!!