If you are an adventurous soul with a taste for the wild life, you should try one of the Cape Town parachute jumps to experience an adrenaline rush like no other, and a jump through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.
There are many different types of extreme sports that will get your blood moving through your veins. Some of these sports include paragliding, bungee jumping, zip lining, kite surfing and cage diving. Any one of these sports will test your strength, courage, willpower and endurance and most of them can be dangerous and you will need some level of training before attempting them.
However, parachute jumping is one of the most terrifying and exhilarating because you will have no rope or cord attaching you to safety. Once you jump, all you will have to rely on is your parachute and yourself. Once you have the proper training and once you are sure you want to go ahead with the sport, you will be better prepared for the experience. You can also rest assured that an experienced professional will be with you while you attempt your first try and help you through it.
What is parachute jumping?
Parachute jumping is also known as skydiving and it is when an individual is taken up high into the sky (up to 11 000 feet) and jumps from the aircraft. After free falling for a period of time, the skydiver must open his or her parachute which will allow the individual to land on the ground safely.
Tandem jumping
A tandem jump is the best way to experience the thrill of sky diving without having to train for a sky diving qualification. Tandem jumping is where you will be strapped onto a sky diving instructor who will open the parachute and control the landing. The jump occurs at between 9 000 and 11 000 feet, giving you about a 30 second freefall at up to 200 km per hour, and then a few minutes once the parachute has opened to float gently down to the ground.
If you are serious about sky diving and would like to get your licence, this is how you should go about it:
- Step one: static line jumping
If you wish to try parachute jumping, you must be over 16 years of age and 100 kgs in weight or less. If you are under 18 years, you will require parental consent to jump. Before your first jump you will be trained at a sky diving facility for between five and eight hours on every aspect of parachute jumping, including safety procedure and how to land. Your first jump will be a static line jump taken at an altitude of 3 000 feet. Once you jump, your canopy is released from the plane, attached to a static line that is hooked onto the aircraft. Handlers inside the craft control the canopy and ensure that you land safely.
- Step two: advanced freefall (AFF)
You will require more ground training before jumping. Your first AFF jump will be taken at 11 000 feet and two instructors will jump with you. They will hold onto you until your parachute opens. There are ten levels in AFF training where you will learn about altitude awareness, body positions, ripcord pulls, managing your own parachute and controlling your landing. You must complete 25 freefalls before you will have earned you internationally recognised A licence.
Why do it in Cape Town?
Cape Town is well known as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Cape Town parachute jumps will give you the most amazing views of mountains, sea and the amazing city. It is definitely one of the best parachute jumping destinations in the world. There are several sky diving companies based in Cape Town including the following:
- Sky Dive Cape Town
- Downhill Adventures
- The Drop Zone
- Sky Dive Robertson