I did it. I went skydiving in Key West! Skydiving was never on my bucket list, actually. My late husband and I enjoyed doing other active things when we traveled: Hiking, going up to the tallest viewpoint in a city, going for runs, etc. Neither of us wanted to skydive, and I think if I had done it while he was alive, it would have terrified him. But then, everything changed.
Why?
This is the first question people usually asked when I told them I went skydiving. The reasons why are different for everyone. Some people want the rush, others want the thrill. Some people want to look death in the face and laugh. I needed to face my fear of falling. I have never been afraid of heights, but that sensation of falling? Horrifying.
After my husband died so young, so tragically, so suddenly, I realized just how stupid it was to be afraid of anything else. My biggest fear had already come true—losing Steve. What else could ever phase me? So, I decided to start facing some former fears. I learned to surf in Hawai’i. I went all in on this new Half Full Passport brand. And I decided to go skydiving.
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Where can I skydive in Key West?
Key West is one of the Top 10 Places to Skydive in the World, and seeing it from above, I can understand why. That turquoise water! I went with the company called Skydive Key West, located about 30 minutes east of downtown Key West. Make reservations in advance so they know you’re coming. You will only pay the $1 reservation fee, and pay for the jump at the office. You can cancel at any time before the jump, so no pressure if you’re not feeling it the day of your jump. It’s entirely up to you, up to the last moment.
You’ll find the office right next to a small landing strip, and you may see their plane taking off or landing when you arrive. You’ll go inside and check in, sign the appropriate paperwork, and get the run-down of the jump procedures from one of the instructors. They’ll get you harnessed, and you’ll meet your tandem jump instructor out by the airplane. Get ready!
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How long does it take?
The whole process from arrival to departure should only take about an hour, inclusive of check in, instructions, gearing up, jumping, and getting your photos from the experience. The longest part is flying up to 10,000 feet for your jump, which takes about 25-30 minutes in the tiny plane. In my plane, it was me, my jump instructor, another jumper, and his jump instructor. There were no seats on the plane, so we were all sitting on the floor (except the pilot, of course). It was also hot in there, because it’s Florida, so be ready for that when skydiving in Key West (or doing anything else)!
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What does it feel like?
When we got up to altitude (10k feet), that’s when my jump instructor started attaching me to him. When we were inseparable, he opened the door and scooted us to the edge. We were VERY FAR up there, but I was excited about this. He asked if I was ready, and when I said yes, he counted to three… And we were falling!
I got that falling sensation I hate, but it only lasted a second, maybe a second and a half, and then it felt more like we were floating. The air was rushing up past us, I was screaming, I forgot to put myself in the falling position I learned on the ground, but it was all okay. It really didn’t feel like I was falling anymore after that initial drop. It was weird, but also amazing. The free fall was only about 40 seconds, but it felt both longer and shorter than that. When my jump instructor opened the parachute, there was a jerk, and we were suddenly gliding.
And that was the best part for me. I loved quietly floating down, and he even let me spin and steer us a little bit. This is when I got to really enjoy the view, with the turquoise blue Keys water stretching out forever all around us. We saw the second jumper go as we glided down, and then saw his parachute deploy like mine had. And we all floated down to the landing zone.
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Would I do it again?
Everyone asks me this question when they find out I went skydiving. And the answer is YES! When we landed, the adrenaline was still coursing through me, along with the feeling of confidence because I had actually done that. I loved that feeling. I would absolutely go skydiving in Key West again, or just about anywhere in the world.
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Where was the baby?
So, I had some trouble finding a sitter for Iris, my 11-month-old daughter, while I went skydiving in Key West. The hotel where I stayed gave me the name of a babysitting service, but they required a 4-hour minimum, which was more than I needed. I also wanted Iris with me, to see me land. I called the skydiving office and asked if someone would be able to watch her while I jumped, and I was so grateful when they said yes! Iris had such a great time with Heather, and she got to see me land. It was perfect.
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