Unfortunately the friend then got involved in a messy divorce and couldn't afford to go, and then my partner died the night before I was due to fly out. It was another 2 years before I would save up the money and have the inclination to give it another go, but this time in the UK to avoid losing the cost of the course if an emergency arose. On May 1st 1998 I booked myself in at the Headcorn Parachute Club in Kent for an Accelerated Free Fall course. The following Monday I did my first jump, which was videoed and photographed by Simon Hughes of Air Affair . His photo's from that first skydive are shown in the Photo's section of this web site.
Skydiving is as much about the people as it is about the actual sport.
There are none of the traditional clique or ageist problems that plague other sports. Skydivers are the most positive, enthusiastic and encouraging people I've ever met. The total exhilleration of literally flying through the skies over the beautiful Kent countryside just cannot be expressed by words. Friends and work colleagues don't understand why I spend time sky diving when I don't seem to be making much progress. Sadly Andy, aged just 27, was killed at the end of May in a freak canopy and reserve malfunction.