First Jump stories are now being added to the web site for the 2009 skydiving season, so we're looking for your contributions to help keep it fresh.
2009
10-07-09
hi!
several of us had our first jump this past sunday and all we can say is
THANK YOU
all for making it such a wonderful experience.
Every single employee - from the people at the desk to all of the jumpers, ground people & the pilot - were truly phoenomenal!
VERY kind, informative, funny and patient.
The diving experience coupled with the amazing employees provided me with a day we will never forget!
Thank you all so much for a truly extraordinary experience.
Gina B.
9-25-09
Hi all… Guess what I did yesterday…
Right around the time you were all settling in after lunch, I was hovering in the clouds over your heads on the floor of a very small airplane…
After it ascended to 12,000 feet, I was asked to take one small step of faith out onto an even smaller ledge, and dropped - out onto nothing but air -
with a gorgeous Brazilian adrenaline junkie strapped to my back!!!
It was awesome!
I can’t tell you which made me more nervous, or which I enjoyed more – the jump or the guy – but he was the perfect distraction from my nerves, so I just jumped!
And it was truly awe-inspiring!
Aside from the fact that I was hurling down through time & space (at a rate of 1,000 feet every six seconds during the freefall) with nothing to hold onto but my faith in the Universe,
the cutie, and a backpack full of lightweight man-made material, it was FUN, EASY, and PERFECT!
I’m still white as a ghost, shaking and in shock - can’t breath or speak really well yet- but highly recommend it & hope you will join me next time.
Oh - and I hope to see you all at the Volleyball Tournament tonight!
Thank you Skydive Jersey Shore (and my Robson)!
Kristin
9-7-09
My second dive
On Saturday, Sept. 5, I had the extreme pleasure of doing my second dive with Matt Dowling.
He was with me on my first one last year, and I requested him when I booked this one.
It was even better the second time, as I knew what to expect, and Matt makes me feel so very secure and safe.
He needless to say, also makes it a fun experience.
Although I don't doubt that all of your instructors are great,
I am a fan of Matt and just wanted to share this with you.
I am a 70+ year old lady, who has discovered a very exciting and wonderful thing to do, thanks to Matt.
I will be seeing more of you as long as my health continues to be good.
Rosemary S.
9-4-09
I just want to thank you guys for a great first jump!
I jumped for the first time yesterday (September 3, 2009) and it was awesome!
I have never experienced anything like that! I am totally making this an every year thing!!!!!
The instructors were awesome!
I had Matt and he was soo cool, I got the video which was awesome!!! (Thanks Matt) and it was beautiful out!
I just want to thank everyone that works at Skydive Jersey Shore for making this awesome experience for me come true!!!!
And I will see you all again very soon
:)
Caitlin T.
8-10-09
What a great place to have a "first jump".
Everyone at Skydive Jersey Shore was friendly, helpful, funny, and experienced.
I can't get over what an amazing experience it was. To fall from 10,000 feet and feel safe.
I would recommend this place to everyone who wants to be well taken care of while having fun.
Thanks guys!
Mike you are the best!
Can't wait to jump again.
Jennifer H.
8-08-09
Jumped for the first time 8-1-09.
Most amazing thing I have ever done.
The instructor Matt made the experience something to always remember.
The owner Mike went out of his way to answer any questions I had
and to put any apprehension to rest.
I will recommend Skydivejerseyshore to one and all.
Can't wait to jump again.
Thanks again guys.
Nick W.
8-08-09
On 08/06/09 I had my first sky diving experience and it was absolutely AWESOME!!!!
Even though the weather wasn't too great to start out and our group had to wait around for a few hours,
the staff was great at making us feel welcome and were quite entertaining :-)
When the weather finally cleared and we started going up into the air, the experience was amazing.
The instructors were good at making everyone comfortable, and my instructor (Steve) was quite amusing!
The actual jump was absolutely amazing and there are really no words to describe the feeling.
The free fall was pretty awesome, but what was the most memorable part for me was floating in the air;
it was so quiet and clear, and the view was just unbelievable.
Thanks so much for a great first jump. You'll probably see me back again soon :-)
Tiffany R.
7-25-09
I had my first tandem skydive experience on Sunday 7/19/09 with george aka. "nuclear"
for my 34th birthday.
It was an amazing time. Everyone one the staff was awesome and the video came out great!
Thank you all again and I can't wait to come back and do it all over again!
Peter E. 7-23-09
To all at Skydive Jersey Shore,
I wanted to send few lines to say, Thank You for a better than words experience!
This past Sunday (7-19-09) I made my first jump with Joe "D" (Great Guy!!) to celebrate my 50th year of being alive.
As anyone who has jumped can attest to, it was a feeling that I hated to see come to an end.
I'm not sure what lies ahead as far as skydiving goes, but, dealing with all at Skydive Jersey Shore was an exceptionally good way to start.
Thank you once again and hope to be back in the very near future.
Regards,
Jim B.
4-04-09
I just wanted to send a quick note to share what a positive experience I had with my first jump.
First off, the jump itself was something that words can't even begin to explain.
It was the most incredible experience one could imagine, which is why I'd love to pursue classes
to jump solo.
Secondly, the staff at Skydive Jersey Shore was unbelievably great to be around. My instructor, Willy, was incredibly knowledgeable and a great instructor to work with.
Willy made sure everything was as smooth as can be, and I completely trusted him every step of the way.
My brother was paired up with Matt, who was just a great guy to be around.He's a very charismatic, funny guy that I can see making anyone's first jump a blast.
I have and will continue to recommend Skydive Jersey Shore to anyone interested in skydiving. As I mentioned before, I'd also like to learn more about classes to do solo jumps.
When you get a minute, can you please explain how I can enroll in this program?
Thanks again for an awesome time!
Joe C.
2008
6-06-08
I must say that the Skydive Jersey Shore Team was amazing.
We had a group of 14 people from our church (ALFWC)and everyone had a blast.
I got the chance to jump this past Saturday do to the storm that came in the week before
and caused a couple of us to reschedule our jump.
However, it was worth the wait.
The weather was great, again the staff was amazing, patient and friendly.
My instructor Mike gets two thumbs up and one extra thumb for such a great landing.
We hope to see you all next year!!!
Samiyyah W.
5-25-08
To all those 'would be' 1st time Jumpers:
Please read my story!!
I want you to experience the thrill and excitement of this once in a lifetime opportunity.
If you are on the fence about jumping, read my story before you decide not to jump.
Not jumping would be a HUGE mistake!!!
My story starts one night in March 2008.
I was online and noticed a new video that was posted on Myspace.
The video was entitled "Scared Chuteless!"
I was not sure what the video was really about, but it looked interesting.
I started watching it and what it turned out to be was a dare devil who pounded a red bull and then jumped out of an airplane
without a parachute on!! He freefell for about 30 seconds or so, conducted some flips and then two of his buddies
who were free falling with him just out of camera range, came swooping in.
One of them got on top of him while the other held him steady. As it turns out, he had a harness on under his shorts
that the other skydiver was able to hook himself onto. And just like that, the chute opened and he flew safely to the ground as a tandem!
Although I would never be crazy enough to try a stunt like that, all of the people in the video seemed to be having so much fun. And,
I thought to myself, "I would love to be able to say that I jumped from an airplane!" As such, I began to look into some other video's of tandem jumps and became very interested.
The next day at work, over lunch, I was talking to a few of my co-workers about it,
and most of them said that skydiving was something that they definitely wanted to try, at least once.
I immediately picked up the phone and made reservations for me and my co-workers to jump at the Skydive Jersey Shore facility
at the Monmouth Executive Airport. Our jump was originally scheduled for 4-26-08. My co-workers and I arrived, 5 of the 6 showed up.
We went through our training. The jump training video by the way was hilarious! That guys beard must have been 4 feet long!
When I saw him, I turned to my boss, who had come to watch us jump and who has made about 65 jumps in the military, and he said: "Don't worry about it, Skydivers are a rare breed.
You might be scared, but I guarantee that when you are on the ground after your first jump,
you will want to go right back up and jump again!" Our jump this day never happened as it was postponed due to high winds.
This is something that everyone in my group was very grateful for because it showed that the Skydive Jersey Shore team
is very safety conscious!!!
Anyway, the jump was eventually rescheduled for 5-25-08 at 0730 hours. The weather was perfect - blue skies, no wind,
a bright sun, and nice temperature. By this time our group was down to 4 jumpers, but the four of us remaining were ready to go!
Our group was paired up with Joe and Willie - both great instructors with thousands of jumps each!
I was specifically paired up with Joe who was outstanding!
At this point, I was very nervous. The unknown questions that I had were what seemed to be nerve wrecking:
what does riding in a tiny plane feel like?, what does free fall feel like?, how hard does the parachute open?,
and is the landing difficult?
The first unknown was the plane ride. The plane ride itself was so easy. I have been in many commercial airlines before
and they are much worse then the little plane. The ride was very smooth and the views were awesome!
The next unknown was of course the free fall. Once that door opens on the plane and you look down from 10,000 feet,
this question really begins to hit you! However, the amazing thing was that the free fall did not feel at all like
the stomach turning / dropping that you get on roller coasters and amusement park rides.
The free fall felt more like you were floating with a strong, strong wind blowing against you.
If you were in a wind tunnel with a large fan beneath you that was blowing air out at a high enough pressure to make you float....
this is what free fall would feel like! You can breath with out any problem, and the entire free fall was just a lot of fun!!
The next thing I was nervous about was the feeling that you get when the parachute first opens!
From videos it seems like it yanks you and pulls you up. However, when the parachute opened it was more of a gradual slowing down
then a yank. The best way to describe it is that it feels like you are jumping into a pool of water (without the water of course!)
- if that makes any sense! Finally, came the landing. I really don't even have to talk about the landing.
We came in and we slid. It was extremely soft. If you want to know how hard the landing was.... just step off a curb!
It really was very easy.
So in the end, was it worth it? Absolutely! It is the most fun I think I've ever had.
I have pictures and a video that I will be showing people for years to come, and of course
I have some pretty hardcore bragging rights. Much like my boss said, when I got to the ground,
I wanted to go right back up and do it again! Although, there were 42 jumpers on 5-25-08 the day I went,
so that definately was not a possibility!
So, with all of this in mind, my advice to anyone who is thinking of jumping would be this:
"Just shut up and jump!!!!!!!!"
The 2 members of our group that did not show up have been kicking themselves ever since.
Landon T., Tandem Skydiver
4-26-08
I attended your facility on Thursday April 24 for my 25 b-day and
I want to thank you guys
for making it a wonderful experience that I would never want to forget.
You guys are great and made me feel at home. Excellent staff...
I will definitely be returning again in the near future.
Thank You,
4-15-08
I jumped for the first time on April 15, 2008.
10 of us jumped in total that day and I just wanted to thank everyone there for a wonderful experience.
I've heard many stories of people who didnt enjoy, chickened out or had an instructer that was more nervous than they were.
You all kept us relaxed and excited and I have recommended that everyone I know who wants to jump give you guys a call.
Thank you for a wonderful experience that wont soon be forgotten.
Leilani S
2007
9-15-07
Dear NJ Sky Dive,
Thank you so much for all you did to make my birthday skydive an unforgettable event.
I arrived at the airport afraid that I would somehow be denied the skydive,
but all of you worked together to give me the most amazing experience I've ever had.
Thank you.
Willie planned out how to make the dive work and took me on a skydive that's still clear as that beautiful day in my memory.
George videoed the dive and I can't wait to see it.
The men on the ground actually caught me upon landing and after unhitching the harness,
toted me to the truck and drove me off the field..
It was a spiritual event.
When we left the plane, I was suddenly very close to God, but I had no fear.
I had total confidence in Willie and knew he'd show me what fun skydiving is and would get me down safely.
I was actually able to relax and enjoy the views and all the turns on the ride.
You have all been a huge gift.
You all gave me the best birthday I've ever had.
Thank you so, so much!
with great admiration and respect,
Penny G. September 1, 2007 skydive
9-13-07
Hi Sky dive jersey shore..
My name is Ryan P. and i just experienced my first jump Wednesday 9/12/07.
I just wanted to say thank you..
You guys have a great staff and have got me hooked which brings me to my first question..
I wish to become a licensed skydiver ..So do you have an AFF class that i could attend?
And also is it to late in the season to start the AFF class if you have it?
thanks again and i hope to hear back from you soon..
Ryan P.
9-09-07
I just wanted to tell you that my friend, Krysten, and I had SUCH a wonderful experience skydiving for our first time.
Willie C was a great instructor with great energy (and nice eyes haha).
It was so fabulous I can't even express it in words.
The video and still shot were amazing,
I couldn't have asked for anything more.
Thank you so very much.
Stephanie T.
9-09-07
My friend Casie & I took our first jump on Sept. 1 and we had a GREAT time!!!!!!!!
I would like to thank all the staff for helping to make our first jump a great one.
We are already talking about our next jump. I am hooked now!!
Thanks for every thing. See you guys soon.
Ryan S.
8-08-07
I just wanted to thank everyone I met on Saturday for making it such an amazing experience.
Everyone had such great personalities.
If I lived closer, I'd be taking every class I could,
to make it so I could jump as often as possible.
Truly,
thank you for everything.
Dana L.
8-07-07
Jersey Skydive Staff-
I am writing to thank you for the most AMAZING experience of my life.
The day we were scheduled to jump (for the first time) ended up being full of bad weather,
so we were postponed until the following weekend.
I was a nervous wreck until I met Jonathon (my instructor).
He had me laughing so much that I forgot how nervous I was.
He made me feel totally comfortable and SAFE.
I wouldn't change a thing about my jump, and I look forward to going again.
I can't express what an awesome experience
I had- everyone should get to feel that way at least once.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Hopefully I'll see you guys again sooner than later.
Lesley W.
M.
NJ
P.S. Definitely glad I got the dvd...it was hysterical :)
8-05-07
Hello my name is Victor B., a 48 year old that works very close to the airport.
I have watched them sky dive for years and always told myself that I wanted to try this.
Well on Sunday, 8/5/07, the dream became a reality.
I have to say the people there are great and the guy, Joe who took me on my first jump
(which is my sons name who is in Iraq) was very informative.
My wife and my one daughter, (Courtney) were the only people in the family that thought
I was not "crazy" for trying this.
My own son, Joe who is in Iraq called me in the morning and asked to speak with his mother
and asked, are you allowing him to do this?
She was very calm in her answer and had total confidence in my decision.
Well I had to wait a long time but it was worth it.
I got to see how the people land and said to myself this really ain't that bad!
When it was my time to go I got hooked up and off we went.
To anyone out there thinking of skydiving make sure you get a cam of this, it is worth it.
Well we got up to 10,000 feet and the door opened.
When my right foot went out to the platform I felt the wind and away we went.
This may be messed up but a song came to me when we were free falling and it was
"FLY LIKE AN EAGLE".
The view was beyond what I would have believed.
Joe was great and when he told me to take over the controls of the shute, I was flying!
We had a great landing! One last thing on the way down my wife knew I was having a great time by the war hoops I was giving!
I would like to thank Jersey Shore Sky Diving and Joe for the opportunity of a life time.
And Joe thank you! You are as red, white and blue as I am and I am glad I had a guy like you on my first jump! Well I will give it back to you what you said to me ,HOOAH! God bless you my friend and thank you for a great jump and for saying what you did to my son Joe in Iraq on the cam. By the way I can't wait for my next time.
Sincerely
Victor M. B.
3RD ID, 3/7- A Company
6-06-07
Thank you so much for providing an excellent venue to experience my amazing first jump!
The staff and facilities are top notch.
I plan to come back with more people!
Steven S
6-06-07
I just have to tell you how great your staff is!
I did my first jump with Jonathan, who was wonderful....so wonderful that I came back
and made a second jump the same day an hour later, again with Jonathan.
He was super, and I was hooked. I came back and looked into taking the CFT course.
Mike was very upfront and honest when telling me that, at 43 and 185 pounds,
I was a little "older" and "heavier" than most people learning how to skydive
because he didn't want me to get discouraged if it took me longer or I didn't do as well.
I appreciated his openness and honesty, but decided to try anyway. As long as it stays fun for me,
I really don't care how long it takes for "older, heavier" me to learn.
I did take my CFT ground class with Willie. He was knowledgeable and thorough and although
he was serious, he made the class fun as well.
He was very careful with his explanations and gave plenty of opportunity for participation,
feedback, and questioning. He's quite an instructor! I've spoken to him a few times
and he is just so enthusiatic and helpful.
I did my first CFT tandem with Joe D. and discovered that he was the father of one of my son's classmates!
He was thorough in his instruction and patiently answered my questions
and corrected me as needed. I "flunked" my first jump (missed the pull at 5,500), but still had a great time.
Joe D. was very professional and honest, but encouraging, in the debriefing.
As a teacher myself, I appreciate a great instructor.
Matt, the young man who works out at the manifest building, is another example
of a friendly, enthusiastic, professional employee.
Toddus (I'm not sure I spelled that right!), your Lithuanian rigger, introduced himself
and was welcoming and friendly as well.
Even the young pilot (whose name I have not yet learned) is friendly and welcoming.
WHAT A GREAT PLACE YOU HAVE, DUE TO YOUR FRIENDLY, HELPFUL, ENTHUSIASTIC STAFF.
However, as fun and enthusiastic as they are, safety is always a priority, which is comforting.
I enjoy having fun, but want to know I\'m being safe as well.
If anyone had told me I'd even try SKYDIVING at my age, I'd have said they were crazy.
I don't know if I'll ever learn to dive solo, but I do know I'm having fun learning whatever I can.
Thanks to all of you (especially Mike, Jonathan, Joe D., Willie, Toddus, and Matt) for being so patient and welcoming!
I wouldn't want to skydive anywhere else!
Kathy L.
6-6-07
9th wedding anniversary…buy my husband a nice shirt…go out for a nice dinner…
or set a date to jump from a plane at 10,000 feet in the air? How about option number 3!
I have never felt sooooo alive!!
My tandem jump was the most amazing and exciting thing I have ever experienced…and to be honest,
I can’t wait to do it again, and again and again!!
Thanks Jon for the great camera job, for making me laugh, and of course for making sure I landed safely on the ground.
And thank you Nuclear George for giving Ryan your card…it made for the best anniversary present ever.
It is going to be really hard to top it next year!
Until next time,
Theresa T.
4-21-07
Jon Made my first tandem jump extremely enjoyable.
I went with the intentions of this being a once in a lifetime experience,
and left planning my first tandem training course toward my aff program.
I am hooked for life.
Brian O.
2006
10-02-06
Hi!!
I just wanted to tell you that my jump yesterday was FREAKIN’ AWESOME and Robson – for him to carry someone my size….
God Bless Him LOLOLOLOL!!
It was an AMAZING experience and I will definitely be back to do it again!!
You are right Robson – it is addicting!!! Worth saving my money for!!!
Thank You Guys Again!!! It was incredible and I’m looking forward to getting the video!!!
Patti T.
7-21-06
Hi Guys -
I came up with a group of about 8-9 first time jumpers last Saturday, and I just wanted to thank you all -
we all had such an amazing, and intense and fun thrill-seeking experience..
The rush of adrenaline and natural high is unlike anything else in the world ..
I think you have officially gotten just about all of us hooked on flying (a very good thing) and you will definately see us again soon.
So thank you for returning all of us to the ground safely, and a very special and personal thanks to ROBSON (my tandem jumper,
and coolest guy ever) - awesome accent, awesome film job on the handi-cam, which i cant stop re-watching,
sorry about brazil in the world cup bro, and thanks again dude, I/we had the wildest time ever!!
I dont wanna sit at a desk anymore, I wanna jump 10 times a day like you guys!!!
thank you all!
TJ Dudek
7-04-06
Hello to All at skydive;
What an amazing first jump :) :) !!!Sun., July 3rd.
From the moment we arrived, my husband, Mande and myself; everyone began to make my Birthday present a happening.
Jump out of an airplane at 10,000 feet, normal for everyone, right?
Ok,normal for anyone who wants the experience of a life time and to soar like a bird.
A special Thanx to Robson, my tandem partner for keeping everyone happy, laughing, kidding around and most of all, me safe.
During the "pre-jump training" Robson infuses you with everything you need to know;
hold the straps, feet bent back, laugh, breath, head to shoulder, smile, banana remember banana, breath, look at the canopy,
be happy, go in circles, have fun, feet up and out to land, smile, breath, baby steps on your knees,
his foot goes out of the door first, yes, out of the cockpit door and yours on the platform, mmmmm okay.
Well, easy up to the foot on the platform....The climb, view and chatter from the plane, beautiful.
You're all lined up, sitting on the floor, waiting for 10,000.
Keith, great guy, another skydiver is to jump first (I wish him a thousand more jumps).
We're here, Robson has me safely strapped, buckled, connected to him and his harness, checked once and then again.
Remember breath, the cockpit door opens and this wall of cold air meets your face AND panic,
fear and surprise at yourself for being there and then a strong hand on your shoulder and a voice- my foots out,
yours next on the platform- what,me put my foot out there, are you nuts- a smile-are you ready- okay let's fly !!!!!!!
Heart pounding exhilaration, 100 mph wind makes a crooked smile on anyone,
the thrill of the free fall and then the colorful canopy opens and you're flying like a bird, soaring in circles,
laughing, screaming into the wind, free, floating, seeing the world from the top down and loving every incredible moment.
Landing was a hoot, a bit windy, a little tumble and mother earth.
What an awesome experience made possible by a group of people who love to skydive and to share the extraordinary experience with all of their students.
Make sure you get the hand held video. What a hoot to watch it over again and again.
Thanx to everyone at Skydive for hanging out with us.
Thanx again to Robson from your pal Susan, 'Clear and present Danger'.
5-12-06
what to say. I am amazed now, when people tell me they don't want to jump out of a plane...
That does not compute. How could someone NOT want to do this????
I can't believe I waited 7 years! I came close once, but due to 7 dirty martinis and
a pool game at 3am, Francis and I felt it would have been an unpleasant experience....
But it finally happened last weekend, on a perfect, sunny, Saturday morning.
Thanks Francis for turning me on to this life transforming activity.
THANK YOU Robson my tandem bud and Jonathan for filming... and the rest of the NJ Skydive Jersey Shore crew that made my first jump so... beyond words.
I felt really comfortable...
despite the fact we started the day locked out of the hangar. ha!
had to say it... (smile)
I wish I could remember every second, but it happened so fast. I am SO glad I have the video.
I recall putting my foot out of the plane...and wondering if i would land it on the platform.
During the "training" Robson mentioned the winds would be strong. They were about 80 miles an hour.
I didn't have the feeling of fear, which really surprised me.
It was more a sensation of... this is it, there is no other moment but this one...
just let go of everything (including the plane) and lets see what happens.
no turning back... and nothing to lose... well... there is one's life of course... but you can't think that way.
That could happen in the commuter traffic I hit from Jersey City to Newark . I think that is more dangerous than jumping out of a plane!
The dive was such an exhilarating moment. A feeling i hope to obtain or strive for with every experience in my life.
Definitely going again. just need to convince a group to come with me ;-)
merci! & peace to ya'll
Verushka, JC
So, you want to jump out an airplane this Sunday. Are you crazy?" was the subject line of the email I got from my friend who told me about Skydive Jersey Shore . Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine what an experience this would be. I went up with Joe D'Afflisio as my Tandem and Videographer Kevin Purdy. They were incredible. Watching them operate made my first skydiving experience even more enjoyable. It's safe to say that making the dive has changed my life. I truly feel like there is nothing that I can't accomplish after having done that. Having visual images of the experience helps me relive the experience and share it with my family and friends.
Thank you SJS!
Yours truly,
Armen J. M.
Hi gang,
Just wanted to send out a big thanks for such a great morning, Saturday. It was wonderful to have all my family there, and it was wonderful to have such a nice staff as all of you to make all of our 1st Jumps GREAT! It is something I want to do again. Sunday a group of us went to Six Flags, after a few headache inducing roller coaster rides, I announced take me back to the Jump school I would do that 10 more times today rather then ride on one more long lined headbeating roller coaster!
Anyway, After the Jump I never did get to thank Mike for a great Jump, I was too excited and had to tell everyone how great it was, so Thanks Mike! We all were in very good hands.
Thank you all again for making my year after surgery celebration something I will remember for the rest of my lifetime.
Respectfully,
Alicia C.
To all at Skydive Jersey Shore, I had a fabulous time this past Saturday!!! I finally fulfilled my 10-year-old promise to myself
and to my best friend that we would skydive together - and we got to do it for her birthday!
The staff was so great - thanks Joe for a great jump!!
The experience was unbelievable and one that I will never forget.
Hope to see you all again in the not-too-distant future... thank you for an incredible experience!!!
Maura C.
Dumont, NJ
After three failed attempts (due to bad weather
conditions) myself and 10 of my friends
finally got the experience of a lifetime. It was worth the wait. The confidence of the staff at Skydive Jersey Shore made the jump smooth and fun. What an experience!! Skydiving far exceeded our expectations.
We cant wait to jump again soon. This is most definitely something everyone should experience at least once in their lives.
Thanks again to all our friends at Skydive Jersey Shore, and a HOOWAH!! to my friend Willie. Kurt S.
Hi everyone at skydive jersey shore! i was there this past saturday, august
7 with a bunch of friends
for our first (of what i now plan to be many) skydives. from the moment i bounced onto your property (I was the birthday girl who wouldn't stop jumping around), i knew i was in for the experience of a lifetime, and you certainly did not disappoint! even the few hours of clouds we had to wait out could not put a damper on the day - the jump was worth every minute of wait! Special thanks to mike for teaching us to banana, to willie for the entertainment, to cheryl for piloting that mean little cessna, and to lynne for keeping the whole day moving. and an extra special thanks to robson, my tandem buddy, for making sure my shoes were tied, taking me on a ride that puts roller coasters to shame, and getting me safely back to earth. the 100mph winds from free fall have forced a smile on to my face that i'm still wearing today. we will be back!!!
Thanks Again,
Lynne
Wallington, NJ
Just this weekend we surprised a friend with skydiving as her birthday present. We had such fun hanging out, waiting for the weather to clear up. The staff was so pleasant and all of the jumpers in our group had a fabulous time. I can\'t wait to jump next time.
Thanks!
Marie
Hi everyone,
My first jump story begins last December when my two nieces, Michelle and Stephanie, asked for skydiving lessons for Christmas. Their mother (my sister) thought they were crazy. I made an innocent comment that I always wanted to try skydiving but never pursued it. We started to do some research on the internet and found Skydive NJ Shore. It took seven months to coordinate schedules but we finally made it on July 29th. Michelle and Stephanie both brought friends so the five of us arrived around 2:30 pm. together with my sister and Stephanie's friend's mother.
A combination of excitement, determination and panic sets in during the plane ride. Being 40+ years old, I wasn't even sure that I would be brave enough to actually dive. My instructor, Joe D., made me feel extremely comfortable. He explained everything completely. By the time the door of the plane opened and I was looking down 12,000 feet, I couldn't wait to start the freefall. It was awesome. For the first second, you can't really believe you are in the air. After that initial shock, you feel like a bird soaring. I felt invincible. It is the most incredible feeling. I never wanted it to end.
Obviously, I was relieved when the parachute opened. It was very peaceful floating toward the ground. Joe D. pointed out the sights. He even let me steer for a while. Even the landing was great. It amazed me that they could find the landing field from that high up. Thanks to Joe D. and all who made my first jump the most incredible experience of my life.
Diane W.
Roselle Park , NJ
Skydive Jersey Shore Staff, Just wanted to let you know that I had a wonderful time last Wednesday, July 21.
There were six of us (5 taking our first dive). It was something that I'll never forget.
I was the only one that was nervous. The plane was a little small. Actually it was very, very small.
I was going tandem with Kevin and Jonathan was the video man.
They were so calm and were kidding around with me and
I realized this is just another day at the office for these guys.
By the time we got to 10,000 feet, I was so excited that I couldn't wait to jump.
It was absolutely the most awesome experience I could imagine.
The thrill of free falling is not something you could explain.
It's one of those things you have to experience for yourself. I just had the best time.
I have been showing off the still pictures and everyone comments on how much fun it looks like
I'm having and how relaxed I looked. Well, I was relaxed and I did enjoy the ride.
It was not only thrilling, but absolutely beautiful once the shoot opened.
I am hooked and looking forward to my next time.
This was a birthday gift for myself and my twins (19 years old) and
they made me promise that we'll do it again next year. I don't think I can wait that long.
Anyway, thank you again and I'm looking forward to seeing our videos.
Jane L.
Oradell, New Jersey
Dear Skydive Jersey Shore Staff,
I recently made my first tandem jump May 8th for the Jumping Blue Beans... I loved it!
I thought it was amazing - the most fun I ever had. Everyone there was so nice and so much fun!!
I want to come back as soon as possible, and I am also interested in in your AFF program.
I was wondering if you could send me some info. on that. I want to take the steps necessary to be a licensed skydiver!!
I'll be seeing you again very soon, I think I'm coming back in a couple weeks or so for another Tandem jump - talk to you then.
Thanks again for everything.
Sincerely (a Big Fan),
Kelly A.
Hi Mike
It was awesome! I really cant wait to do it again.
But next time i would like to get classes or whatever so i can jump alone.
So what do i have to do for that? Anyway, had a great time
Jamie
My first jump was amazing. Nothing but blues skies and a natural high.
My
landing was priceless thanks to kevin and I now have found my home away from home.
Hey I just wanted to thank everyone at
Skydive Jersey Shore for helping
get my first jump on sun, August 10 and it was amazing.
We drove all the way from Brooklyn and you
guys gave great directions.
Then we had to wait out the
rain and clouds for a little while but it was definitely worth
it.
I was the
last jumper and I went with Kevin. It was right at sunset and
there was an
awesome orange sun in the background, I couldn't have asked for
better
conditions.
I
also got the video along with it and I can't wait to get it in the
mail
so I can show all my friends. I can't wait to go again.
Thanks again
Mike Urbanovich
I just wanted to say thank you for a great time yesterday. My
whole group had an amazing time. I was afraid of one thing
before my first jump, getting hooked and wanted to do it again
and again... well that fear came true. I'm hooked and can't
wait to do it again now.
I've attached just some of my pictures from the skydive to
show you I just couldn't stop smiling... and yes that is my
tongue hanging out in one of them. : )
Adam Bedor
I
went skydiving for the first time with my friend zafaradonda with
you guys. We had the best time EVER!!! it was sooo scary before we
jumped but when we were in the air, we had a great time.
Thanx
buddy!
Well, it was about 3
months ago when my friend Thomas had invited me and a bunch of our
friends to go skydiving, we all agreed that it would be a great
experience and decided we would do it as a group; but somehow it
didn't hit me that I would be jumping out of a plane until that
morning. Well, it was Sunday, May 19th, we were driving from
Brooklyn, NY to New Jersey when I got a phone call from my father
offering me large amount of money if I turned my car around and
came back home but I declined. I've always wanted to skydive. When
the 11 of us arrived at Skydive Jersey Shore we were all really
nervous but everyone at Skydive NJ made us feel really
comfortable. They have a great staff there. Once I was suited up,
I met my jumping instructor Kevin, who was very nice and funny, he
definitely made me feel very comfortable and a lot less nervous
about jumping. His sense of humor totally took my mind off the
fact that I was jumping out of an airplane.
Thank You,
Jaclyn Pagnotta of Brooklyn NY
It was May 13th, my birthday. It
was a gift from my husband. The weather in the morning was cloudy
and there was a possibility of not jumping. I was so upset. We
came back around 1:30 and the skies were clear. Now I was
starting to get nervous. With the help of Audra, Jason, and Danny,
I quickly calmed down. I was fine until we opened the plane door
and it was time to jump. Thanks to Danny, it was all caught on
tape. I had more fun than ever before.
Jason had me doing spins and made me feel so
comfortable, I was never scared. I could never, in a million
years, put the experience into words. You have to try it for
yourself. I would like to thank everyone for a great experience
and you will definitely see me again. I have watched the video
several times and I still get the goose bumps.
Thanks again,
Maureen Ables
Hey Guys,
I just wanted to add my first jump story to the list on behalf of
myself and my co-workers who also made their first jump this week.
Thanks for a great day of skydiving.
Personal thanks go out to our jumpmasters Mike and Robson for
keeping everyone cool and enthusiastic. To anyone reading this
story who is considering a skydive, believe me it is the best $
you will ever spend. I had made several parachute jumps back in
1991, but never got a chance to freefall. I thought that the
freefall would be one full minute of the same anxiety and
apprehension that I felt during my first parachute jumps. Even
though the guys told me on more than one occasion during the
class, that the fun literally starts as soon as you leave the
plane, I didn't fully buy that story. I can now say with complete
confidence, that freefall was exactly what the guys promised. Pure
unadulterated fun from the moment you leave the plane!
I also think that enthusiasm plays a huge part in the experience.
I've been to more than one jump school, and I know from experience
that the sheer love of the sport and a real desire to share this
secret with the students goes a long, long way. Everyone at
Skydive Jersey Shore I met that day exhibited real professionalism
and a genuine desire to make sure the fun of skydiving rubs off on
the student. Terrific job guys.
As a final thought, if you decide to make a skydive, definitely
spend the additional $ on the video. Danny, the job you did with
that film footage is incredible. Every single person who has seen
my tape can't believe what a great job you did!
Hope to be jumping again with you guys real, real soon!!
Blue Skies,
Drew Parise
Well, after waiting around for 8
hours on a Sunday for the winds to die down, and going home to
wait for the next day, I finally got to jump on Monday May 1st,
and it will be the most memorable day of my life.
I had 1 second of fear, which Danny kindly captured for me on
film, and then I flew. I have tried about ten times to describe
the feeling that I had during free fall, but I don't think I can
ever describe it fully. I think the only way for me to be able to
explain it, is to do it again, and then again and again till I
find the right words to describe it, and I think I will.
I would like to thank EVERYONE at Skydive Jersey shore for
many things. For keeping me company while I waited to jump on
Sunday, even if none of us did. For making me feel at home while I
was there. And most of all, for giving me the most Amazing
experience of my entire life. I felt
completely safe putting my life in the hands of Robson. And also
to Danny, for putting this amazing moment on film for me to
remember always.
See you all again, I'm positive of that.
Betsy Holbrook
Sorry the weather didn't cooperate with us
on Sunday, but it sounds like you felt it was worth the wait!
Blue Skies,
The Staff at Skydive Jersey Shore
Since I was a kid I've wanted to
make a skydive (just one and if I lived through it, never again.)
So I started looking around for a place until I found Skydive
Lebanon Maine. I lived in Massachusetts at the time. I made the
appointment and went up for the weekend.
My first jump was a static line, I didn't
know I could do a tandem and freefall the first time. I went
through my class. Then the time came for me and my friends to
jump. I was pretty scared, but I never thought I would die, I knew
it. I was third to jump in my group (from a cessna 182, which
holds 3 students). I watched my friends jump, that was pretty
intense. The jump master put me in the door and said
"GO" and I went.
I wasn't hooked right away. To me it was
like tasting soup, I needed to taste it again to be sure. It was
my
third jump that hooked me and even then I wasn't sure. I bought my
first parachute saying " I don't think I'll use it much"
That was 11 years and 6,000 jumps ago, I haven't looked back once
since.
Mike Harger
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