Dive from a plane gives land lover new perspective

Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Brad Barnett
Olivia Caillouet and her jumping instructor Brad Barnett leave Skydive Skyranch's plane June 17.
Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Brad Barnett Olivia Caillouet and her jumping instructor Brad Barnett leave Skydive Skyranch's plane June 17.

SILOAM SPRINGS -- All my life I have had a deep love of nature. I cherish memories from childhood of playing in the woods with my eyes turned skyward.

My perspective changed June 15. Suddenly I was looking down upon creation from the sky.

The day, a Sunday, began as routine. It was raining. Just as the forecast had predicted, dark clouds spewing rain continued on into the late morning. Coffee-fueled schoolwork was my main focus. The plan for the day was to install a compost bin in the morning and work on my honors thesis later that afternoon.

After putting my horticulture knowledge to good use and installing the compost bin at a classmate's home, I received an unexpected phone call from my friend Nick Anderson. As the sun began to peek through the clouds, he told me about his decision to go sky diving that afternoon. He was calling to borrow my camera to document this epic adventure.

Of course I agreed. We met at my apartment, where I gathered the camera gear and wished him luck.

He looked me in the eyes and asked one simple question, "Do you want to go?"

Without thinking too much about it, I responded "yes." I felt my intuition telling me to step out of my comfort zone and have faith that everything would be all right.

There have been times I've had trouble trusting my abilities or exuding confidence. Whether it was jumping off the high dive at summer camp or giving a speech to a room full of people, fear

has held me back from many opportunities. This day was different: I decided fear wasn't going to steer my life anymore, and my positive thoughts were infinitely stronger than my negative ones.

We made the short drive to Skydive Skyranch in Siloam Springs. There was plenty of conversation on the way, and our excitement level was high. But then, within 30 minutes or so, we were at the municipal airport where we would leave the ground with only one way down -- diving.

The weather was too windy when we arrived, so we made ourselves comfortable and conversed with the staff. Within a few hours the wind had slowed and conditions were optimal.

Wolf Grulkey, owner of Skyranch, asked us into the office to complete the required paperwork and to watch a short video about the risks. The overview covered all the security plans in place to reduce the chance of fatality.

Our packs would have two parachutes, the main chute and a backup. The pack would also include an Automatic Activation Device. This computer measures altitude and activates the reserve chute if you drop below a given height without doing it yourself. We were going to tandem jump -- I would leave the plane attached to an expert jumper.

I felt that with such attention to detail and trained experts facilitating the dives, I was in good hands. We paid our fees (which vary by the type of jump) for a tandem, $195.

Then there was a slight change in plans. I was under the impression that Nick and I would ride in the plane together. But one of the tandem instructors had to leave early, meaning we would have to go up separately with Brad Barnett, tandem instructor and skilled diver.

This was ultimately a good thing, because it allowed me to focus and think. But I didn't want to spend too much time on the ground contemplating the change in plans, so I went first.

It was time to gear up and fly to an altitude of 10,000 feet. I took several breaths to refocus my attention and visualize a safe landing. After a 15- to 20-minute tutorial on proper dive posture and what to do in case something went wrong during the dive, we suited up.

Our pilot, Barnett and I climbed into the plane and took off toward the clouds. I felt myself slowly climbing higher and higher, and my stomach sank a little.

Before I knew it, we were a mile high, and Skyranch was a small dot in a field of green. Barnett told me that we were halfway there. My heart skipped a beat with the realization that I was about to jump out of an airplane.

Emotions -- excitement, nervousness, anticipation of the unknown -- were swirling about. A few tears ran down my face. Barnett noticed. He told me about his family: "I have two children at home. I wouldn't do this if I didn't believe I was safe."

With more than 4,000 tandem jumps under his belt, he told me, I wouldn't be his last.

To make me feel better, he attached his harness to mine. We were joined at four points on the shoulders and hips, and each attachment had a weight capacity of several tons.

I turned so I could see him and said, "We're both going home today."

A few seconds later, the door flew open, and I felt the force of the wind blowing against the aircraft. I caught my first glimpse of Earth from two miles up, and the gap of air that we would soon dive into.

My heart began to surge, and I felt him guide me from the plane into a free fall.

The second my body left the airplane, I felt every inch of doubt and fear wash away like chalk on a sidewalk during a rain. I was instantly full of the exhilaration of being alive and all things being good.

My arms moved from grasping my harness to a full wing expansion. I let go of all the tension and anxiety, and I submitted to the free fall, which lasted about 30 seconds. In that short time I discovered a place of courage and confidence that I did not know I possessed.

The ground became more detailed with every second, and then, with a slight jerk, the parachute deployed. Barnett and I screamed with excitement, for we had just reached speeds upward of 120 mph. I caught my breath and tried to process what had just happened. Together we soared under the parachute canopy, gazing out on the curvature of the planet. The mere size of the world and the geography beneath my feet left me in awe.

Barnett let me steer us around, making hard and soft turns through the sky. The Skyranch became more detailed as we slowly descended. I pulled my feet parallel to the ground to allow him to land us.

Before I knew it, grass and dirt were under the soles of my shoes. Throughout my life, standing on solid ground has never been as satisfying or fulfilling as it was that afternoon.

The opportunity to take this leap of faith had presented itself, and my passion for life told me to seize the moment. While this sport is extreme and risk of injury or death is possible, I could just as easily perish while commuting to work. With every step I take outside of my comfort zone, a new part of myself comes into view.

This day taught me a great deal about faith and courage and gave me a taste of the adventures that await on the other side of fear.

Olivia Caillouet, 20, of Little Rock, is a junior at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, majoring in horticulture with a minor in sustainability.

ActiveStyle on 06/30/2014

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