Step-by-step guide to skydiving

 

Skydiving is one of the sports that features most on many people’s bucket lists. There is something about it that makes people crave the adventure and adrenalin that comes with falling out of an airplane at terminal velocity. 

 

While it is something that can easily be done by a beginner with the help of a trained professional, it is not as simple as strapping on a parachute, flying up to 20,000 feet and jumping. 

 

There is a whole host of safety procedures, failsafe’s and safety checks that need to be performed to make the experience a successful one.

 

The first thing you need to do is to dress according to the weather on the ground. It may be necessary to bring an extra layer, since temperatures and wind factors are much harsher at higher altitudes. Once you get to the drop zone, or depending on how you’ve made your arrangements, you will need to decide on what kind of jump you want to do. Tandem jumps are the most common for beginners, and involve no more on the part of the inexperienced jumper than to get strapped to a professional, then to hold on and enjoy the fall. 

 

Static line jumps allow the jumper to exit the plane by himself or herself, with the chute deployed automatically via a lined connection with the carriage. Inexperienced jumpers will have radio contact with the ground to assist in maneuvering and landing techniques. Accelerated freefalling is the easiest way for a novice to experience jumping without being tethered to someone. 

 

In this situation, the diver jumps and is joined by two instructors who hold on to their waist or arms, assisting in positioning techniques, and instructing them on when to pull the ripcord. Once this happens, the divers are on their own, enjoying the scenery from under the canopy of the parachute. These kinds of jumps are preceded by ground training sessions on positioning, instrument checking and emergency deployment.

 

After a number of assisted jumps, training exercises and courses, individuals will be able to obtain a license, allowing them to jump on their own in future. 

A typical jump takes place from between 12,500 and 18,000 feet, and jumpers can experience up to 185km/h before having to pull the cord between 4000 and 6000 feet above ground level. 

 

In order to determine how high they are, jumpers use altimeters attached to the wrist. Once they've reached the pull altitude, the ripcord is pulled, and the pilot chute is deployed, which creates drag and subsequently pulls the main chute out of the bag. 

 

Failsafe procedures follow if the chute fails to deploy, and emergency chutes are either automatically deployed, or have a dedicated mechanism to allow deployment. Modern packs are also equipped with advanced detectors that will automatically deploy the chute if the diver crosses a certain threshold while still in freefall. 

 

When freefalling, typical positioning is the spread eagle position, with both arms and both legs spread out horizontally in line with the torso, creating some level of drag and stabilizing the body to balance when the drag of the chute is initially felt.

 

 

Written by Wesley Geyer

Creative writer at ATKA SA

Mountain biking in South Africa

South Africa is widely known as one of the most scenic countries in the world. Landscapes vary significantly from region to region, and because of that, many nature enthusiasts have taken to exploring it in any way they can. 

 

Mountain biking is one of the most fast-paced and exhilarating ways to explore the terrain, and South Africa has some of the best trails in the world.

 

The following is a list of a few of South Africa’s choice routes, adapted from various sources and related lists.

 

Baakens River – Intermediate to Difficult (24km)

 

The Baakens Valley is a long and narrow green-space running through the heart of the Port Elizabeth metropolitan area. It stretches in a general east-west direction from just above the harbour to the western outskirts of Port Elizabeth, on the Cape Town side of the city.

 

Local riders rate the contour paths and jeep tracks as one of the best urban rides in South Africa. Expect sharp climbs, rutted downhill’s and heaps of obstacles to test your technical skills to the max. For personal safety reasons, it is always recommended that you cycle the route with a friend or two.

 

Longmore Forest Route – Moderate – Various Lengths

Situated close to Port Elizabeth, this seemingly endless network of gravel roads (840km according to the resident plantation manager) will put miles into your legs, with more than enough jeep-track links to keep it adventurous. Park at the Longmore offices, then head uphill along the gravel road and follow the Kings View signs for an enjoyable 90min (or up to 5-hour) circuit.

 

 

Woodridge/Thornhill XC – Moderate/technoical – Various lengths

 

Your first stop is Woodridge School, one of the few educational institutions in South Africa to boast its own Nationals-quality XC (cross-country) route. The purpose-built route offers some exhilarating and challenging single track riding. It’s great on a windy day, as the plantation offers both shelter and shade. Permits are required and these must be shown at the gate when entering the premises. No less than 95% of the 8km course is groomed single track, dipping and diving through forest sections, plantations and some open grassland.

 

From Woodridge, it is a doddle to get to Thornhill, a tiny village just across Van Staden’s Gorge and approximately 6km further along the N2. This is a more recent, but no less exciting riding venue, catering to both rookie riders and the more hardcore XC racing snakes. Local mountain biker Grant Puttergill has put together a killer 6km route on his Sunny­vale farm, and again you will be bombing into a veritable single track paradise.

 

PwC Toyota Cycle Park – Beginner to expert – Up to 15km

 

Situated in Bryanston, Johannesburg, this secure cycle park offers custom built single-track trails for mountain bikes that are suited for all ages and all skill levels. All the routes are graded, clearly signposted and include beginner, intermediate and advanced circuits. Besides the many kilometres of man-made trails, there is also a world championship standard BMX track at the park.

 

The obstacles increase in number and complexity as the grading goes from novice to advanced level. Enjoy the single-track and tight turns that will make you concentrate on your cornering techniques on the easier trails before heading into the intermediate trails where you will have to pay a bit more attention, as on these you will have to deal with a drop or a log or a steep bump to avoid being bounced off.

 

For the expert riders, the ladder bridges and berms will assure some exhilarating cranking and a serious rush of adrenalin. And finally for the hooligans looking for interesting ways to commit suicide by mountain bike, the Dirt Jump Heaven seems like the right place to be. 

 

 

Written by Wesley Geyer

Creative Writer at ATKA SA