I've always wanted to skydive and finally got the opportunity to go on January 24, 2009.  We found out months ago one of my fellow co-workers (Tad Kellermann) was a skydiver.  We decided that at some point we would go and after a couple of canceled trips we made it to Skydive Deland.  We hit the road and another friend/co-worked Amanda Warford came along to videotape it for jacksonville.com.

I got suited up and we flew up to about 13,500 feet before leaving the safety of the airplane and plummeting to earth at around 120 MPH.  With a ground temperature around 72 degrees and no clouds in the sky you could see out into the Atlantic Ocean, down towards Orlando and miles upon miles north.

Words can't describe just how amazing it is to be flying through the air towards the ground.  Funny thing is you don't even realize you are heading towards the ground since there is no perception that the ground is getting closer.  During freefall the wind is so powerful that its hard to know what is really going on.  Once the chute opens its like the entire world stops.  Suddenly the powerful sound of the wind hushes to a silence as you hear nothing but you drifting through the air.  

When my instructor, Bob Crossman let me take the controls he showed how turning speeds you up with forward motion and increases the wind speed but pulling down on you literally just stop and are floating down.  Even though you are still falling towards the ground it feels as though you aren't going anywhere since there is no perspective of where you are.  

After the eight minute (Not sure how long it was but this is about what I'm told) ride We made a perfect landing in the gravel pit.

Overall its a completely amazing experience that I will easily do again.  See the video from Skydive Deland below filmed by Edson Pacheco below as well as click through to the photo gallery for more photos from the day.

Skydiving in Deland from Kevin Basarab.

UPDATE:  Here is the awesome video Amanda Warford did from the skydiving experience.

After the jump the four of us headed to Daytona Beach for some good food at Bubba Gump's.  Came home and headed out to Dueling Pianos at Shulas (photos).  It was a truly awesome day with great friends and great events throughout the day.