The Parachuting Adventure
A bunch of us from The Sea Wolf got it into our heads that we were going to start the new year with a bang — literally jumping into it. Someone suggested parachuting on January 1, and before we could talk ourselves out of it, we all agreed. It sounded bold, brave, and just crazy enough to be fun.
Of course, the plan didn’t account for New Year’s Eve.
We partied like only Sea Wolf employees could — loud, laughing, dancing, and celebrating until the early hours. By the time the sun came up, we were running on fumes, bad decisions, and whatever courage was left in our bloodstream. But a promise was a promise, so off we went to the Zephyrhills Airport to take the course and make the jump.
The training felt twice as long and ten times harder with a headache, but somehow we made it through. Then came the moment: standing at the open door of the plane, wind roaring, heart pounding, wondering why on earth we ever agreed to this. The instructor would say Get Set, Get to the Door, Go. I remember saying when he says Get set I am telling him forget it but it was like he knew and said get in the door and I got to the door and jumped.
I don’t know what everyone else’s landing looked like, but mine was… memorable. Instead of touching down where I was supposed to, I drifted — and drifted — and finally landed two cow pastures away from the target zone. I was tangled in my chute, confused, and laughing at myself because of course I would be the one to end up in the middle of nowhere. The chute was too heavy for me to lift myself and I saw that the wind was starting to pull the chute (they taught us that this was dangerous because it could drag you) but it actually lifted me up enough to start getting my chute.
That’s when I saw him.
Out of the distance came a man — maybe a staff member from the Zephyrhills Airport, maybe something more — walking toward me with calm, steady purpose. In that moment, with the sun behind him and my nerves still rattled, he looked like an angel. And honestly, I’m still not convinced he wasn’t. He helped me gather my chute, checked that I was okay, and guided me back like it was the most normal thing in the world.
We all survived our New Year’s parachuting adventure, but that landing — and that angel — stayed with me. It was wild, ridiculous, and unforgettable… exactly the kind of story only The Sea Wolf crew could create.