This is a bit of a sore topic for me because I lost a pair of prescription Oakley sunglasses while doing my ISP's. As I didn't wear contacts that the time (I do now!), I used to jump with my sunglasses on, under a pair of those sh!tty, flimsy plastic goggles (I thought they would hold my sunglasses on).
It was ISP #5, one bright, hot, sun shiny day at the drop zone, and the first jump of the day. While doing the required maneuvers for my ISP level, the goggles decided to slip up, off my face and somehow onto the front of helmet. (Keep in mind that I had worn my sunglasses in exactly the same way for my entire AFF course and 4 previous ISP's). My poor sunglasses did not stand a chance at resisting the wind that was forcing it's way past my face at 200+ km/h, and before I realized it (Around 7 grand), they decided they didn't enjoy the freefall with me, and went on to do to a solo jump without a rig :-( RIP 21st birthday present (sorry dad!).
The worst thing was that the instructor noticed this and held onto me all the way down to pull altitude, then pulled my pilot chute for me as he wasn't sure if I could see my alti.
Entry in my logbook reads "...lost sunglasses - BUMMER!". And yes, it was a bummer, especially since I battled to work out which way the wind socks were blowing and took a little tumble on landing :-(
Thankfully I passed that level as I had pretty much completed everything that was required of me.
Side note: ISP#6 is the only ISP / AFF level I've ever failed and SUCKED!
Our manifest lady (Noogs) has an awesome habit of losing shoes whenever she jumps (Don't ask me why she doesn't tie the laces?). Apparently she has lost a good few shoes, always only one of the two!
Besides sunglasses :-( and shoes, I also know of a few camera's, alti's and even entire canopies that cannot be found after a cutaway.
What have you lost in freefall?
So - look around your local DZ, you'll be surprised at what you might find!
Blue Skies everyone - happy days!
Ouch man! That must really suck! The same day I did my first jump, another guy on his went up with his digital camera in his cargo pockets. He didn't button his cargo pockets. But no, he didn't lose the camera, somehow the camera stayed in his pocket the entire fall! It wasn't till he landed that he realized it was even in there. Crazy huh?!
ReplyDeleteWow Mike - that is crazy! I sometimes jump with my cellphone in my cargo pocket (on very windy days:-)), but I always make sure the zip and the clip are closed! haha - I'm still on a 185 so with my weight I tend to get blown around alot..hence jumping with my phone :-)
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