Jump out of an airplane door at 10,000 or 14,000 feet and your view of gravity, fear, and human exhilaration cataclysmically shifts. I chose to see a skydive in Mérida, Mexico, so as to do it on my bucket list, and thought I’d get a bit of a rush. I would not have guessed the combination of tropical flora and fauna, weather peculiarities, and practicalities that makes jumping through the middle of the Yucatán Peninsula quite special.
Skydiving merida mexico has some of the most remarkable aerial panoramic views of the emerald jungles, large cenotes, and colonial architecture. The preparation requirements for the tropical sky diver, however, are overlooked by most skydiving handbooks.
So here are the 10 things that I would have learned before jumping off the plane to Baja if I had been wiser, in Mérida.
The whole program depends on the Tropical Weather
The tropical wet and dry climate in Mérida is different from drop zones in predictable arid areas. At the time of booking my jump, I had assumed that it would be blue skies, full 60 days a week. Actually, many times during the rainy season (usually May through October), the ground holds are temporary because of afternoon tropical storms, high humidity, and sharp and unexpected shifts in the winds.
The “Take Away”: You should try to reserve your jump time first thing in the morning, as it will be available. The morning skies are less prone to convective storms in the afternoon and, in general, less turbulent, as well as less polluted than in Yucatán.
- Giant Kodak Volume 43 Mixtecs Surge at Altitude
Mérida is the epitome of the White City (La Ciudad Blanca), and is among Mexico’s warmest cities. Although it’s very hot on the ground, it cools down considerably as the plane rises off the ground and makes the descent at high speed.
The Summary: Wear comfortable, loose-fitting athletic clothing. Heavy jackets at ground level are not acceptable, but be aware that high altitudes are breezy at 120 miles per hour even in a tropical climate.
- Make a book of media packages ahead of time, as it will be used.
When you’re in a frenzy of adrenaline rush, your brain takes in lots of information, and you may have an amazingly fuzzy recollection. At terminal velocity, time slows to 120 mph.
The Takeaway: Don’t forgo the hand-cam/ext. video equipment. The feeling of unadulterated joy on your face as you experience freefall – your face radiant with this undeniable expression – and a canopy flying over the Yucatán terrain is more valuable to you than any peso.
- Basic Spanish can assist in overcoming them.
At extreme sports venues with tourist resorts such as Mérida and the Yucatán Peninsula, there are certified instructors with a reasonable level of English and ground crews, administration, and local transport drivers who primarily speak Spanish.
The Takeaway: It is nice to know a few words: arriba is for up, escucha for listen, and gracias to say thanks, and that will help you get right in tune with the language when you’re saying hello before takeoff and at the time of the first inspection of the harness.
- Eat Light but Do NOT Skip Meals
There is a myth that skydiving causes you to become violently ill if you eat before you jump, which is what some first-time skydivers do. It would be a disaster, on the other hand, to eat too much Yucatecan cochinita pibil before taking off in a Cessna.
The Takeaway: For a jump, have a light, balanced meal (fruits, yogurts, toast and crackers) that is well-designed from a nutritional perspective, preferably 2 hours prior.This will keep blood sugar at a normal level and will avoid a quick change in altitude causing dizziness.
- Closed-toe shoes are not a recommendation but a requirement.
Shoes that do not cover the feet to the ankles are not recommended, but required. Picking up a pair of flip-flops or sandals goes hand in hand with any visit to Mérida during your tour in the colonial street and the exploration of the cenotes.
The moral: Takeaway safety is non-negotiable. Tight and comfortable shoes that are athletic shoes with a solid back and are non-slip are required. Tighten running shoes, as wind flailing during freefall can easily remove the foot from the shoe during this stage.
- Prep Time Matters With Sunscreen
The amount of time spent outdoors will be substantial given the intensity of the sun in Mérida, as well as waiting for your briefing, watching other groups jump, and working on paperwork.
The Takeaway: Sunscreen with a high SPF rating, and apply liberally before making it to the drop zone. Just be careful not to put that greasy lotion directly on the front of your face that horridly precedes a jump, because as soon as you seal your skydiving goggles, the melt-off sweat will drip into your face and dig into your eyeballs!
- The Ear Equalization Technique Is Important
While falling through 10,000+ ft in less than a minute, the process generates several rapid changes in the atmosphere. Have you ever had pain caused by your ears plugging during take-off and landing of a commercial airliner? If so, you may have concerns about jumping out of a plane.
The Takeaway: Your tandem will give you instructions on how to use simple jaw movements and swallowing to equalize the pressure. Also, Plus, when you get an eardrum-numbing sinus infection or have a cold, this may not be the best time to jump, as it can strain your eardrums if you do while you’re congested.
- To trust the Harness and surrender to Control.
The most difficult aspect of parading isn’t jumping out of the airplane itself, but getting over the hurdle of leaning out of the open airplane door. The need to jump is so unnatural that it impinges upon your survival instinct. After you’re securely strapped to a tandem pilot with thousands of jumps under his belt, you just have to arch your back, throw your head back, and smile.
The Takeaway: When resistance to the harness, or trying to tighten the body, results in stiffness. Just relax, believe in your trained instructor, and embrace the feeling of unadulterated flight.
- You can experience post-jump euphoria and an energy crash!
No one speaks of the psychological effects of jumping out of an airplane. Your body produces a whirl of adrenaline, dopamine, and endorphins for the first two to three hours after landing. It will make you feel unbeatable. But after the body spends all its hormones, there usually arrives the big surge of physical tiredness.
The Takeaway: Avoid an overstuffed calendar for climbing Mayan ruins and/or hard partying right after your skydive. Take time in the afternoon to drink, take a big bite to eat, and absorb the life-changing moment.
Final Thoughts
In general, the experience of jumping out of a plane in Mérida will be memorable for a lifetime, and one that you will value, with your experience of acceptance and enjoyment of the culture of Yucatan.
Just a change of attitude, awareness about what to wear and predicting the weather, and you can remove this fear of a plunge from your bucket list.