Skydive Gananoque

find certainly helps, as do the really friendly and welcoming regulars. I came here to do a tandem jump to get it checked off the bucket list, and everything about the experience made me want to come back and learn to skydive. My initial progress was hampered by an injury, but the folks at Gan kept in touch as I recovered and helped me get back at it. As I’ve gotten in more jumps I’ve been offered loads of coaching and good advice, and to join in on jumps.

Aircraft are a 182 and a King Air. The 182 usually flies on Friday evenings (currently, hop and pops on Friday nights are $15), the King Air will turn loads all weekend. The annual Boobies Boogie Labour Day Weekend has had a Skyvan the last couple of years at least, and they’re always interested in bringing in aircraft if there’s a demand.

The landing area is huge and open (with one pesky treeline removed earlier this year), and there’s loads of places to land out if you need to.

Looking out over the 1000 Islands as you climb, or maybe on a high pull, is incredible.

There’s space to camp, showers, and a nice firepit to relax after a day of jumping. If you’re coming from the States (it’s 30 minutes from the Thousand Islands Bridge at the top of I-81), bring cheap American beer and make friends fast.

I was passing through, stopped in, and soon found myself at 13.5 on a nice King Air. Family-run DZ, with a couple aircraft, packers, a long history, and beer.

Gan is a Dz who have a good balance between freeflyers and belly flyers. even if it's your first time, people make you feel at home. They have the twin otter for the long weekend. paking area is good and they have full time rigger on site to help you. but the best in all that is the vue on the 1000 islands at the can us border. USPA and CSPA is accepted.
Thanks Tom.

I have done three tandems (1997, 2002, 2005). I am about to start the Progressive Freefall training there (Canada's version of AFF) sometime in May.

I went to Gananoque in 1997 because they were the one with the best website. It was still the early Internet days. The information on that site answered more of my questions than the others of the time.

My first tandem was in 1997, and I had a great cameraman film my first jump there! The first TI was a real hoot, and did a real exciting jump - I have an edited version of my first jump at http://www.marky.com/misc/video/yes-i-did-it.mpeg (make sure you download to disk first before playing, or it cuts out before the actual jump)

This is not a brand new hanger building -- it is an old World War II building, so it does show it age, but it keeps the airplanes perfectly dry. It's more a neighbourhood feeling, rather than feeling commercial and a "prepackaged, manufactured" of disneyland-like dropzones, the more cozy atmosphere can be very helpful if you are a beginner who's very shy around people (just make sure you drum up enough courage to say hello to others! I didn't until my third visit though, but I'm glad I introduced myself to a few!)

The in-the-air experience shows the runways are a very unmistakable diamond-shape from the air, and you can see all the beautiful farmland, and still see Kingston from the distance, as well as the river that separates USA and Canada. Probably makes this a safer DZ for beginners who might land off-zone on a windy day.

Several of the people running the place there have thousands of jumps, and I had plenty of chance to speak directly to them. There is a campsite, haven't camped there yet, but that will afford additional social opportunities during the evening to get to know the DZ people.

I'm still only at 3 jumps going onto 100? in 2005 (hopefully!), can't wait to start my PFF course!

I am one of the pilots at Skydive Gananoque. We do fly at 13500 on a regular basis. Jumpers are offered to jump at 3500, 11000 and 13500 (except on hot sunny days). Most of them will chose 11k to save money.

Hey! If you are looking for a DZ with an astonishing scenery in Canada, you should try out Skydive Gananoque.

Every flight to 11000' feet is as resreshing as the freefall itself. Hundreds of little lakes, thousands of islands, beautiful lake Ontario along with St-Laurence River are sure to justify your drive to Skydive Gan.

I drove from Montreal to do four jumps in a day, and will do it again for sure, since nothing and nobody there wasn't worth driving 170 miles for!!!

If "a picture is worth a thousand words"..."One jump is worth One thousand islands".

See for yourself :o)

My wife and I had the pleasure of jumping at "Gan" 3 weekends this past summer and enjoyed all 3. The Canada Day long weekend, we brought our children with us (3 between 7 and 11 years old!). The staff welcomed all of us (my kids still talk about "Fuzzy"). My wife did her 100th jump there, and the whole dropzone took part! The labour day boogie, although marred by the unfortunate injury to the Frankenotter, was a wonderful time too. We will be making more trips to Gan next summer for sure. Keep up the good work!

While working during the Labour Day Boogie, the Frankenotter, from NC busted a leg. Almost everyone, including DZ staff, local AMEs and Carolina Sky Sports Staff worked non-stop until another plane arrived (even though a plane was en route within the hour). After a VERY successful weekend the Frankenotter was safely back in the air with yet another component installed at Skydive Gananoque.