Ireland Visit Report

[Dutchboy 0]

As promised, here is a little bit on my trip to the Irish Parachute Club.
I was travelling to Dublin on business, so naturally I had to get some skydiving in while I was overseas. I sent an e-mail asking a few questions which was promptly answered. I even had several offers for a lift from Dublin.
I was hoping to get to the DZ on Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, I was done at 11am, but had to wait on my co-workers so by the time we got back to Dublin it was after 7pm. I caught a ride to the airport Saturday morning and then rented a car from there. Then the adventure began.
The drive to IPC was interesting. I had a not-very-detailed map to find the town it was in and a map from their website showing where the club was once you got to the town. The Irish seem to have something against signs, because there weren't many along the way. I would drive through a town and then take my best guess as to which way to go. I'd drive about 5 miles to the next town and then find out if I was right. It took me a bit longer than most with a couple of wrong turns along the way. I'm glad I didn't try this drive in the dark. No big deal, just a part of the whole adventure.
I eventually found the town and then the DZ. I walked up to manifest and showed them my USPA license, logbook, and gear. No pesky waivers to sign, or any of that. They set me up with one of their regulars (instructor?) who gave me a tour and then tried to find the air photo of the DZ. Someone else eventually found the photo and pointed out the obstructions (not many), etc. Then I was manifested on a load.
Next thing I knew the Cessna 206 had landed on the grass strip and was turning around. Four jumpers were running after the plane and I was running after them. I hopped in and sat where I was told.
I immediately noticed that there were no seatbelts in the plane. Not a requirement in Ireland. The 206 has a canvas door that just hangs down and somebody sits on the bottom to keep it in place. In no time were turned around and were off the grass strip and climbing at a good rate. They limit the 206 to 5 jumpers, and I was easily the biggest at 205lbs (240lbs with gear).
As I found out later I got the privelage of the "cold seat". Since the door wasn't well sealed the wind whipped around the back of the plane and hit me full force. It was very cold in that plane. I could see my breath inside. Of course, it is all about what you are used to. Most of them didn't have helmets or gloves.
When we hit 7k we were in the cloads so they decided on a GPS spot. We were still in the clouds at 10k when we exited. When the pilot called door, the door was rolled up and velcroed to the top. I thought I was to be 2nd from the last to jump, but Erica hopped out and then Oie motioned for me to get out. I've never jumped a 206 before, in fact, I only have one jump from a 182. I didn't know how to exit from this thing so I just rolled the 18" from my side of the plane to the door and tumbled out.
I had originally planned on doing a sitfly jump, but I didn't want to get going too fast if I was going to be breaking out of the clouds over unfamilar teritory. So I opted for some belly flying. Just did a couple of flips and such. I don't have my IFR skydving rating and being in the clouds for so long was cool and strange at the same time. There was also some small hail in there.
I punched through the bottom around 6.5k. I immediately started to turn and look for the DZ. I did one full revolution without seeing it. Everything around there is either green or brown, and it all looks about the same. Then on the 2nd revolution I looked a little further out. I saw the yellow X that marked the landing area and started tracking for that.
I pulled a little high (4k) and started flying for the DZ.
This DZ boasts the only sheep in the world that look up, because they have to. There are sheep in the landing area. Watching them scatter as you land is hilarious. I experienced first hand how slippery sheep shit is when I landed. Managed to catch a pile with one foot and get knocked to my knees. Luckily I didn't actually land it it!
I picked up my gear and walked back to the hangar. I very casually packed my rig and talked to a few folks. A front was coming in and the ceiling dropped rapidly. It also started to rain. So I ended up making only one jump that day. They were offering hop and pops, but I wasn't too keen on getting my gear wet in the rain when I was flying home the next day.
I hung out at the hangar for a while. I got someone on my load to sign my logbook. He suggested that I also get manifest to stamp it with their official stamp. We hung around till about 4:30pm before finally giving up on the weather. Then we were off to the local pub.
They arranged a room at a local B&B (IEP 15/night) and I hung out at the pub till about 1am. Had some serious fun getting to know these guys (and gals) a bit better. They had talked me into staying another day, as the weather forecast for Sunday was beautiful. They thought that after all my company put me through they owed me another day in Ireland.
Unfortunately, I found out about something at work that prevented me from staying the extra day shortly after leaving the pub. I ended up driving back to Dublin in the dark. That was a serious adventure made even more so by the rain. I didn't want to chance driving back in the morning since there is only one flight to Atlanta a day. I'm glad for them that the forecast actually seemed right, and Sunday was beautiful. They don't get many days like that in Ireland, especially on the weekend.
I've never seen people with such a good attitude about the weather. I don't know if they have the worst weather in the world, but it certainly rains there often. Many of their members have lots of jumps, but not a lot of freefall time because they often do hop-n-pops from 2-4k. They tried to talk me into a hop-n-pop from 2k, but I didn't want to do it especially in the rain.
It was loads of fun, and I definitely felt welcome at IPC. I will be back, even I don't go back on business I'll have to do some vacation there. If you are ever in Ireland on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday you owe it to yourself to drop by.

[Greg 0]

Sounds like you had a blast!! Its a shame you could only do one jump, but with the clouds and such, it sounds like a worthwhile trip.
All that aside, did you get to see the Loch Ness Monster, or any Leprachauns, or eat Haggus? I always wanted to go to Ireland, but if there is one thing I know about me is that I hate rain, so I prolly wouldnt have had much fun! Blue ones
Greg A-37958

[huffermoose 0]

"haggis and the loch ness monster" are in scotland
leprauchans are in ireland
achhhhhhhhhh eye wee do noo
ttfn Allan

[Greg 0]

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"haggis and the loch ness monster" are in scotland
leprauchans are in ireland

You mean they are not on the same island? I wonder if Leprachuns ever base jump off of rainbows to find thier pot of gold?

[wingnut 0]

dutchboy,
we jump a c206 here in germany to. the cloth door your talking about is quite cold! i think the best seat is next to the lilot or right be hind him. you have the other jumpers to block the cold. the exit is prety simple, you can do it just like you would from a c182. or like i like to do it...justdive out with one foot on the step. and for the seat belts.....i think it is still req. by regs. here in europe, just not stickly enforced. we never use em at my dz even though they are req....... it's going to be wierd to go back to the states and have to put on one when i've been jumping without for a year. but i guess it's a good idea....

"if dreams are like movies, then memories are like films about ghosts"-counting crows

[huffermoose 0]

we don't use seat belts but we have used fixed slings with carabeenas on which you hook up to the webbing on your harness i think this just stops you from slipping back during take off not much else
oh well
ttfn Allan

[SpeedRacer 1]

I have a few questions about Ireland, and also the UK for that matter, regarding skydiving and beer:
It seems that our comrades across the pond are more likely to make a mass exodus to the pub instead of taking a trip to the liquor store to buy a case of beer & bring it back to the DZ, as is more commonly done here in the USA.
Or am I over-generalizing?
Do Irish & Brits have the same beer rules (for celebrating firsts, off-landings, etc.) over there, or some modification of them (i.e., buying a round of drinks for all your skydiving mates instead of buying a case of beer)?
Do any of y'all have bars right there on the dropzone?
Speed Racer
"Bluez, brewz & screwz"

[huffermoose 0]

not sure on the rules except to try and get trashed at the end of the days skydiving for example if the weather is shit and theirs nopt a snowballs chance in hell that we are going to get off the ground the CCI (DZO) will anounce it is beer o'clock and the shutters are opened and off we go as for 1st am not sure it usually means that theres a good old party however when i got my cat A up in nottingham it ment thanging around while awaiting for the caravan to go up in the air and as i wanted to "get just one more jump in " i waited and the bird i was supposed to be seeing on the other side of the U.K was also waiting in a cold train station, i had to make it sound like my bike had broken down and i could not find my roadway recovery card, however i did get the jump in and i did not have time to celebrate i put 20 quid behind the bar and told the guys n gals to have a beer on me, i ended up meeting her at the train station 10 hours late OOOOPS she was not impressed sorry i am rambling and hope i have answered your question
cheers
ttfn Allan

[Dutchboy 0]

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? I always wanted to go to Ireland, but if there is one thing I know about me is that I hate rain, so I prolly wouldnt have had much fun!

I had as much fun just hanging out as I did jumping. It rains there often which is different from continously. It seems to rain for a couple and then get sunny, then back. Obviously, sun all day is prefered, but if it didn't rain so much there it probably wouldn't be so beautiful either.

[Dutchboy 0]

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we jump a c206 here in germany to. the cloth door your talking about is quite cold! i think the best seat is next to the lilot or right be hind him. you have the other jumpers to block the cold. the exit is prety simple, you can do it just like you would from a c182. or like i like to do it...justdive out with one foot on the step.

Well this was my 2nd Cessna jump, the other being a jump from the 182 this winter. The door on this plane was huge so the step was actually way behind me. I was sitting in the back on the pilots side blocking the wind for everybody else.

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[Dutchboy 0]

I can say that someone asked if this was my first jump at IPC. When I said yes, the first word out of their mouth was "beer". I think they do have beer on the DZ, but since the weather turned bad early they all hit the pub instead. I figured that I drank around 2 gallons of Guiness this weekend (hick). I need to bring some beer on my next trip.

[Deleted 0]

Hi Speedracer
I'm from Ireland and a newbie jumper so hopefully I can help with your questions :)
We do bring beer back to the dz but more often in the summer months when we get the bonfire going and have a session around it. At this time of year or in the middle of the winter its a lot more convenient to go to the local pub and drink in the warm. We do have a new club house which we are using in the evenings for parties sometimes but the pub usually plays a part anyway.
Re the First Time= beer rule, it doesnt work the same in Ireland. When a student goes for their first freefall, we use static line progression normally, they get a bottle of some type of spirit, the more unusual the better, cover it all over with white paper and wander around the dz after VFR, getting all the other jumpers there to sign the bottle and take a swig from the neck. Your first freefall bottle is a hell of a souvenir to have, everyone welcomes you to the sky, uses their favourite quotes and gets hammered on the liquor.
Im not certain what the procedure is in Britain to be honest. We dont have a bar as such on our dz and I dont think the other dz's do either, but we do have Tommy from Manifest who has this great habit after the manifest closes, of producing bottles from nowhere and sharing with everyone !
Have a look at www.skydive.ie, we are one of the worlds longest established parachuting clubs and we try to have fun. All visitors welcome at all times!
Noelle

[Deleted 0]

Hey dutchboy
Thanks for coming. Hope you had fun and we hope to see you again. As Noelle said, Tommy (our manifester) is the man for the spirits. A nice collection there. You should come back just for that. (and to jump in more clouds :o)
Blue Skies.
Paddy.

[BenW 0]

Dutchboy,
You jumped with Erica then? The v.slim, red haired vixen jumping a tiny, tiny PdeF rig? Usually seen drinking all the men under the table, that Erica?
Glad to hear you had a good time!
Ben

[Dutchboy 0]

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You jumped with Erica then? The v.slim, red haired vixen jumping a tiny, tiny PdeF rig? Usually seen drinking all the
men under the table, that Erica?

Sounds about right, other than the red hair part. I suspect she has recently died her hair blonde. I could be wrong though.

[BenW 0]

Red haired, strawberry blonde etc???? Definately sounds like the one! Man, she can party! We did a great sit jump in Florida together; she got me back in the air after my first cutaway! Cool chick.
Ben.

[Deleted 0]

...and she can shag like a rabbit on steroids too.
She's done most of the DZ at this stage !!

[Dutchboy 0]

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...and she can shag like a rabbit on steroids too.
She's done most of the DZ at this stage !!

That is might brave of you Anonymous. Your mother must be so proud, spreading rumors with anonymous posts.

[freefallfreak 0]

Yeah, Dutchboy,
Ya' beat me to the punch with this...I thought the same thing as I read his post...I bet she'd kick his ass if he said it in person...
FFF

[Deleted 0]

Well lads,
Knowing the woman... I'd say SHE propably posted this :op
Paddy.

[Deleted 0]

Thanks guys for jumping to my defence & Paddy you are in big trouble the next time I see you.
Yes .... a big man posting anonymously !!!
Blue ones to y'all
Erica

[Dutchboy 0]

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Blue ones to y'all

Sorry, Erica, but only Southerners are allowed to use y'all. There is a minimum time you have to live in the South before you can use y'all. There is disagreement on just how long this is. BTW, I'm talking about the Southern USA, not Southern Ireland. I know you've been to Florida, but it ain't part of the South despite it's location.

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[PalmettoTiger 1]

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I know you've been to Florida, but it ain't part of the South despite it's location.

That's for sure. Florida has become The Land of Retired Yankees and Displaced Cubans... although they did give us Lynyrd Skynyrd a few decades back so I guess we can give them a little credit on that.
Come to think of it, was Florida ever "Southern?" About all they did in the Civil War was grow oranges for the rest of the Confederacy and make it harder for the US Navy to sail from DC and points north to New Orleans...
PS Before any Sons of Floridian Veterans get irritated with me I'm only kidding!!
Blues, squares,
PTiger

[Deleted 0]

Erica,
My deepest apology. I really thought you were taking the piss. I am sorry.
Love ya.
Paddy.

[Dutchboy 0]

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My deepest apology. I really thought you were taking the piss. I am sorry

Oh Paddy, you're really going to get it now. She'll kick your arse. Perhaps you should flee the country and come hang out with us in Georgia.

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