Eddles 0 #1 August 9, 2015 Hi all, My wife and I are going to Cuba next month, and I have found the sole Cuba DZ to be at Varadero. I'm considering visiting and doing a few lobs - can I just turn up on the day? Or should I contact them? Are they open Mon-Sun or weekends only? Where could I find any other info please? Many thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drakkar 0 #2 August 15, 2015 Any info http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4686386;search_string=skydive%20cuba;guest=181847241#4686386 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HIGH1 1 #3 August 15, 2015 Eh, Check out their Skydive Varadero website and contact via email about your visit plus credentials! Bring a passport for take off and landing, a FAI recognized license and ensure the highest regard to their 22yr safety legacy. DZ landings, first and If you have shown a heads up attention to international basic safety regulations thus a predictable landing, they may allow you to do a beach landing at your resort!They are very friendly and down to earth like friends on the first hand shake. Bring skydive stickers, old gear, skydive t-shitrs and generosity for their culture. Eutimo (Tim) is solid at speaking and translating english! They love beer, too! So your First Cuba jump, or beach landing..... Check your ego at the door. Stay humble. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eddles 0 #4 August 16, 2015 Brilliant thank you both for your help! I had a look on Google, and on Dropzone.com in past threads for skydiving in Cuba and surprisingly missed both of them! Sorry about that! Fantastic info, I appreciate your time! Cheers! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bclark 0 #5 August 17, 2015 Wow, they operate an AN-2! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougH 270 #6 August 17, 2015 Not super surprising given the US trade embargo, but way cool!"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HIGH1 1 #8 August 25, 2015 ....Also, a new California Medical Marijuana quote by the former governor; Hey mannn...We need to bust this weed! "Get to the choppa" ~Arnold SchwarzeneggerCheck your ego at the door. Stay humble. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PeterXC 0 #9 January 29, 2016 How was your Cuba Skydiving experience? Any suggestions? I'm hoping to connect with Eutimio Pérez Barrera while staying across the street from the Varadero, Cuba DZ for a week next month. The hope is to grab a jump slot whenever either the plane or helicopter flies a load. Where else can one jump Russian military surplus aircraft for fun jumps?!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eddles 0 #10 January 29, 2016 Skydiving in Cuba was AMAZING! Fantastic experience! A word of warning, when I was there, they only did one lift for the entire day of Saturday, and none on Sunday, even though they were fully staffed (about 20 staff in total) twiddling their thumbs. It was due to very few tandem passengers buying jump tickets and they rely heavily on tandem income. So I only did one jump the entire weekend. It was very well worth it though. As I jumped solo and was the last person out, the JM followed me out, filmed me and we played in the air. If I jumped on Sunday, they'd have let me land on the beach. The people there are fantastic, so incredibly friendly, made me feel as if I was a long-time jumper there. On Saturday evening, the CCI gathered everyone in his office, using my beer fine, gave everyone a can of beer and everyone toasted my first day at the DZ and stayed to chat with me for a while. Amazing. Wonderful friendly & welcoming people, completely typical of Cubans. They are also chilled as fuck like Cubans are, we took off 2 hours after the scheduled time not because of delays, but because they took their time. I had to really chase up for the DZ brief - I was only shown where to land literally 2 minutes before take-off! 1 1/2 hours before actual take-off, 30 minutes after the scheduled take off - "Can I have the DZ brief please?" "Yeah yeah, will do it later, chill bud, here you go, have a can of drink". 1/2 hours before actual take-off, "DZ brief?" "Plenty of time, don't worry". And so on until 2 minutes before take-off "Hello? Anyone?" "Oh bugger, oh just follow me, I'll show you where to land". I had absolutely no concern about safety though, they were very thorough with my paperwork and asked lots of questions to establish my experience - I had the opposite experience at some foreign DZs! To my surprise some people there had tens of thousands jumps each, very experienced. I'd recommend calling them for a chat, and I *highly* recommend jumping there - they're now one of my favourite DZs. The only downside was the beer fine was absolutely mandatory and had to be paid along with the jump ticket, believe it was 20 CUC (USD 20) but was well worth it, trust me, the best beer fine I've ever paid! The AN-2 wasn't there unfortunately, but the MI-8 was a fun experience! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PeterXC 0 #11 January 29, 2016 Thanks Buddy, so looking forward to it; whatever jumps I get. Will try to bring the beer fine from home to share :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PeterXC 0 #12 February 29, 2016 Based on early feedback on this forum, I really didn't expect much fun-jumping activity at this dropzone. Showed up mid-day on my first day in Cuba and got three jumps in from the Antonov-2 before the beer started flowing at sundown!! Awesome time! My first 2 jumps were beach-landings before they felt I was ready for an airport/DZ landing :) I showed up solo and ended up jumping with a Venezuelan, a fellow Canadian, and a Cuban. Can you say 4-way?! :) So highly recommend this DZ as a travel destination!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
