Shaken, but Never Stirred . . .

[Nick_D]

Sad news . . .

Martin Siddell was killed while skydiving at Z-Hills, Florida on Sunday. It sounds as if he found a rotor while turning final over a tree line on a bumpy day.

It's funny now, and I'm glad for it, but when he last visited me, along with his flight engineer, Mark, we drank ourselves silly and took my dingy on a perilous midnight ride. After making the last Basic Research trip to Norway he really had the BASE fire in his eyes. He kept pumping me for all I knew about BASE jumping, and I kept interrupting, because all I wanted to know is what it was like being the Captain on a Boeing 747 flying to San Diego across the North Pole from England.

He is dapper in a way only some English men can be. But, he's really a little boy at heart. I think he had fun helming the dingy, going as fast as we could, and laughing like men do when there aren't any woman around. Just as much fun as he had peddling that behemoth airplane down what is San Diego's Cardiac ILS approach to RWY 27. He leaves a family with three children, so if inclined, a little prayer their way can't hurt.

The last thing I remember about that night is flight engineer Mark having a high old time of it and saying, "If you'd had bet me I'd be doing this tonight I'd have dropped some Euros on it."

The next day they both returned and replaced the beer they drank twice over.

Sweet Dreams, Brother . . .

Nick
BASE 194

[georgechurchill]

When I heard about Martin, I was so gutted. I still am gutted. The guy was so nice. I remeber just last month Skydiving with him, I lost my shoe in freefall. He was laughing so much he couldn't stay stable. Martin was very intelligent, honist, down to earth and really nice guy. He leaves a Wife and children behind. He has left a hole in my life and I'm sure in anyone else's life that has met him.
Martin really was ready for the whole base trip. Like you say, you could see it in his eyes. Several times he nearly jumped my local A with me, but I said I couldn't look after him, I only have 19 Base jumps. So he was going to wait to jump with more experianced people. I wish I had dragged him up now and made him jump with me. Martin talked about Base the whole time. About being in Norway and talking to Lori before she died. About his first base jump. About what he was going to do next.
I miss him very much
I'll see you again Martin....
George

[K]

Martin was one of my favorites. He came to BR to take our First Jump Course, and did a bunch of balloon jumps to start. Then we went to our Pet Rock, where he did his first E, a cute little 200 footer. He was quite shaken AND stirred on that jump! I'm glad I have the video.

Martin, being a pilot with British Airways, would sign up for every trip he could get to Southern California, and would always come by BR for a visit, a meal, or a drink. He was with us at Anne's house the night Todd's wife died, and even though he didn't know Val, he was nearly as skaken and stirred as the rest of us there.

On our Norway Expedition last year, Martin, Mark Allen and I shared a room. I got to pick and choose who would be in that room since I was the only girl, and I picked my favorites. They were perfect gentlemen, the both of them, although Martin and Mark teased me about needing earplugs because I was talking and yelling in my sleep. We were all so shaken when Lori died, and Martin went home the following day after making only one jump from Kjerag. I spoke with him before he left, and he expressed such sadness and a feeling of responsibility since he was the last of us to speak to Lori. After several months of digesting the entire event, Martin decided to try it again, and signed up for Norway 2003. I was so pleased, and so excited to know that I'd be seeing him again in Norway, hiking, jumping, and drinking a beer with him at the Cafe.

I was stunned when I got the phone call that Martin had died skydiving. I am still amazed at the irony of that. You see, Martin had never really been that interested in skydiving. He had told me that what he really wanted to do was BASE jump, and when he learned he had to have 150 skydives to start BASE, he got right on it to fulfill the requirements. I remember being quite impressed that he was so serious about BASE that he'd invest in an AFF course, skydiving gear, and another 140 jumps just to be able to start BASE. I can almost feel him laughing at the irony of it all.

I'll always remember Martin's blue, blue eyes, warm smile, and lovely voice. Fly on, Martin, and I'll see you someday in the sky!

Love always,
K

[Nick_D]

Nice one K . . .

Below is an e-mail exchange Martin and I had several months ago.

Hi Nick,

During an enforced day in the house due to illness I just read the entire BASE fatality list. It certainly makes sobering reading. Many thanks for taking the time and the trouble to make the list. I notice you have the latest death in Switzerland.

My own BASE experience is minimal. At the age of 47 I saw an Angel Falls video and I decided that I had to get involved. I went to Florida to learn to skydive and after making the required number of jumps I went to Basic Research in December 2001 to do the "first jump course". I then got BR to make some gear for me and after a static-line jump near Perris in April went to Norway in July '02. Sadly, right after my first jump, Lori Barr was killed. Indeed I was the last one to have a conversation with her. I left immediately after but intend to go back to Norway in July, again with BR.

The thing is, I figured that if I went to the best, then the accidents might not happen. The long list of accidents, especially last year, indicates that this is not always so. I've given much thought as to whether or not I carry on:- I've been married for 30 years and we have 4 sons. This is for sure one of the most dangerous and unforgiving sports you could participate in. I have much respect for people like you and Todd and Anne for trying to make BASE as safe as it can be.

Many thanks,
Martin


Hello Martin,

One day I'm at this bridge in Arizona with Alf Humphries and a few other jumpers. Alf just made his sixth BASE jump and he's having the same thoughts as you are having. He has a family and he's also about your age. "What the hell am I doing?" He wonders.

"Look," another jumper says, "yesterday you only had five BASE jumps and today you have six." We all laughed at that for a long time and it’s enough to get Alf over the Hump. (The Hump is that place where after a few BASE jumps the excitement subsides enough to allow your natural intelligence to give you a solid case of the screaming willies).

Gulping down the entire BASE Fatality List is one sitting may not be a good idea, as it would make it appear too easy to be bound to the same fate. After all, it's a hell of a lot of mistakes to remember to avoid. (In that vein, it’s probably a good thing no one ever kept a list of dead skydivers, there would be thousands of names on that one).

However, what the BASE Fatality List doesn’t show is the thousands of successful BASE jumps that are made every few years. And that these days there’s even a large contingent of retired BASE jumpers walking around. I firmly believe a sharp jumper can nowadays make a thousand BASE jumps without killing themselves. (I wouldn’t have said not too long ago.) Oh, you'll have a major plaster drama in there somewhere, maybe two, but there are jumpers out there doing just that.

When the day comes when you should really quit BASE jumping, you'll know it for sure. There won't be any debate, you won’t ask anyone about it, you just won't BASE jump anymore.

Right now, Martin, your at the Hump . . .

Nick
BASE 194

[K]

Hi All-

I've gotten e-mail from Martin's son, Matt, who asked us for a copy of Martin's jump in Norway last summer. Of course we have a copy we can send him immediately, but it got me to thinking of any other video we may have that we can offer. I have one with Martin at the Pet Rock, and Anne has several balloon jumps. Do any other jumpers have any video of Martin? I'd love to compile everything we can find to send to his family.

Thanks, and love and condolences again to the Siddell's.

Peace,
K
BASE#763