Current ??

[georgechurchill]

I was at a BBQ with some mates not so long back. Steve, who I hadn't seen since he PCA'ed my for my first "low" Base jump almost a year earlier, asked me how many jumps I had done since then.
I said I had 18 jumps off 14 objects. About another 11 since I last met him. He was telling me how important it was to be current. Being current and on your #### is what will save you when things go wrong. If your going to Base jump then you should be living and breathing it. It's the only way to be safe. 11 jumps in one year is not current, and it's dangerous. I very much respect Steve's views. He's one of the most experianced UK jumpers. However I dissagree.

I think Base juming is a numbers game. I don't know of many people with over a couple of hundred jumps that haven't busted themselves up. (Harry P being an exception) I think that if you are going to live Base, then it's just a mater of time before you bust yourself up or worse. No matter how current or experianced you are. Just look at last years stats... (I'm sorry to use the term stats, becasue these are all beautiful people who have lost ther lives).

Personally I think that doing 11 jumps in one year is safer than doing a 100,no matter what the objects are. What are other people's views on this. I think I will carry on jumping at about this rate, I don't think I want to make Base my whole life, just something very special.

I know from skydiving though that currecy definatly makes you safer. After spending two seasons living on a DZ, you really realise just how little awarness people who only jump at the weekends have. During the week you see well established landing patterns, people stacking up coming in one at a time. All hooks controlled and in the same directions. The weekend arrives and it's a free for all. Complete carnage. But skydiving isn't base. I think that the chances for accidents to happen in Base are so much greater, that currency becomes a danger. It can lead to people re-establishing what they consider safe.
When someone is doing there 4th load of the night on there local A that they've jumped a hundred times before. They become under the impression that the jump is safe, that nothing will happen.
They didn't feel like this the first time they jumped it, so whats changed, the danger or the person.

Anyway I would be interested to see what other people's views are on being current.

Stay Safe
George

[motherhucker]

>I was at a BBQ with some mates not so long back. Steve, who I
>hadn't seen since he PCA'ed my for my first "low" Base jump
>
>people who have lost ther lives).
>
>Personally I think that doing 11 jumps in one year is safer
>than doing a 100,no matter what the objects are.

George;
I respectfully acknowledge you cry for help and urge you to get the help you need. Have you told your family about your crack problem? I can probably help you get on a recovery program--It's simple:
Go make a hundred BASE jumps next year.
Then, if you can come back and still have the same opinion, good on ya. But I for one would offer this advice:
BASE is not about probabilities of getting hurt--It's about making sound safety choices based on a realistic assessment of your skill.
thats all.

[georgechurchill]

Acutally I shouldn't really have brought types of objects into this. As it's not what I'm on about.
Lets say I think it would be safer to do only 11 jumps from an object rather than 100 jumps of the same object. Stands to reason right ?

I'm also not trying to say don't jump a lot cause its dangerous, just trying to do a risk management type of thing for me. My son was born five weeks ago and I'm re-assesing Base.

George

[BASE_689]

>My son was born five weeks ago and I'm re-assesing Base.
Now that line clears everything up. I respect you, your thoughts, your way of looking to BASE and your way of doing few jumps.
Fine.
Nobody is compelled to do few jumps or to do lots of jumps.
BASE is freedom of doing whatever you want.
But, please, don't try to make your very personal statement to be a rule. Please...
My first year (actually, I started in October) I did 6 jumps.
My second year I did 12 jumps.
My third year I did 56 jumps.
It took me one full year to withstand BASE in my mind and to convince myself (even if I completed the word BASE at my 13th jump) to be a good and safe jumper, to master the skills I was current with, and moreover, to NOT have the fear (=lots of fear!!!) WELL in advance (=days earlier) before a BASE mission.
After my 3rd year with 56 jumps, I felt very current and understood much better what I was doing. Stopped having fear days in advance (keeping the fear only for the day of jump!!!).
As our friend said above, BASE is mainly about your skills, improving your skills and moreover to enhance your ability to assess each jump with respect to your (present) skills.
So, my humble opinion is: the more jumps you do, the more safe you are, in the sense that your are much more current than earlier and with more abilities than earlier. But this does NOT mean that you must leave your head at home and you must NOT overcome your ability and your capacity to evaluate yourself with respect to anything you jump. And basically, you must NOT push ALL the time the envelope of real possibilities of BASE jumping, even if you are expert and current, always remain within your capabilities, whichever they are.
Just my 0.02€.


Stay safe out there
Blue Skies and Soft Walls
BASE #689 :D
e-mail: base_689@yahoo.com

[sean]

Hey George...just coz the little fella is here doesnt mean you have to give up...just re adjust your acceptable limits...every BASE jump is different so currency could be seen as not that important...why not just do stuff that you are happy with,when you are happy to do it...

[greeny]

George,

.......Just do stuff that you are happy with when you are happy to do it.....

Sean that has to just about sum it up. I don't think this is just a numbers game, If you jump the right objects, in the right way, with the right conditions, I see no resion you can't get through your whole base career without getting hurt. I do think though that if you want to make some of the more complicated jumps, then currency helps make the split second decisions right when they realy matter. Just an inexperienced personal opinion, but I can tell the difference in my flying between when I've made 25 jumps in a month or when I'm first jump back after 10 weeks off. Do what feals right to you, cause this is a very personal sport.

Greeny

[imported_Mac]

How ya going George! Hope the "little dude" is giving you pleasure!

I jump only when I am sure. If you jump the objects you are happy with at a time that you happy with the jump then I do think that it is possible to go through without much risk of serious injury. Of course there is always the "#### happens" aspect of a jump and you have to accept (or not accept) that. Its a personal thing and if you aint happy no one will blast you for your choice. If you jump 100 times in ideal conditions off "The herd" you are less likely to be hurt than jumping 11 times off it in not so ideal conditions.

Just my 0.00002 sheckles worth..........

Look forward to playing with you again soooooon! :P

Good luck and happiness with the little dude!

Cya soon
Michael
:+