LegalSuite Takes to The Skies!

The LegalSuite team recently went on a skydiving teambuilding exercise at Angels Way in Eston. Yes, you read correctly, skydiving!

As with most of our outings and adventures, it was a family day, with husbands, partners and children all coming along for a fabulous day in the sun (although it was rather chilly in the early morning and late afternoon!). We left the office at 7.30am on Saturday 29 May in a bus laden with refreshments, snacks and braai meat with all the trimmings, and arrived at Eston (on the Durban side of Pietermaritzburg) a little after 10.00am, having taken a wrong turn, which only added to the fun.

Lance Darwent of our technical department belongs to Skydive Durban which has its clubhouse and airstrip on Angels Way farm, and he very kindly arranged what turned out to be the best day ever for all of us!

Upon arrival, we were requested to complete the necessary indemnity documents, and were fitted with jump suits and harnesses, and listened to the safety lecture. Some of us were absolutely terrified at this point, however the staff of Skydive Durban were absolutely fantastic. Their friendliness and professionalism managed to calm nerves and settle stomachs, and we were each allocated a tandem master to whom we would be securely strapped for the jump. Then the fun began.

We were loaded into an Atlas Angel aircraft in groups consisting of a tandem master to whom we were tightly strapped and cameraman, whose job it was to capture the sheer terror and delight on our faces as we free fell at roughly 300km per hour before the parachute opened, and we then floated gracefully (or not in some cases!) to the ground.

It was an absolutely wonderful yet difficult to describe feeling. Leaving the aircraft at 12 000 feet above the ground was somewhat harrowing for some and exhilarating for others, and the feeling of freefall has got to be experienced to be believed. Once the parachute opened, the rushing sound of air faded into silence and we were able to take in the stunning views of the surrounding area. The tandem masters made sure that we were comfortable and secure, and it was possible to chat whilst floating to the ground.

Of our entire staff, the following were brave enough to throw themselves from the plane (albeit attached to a professional):

Lance Darwent (not in tandem, as he is already an accomplished skydiver)

Rick Jordan (Director)

Eugene Requilet (Director)

Ina Requilet (Eugene’s wife)

Nick Orpen (Director)

Andrew Orpen (Nick’s son)

Glenda Botes (Nick’s fiancé)

Shane Mamet (Programmer)

Candice Labuschagne (Shane’s girlfriend)

Jenny Oliver (Head of Conveyancing Support)

Jeanette Cooper (Receptionist)

Bianca Cruickshank (Conveyancing Support)

Michelé Holland (Conveyancing Support)

Deanne Scott (Bookkeeper)

Upon our return to terra firma, we were handed a certificate and DVD as proof that we had indeed leapt into sky and experienced what can only be described as utterly amazing!

The Briefing

All Kitted up and ready to go

Jeanette and Deanne Nick and Glenda Eugene and Ina

Michele and Bianca Jenny, Rick and Lance D Candice and Shane

The Spectators

Some of the LegalSuite team board our drop ship (The Atlas Angel)

The Angel taking to the sky, then we jumped out of it.

Some VERY happy skydivers

A huge thank you to the Directors of LegalSuite for affording us this once in a lifetime opportunity, to Skydive Durban for an amazing experience, and to Lance Darwent to arranging a fabulous day!