Here's a riddle: How can four skydivers take a jump that spans two years?
The answer: Four jumpers from Skydive Superior will dive into free fall during the waning moments of 2008 at about 11:58 p.m. today and open their parachutes to coast into 2009 just after midnight at the Bong Airport in Superior.
"It's the best way to ring in the New Year," said Heather Roberts, the only one of the four skydivers who is making a first nighttime jump. "I'm really excited."
The multicolored parachutes of Roberts, Barry Sinex, Dean Beaudoin and Mike Robinson will be illuminated by a light shining upward from each jumper's helmet. Also brightening the night sky will be a red strobe light on each helmet and green glow sticks in their hands.
Sinex copied this jump after other New Year's jumps around the country. Sinex and another crew set out last year to do a jump spanning 2007 and 2008, but it was canceled because of a low cloud ceiling. The ceiling was about 1,800 feet last year, or about 1,200 feet below the required 3,000 feet. Sinex said tonight's forecasted ceiling is for about 3,000 feet. The foursome will leave the airplane at about 10,000 feet and free fall for about 45 seconds at speeds reaching 120 mph.
ADVERTISEMENT
Sinex of Duluth said the protocol for night jumps and daytime jumps doesn't differ much. To locate the landing area tonight, five or six vehicles will circle around the landing area and turn on their lights to guide the skydivers. The glow sticks will help light the altimeters, which tell the skydivers when to pull the cord to their parachutes.
