Skydive OC combines skill, safety and adrenaline to create a thrill of a lifetime
Do you love to look at the scenery from high in the sky as you’re flying to a destination? Have you ever imagined what it would feel like to experience that scenery without the plane?
Skydive OC provides one of the most exhilarating thrill rides found on the Eastern Shore — or anywhere for that matter. Owner Jeanice Dolan knows just how incredible the sensation is, as the adrenaline rush from her very first jump changed her life forever. Armed with a business degree and climbing the corporate ladder as an accountant, Jeanice was on the fast track to an executive suite. But with the heavy grind taking its toll mentally, she used some well-earned vacation time to relax in the Bahamas.
It was there, in 1997, that she took a leap of faith, one that invigorated her with such energy, she left her promising career as a CPA to follow her newfound passion. Jeanice quickly became the first licensed female skydiver in the Bahamas, immersed herself in day-to-day aspects of the industry and jumped at the chance to acquire her own skydiving business in Ocean City.
“We love what we do, and we’re here to share that experience with our customers,” said Dolan, who has owned and operated Skydive OC from the municipal airport in West Ocean City since 2004. “I don’t sit in traffic every day or behind a desk anymore. But I do work my tail off, 365 days a year, to make sure our customers get the best possible experience — and it’s one they never, ever forget.”
OC Skydive offers tandem jumping, so customers can experience the adrenaline-charged free-fall, starting at 12,000 feet, while being safely and securely fastened to the harness of a parachute system built for two. Jeanice and her expert team of certified instructors have more than 35,000 jumps among them, so the 40-to-90-second experience at 120 mph is rooted in professionalism and safety. Tandem jumping is also popular because training time is about an hour versus an all-day course for those who want to jump solo.
“From the incredible aerial tour of Ocean City and Assateague Island and the adrenaline-filled free fall, to the when the parachute opens and leaves you with a feeling of serenity like no other, there’s nothing that compares to skydiving,” Jeanice said. “It’s life-changing.”