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Skydive festival this weekend in Qualicum Beach

Third annual boogie runs April 14-17 at Skydive Vancouver Island
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The third annual Island Fever Skydive Festival is April 14-17 at Skydive Vancouver Island in Qualicum Beach. Photo submitted by Skydive Vancouver Island

Gord Gauvin is hoping for four days of craziness and falling out of the sky.

Island Fever Skydive Festival runs April 14-17 at Skydive Vancouver Island (1000 Ravensbourne Lane., Qualicum Beach). The event starts Friday (April 14) at noon and will run until Monday (April 17) at 5 p.m., weather permitting.

On the Saturday night (April 15), there will be a party with local band Big Twang Theory performing.

While this is the third annual festival, Skydive Vancouver Island owner Gauvin said it’s the first time the festival is being held in the spring. Gauvin said that last fall the weather was so bad that they were basically rained out.

“We’re just looking for a better option and we like the idea of sort of starting off the season,” Gauvin said. “As a general rule, the season usually begins at the beginning of May in most of the country.”

This year, Gauvin said, Island Fever will be using a different plane, which can hold 10 people and will drop skydivers from 12,500 feet.

About 90 per cent of these skydivers, Gauvin said, are people that skydive on a regular basis. Gauvin said they would be described as “expert skydivers” and “definitely above the student level.”

“In order to skydive with other people, you have to have that experience,” Gauvin said.

Although the festival, or boogie as it’s referred to in the business, is for experienced skydivers, Gauvin said they will be offering tandem skydives all weekend from a higher altitude than what the company offers on a normal basis.

Tandem skydives are offered every hour from 10 a.m. until sunset. The cost on weekdays is $295 and on the weekends is $325. People can book by calling 250-580-5867 or online at www.skydivevancouverisland.com.

Gauvin said they’ve already got people signed up for the festival. While most of the people signed up are from closer to home, he said they’ve had people from as far as the Prairies in past years.

“We usually get somewhere between 50 and 75 skydivers from across western Canada and I think this year it’s probably going to be about the same,” Gauvin said. “If the weather forecast improves, that number will go up and if the weather forecast gets worse, then the numbers will go down a little bit.”

Gauvin described skydiving as a social sport, with the festival being a chance for everybody to get together.

“Most people are old friends or, if not, they will be by the time they leave because you get to know people pretty quickly,” he said.

For people who aren’t quite ready to make that jump, Gauvin said they are more than welcome to come out and watch from the viewing area next to the field.

“As long as we have sunny skies, that’s all we need.”



Lauren Collins

About the Author: Lauren Collins

I'm a provincial reporter for Black Press Media's national team, after my journalism career took me across B.C. since I was 19 years old.
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