Costa Rica Skydiving

by Dan'l · Published March 20, 2023 · Updated March 20, 2023

Completed formation. Photo by Bruno Brokken.

Most of the time, the only skydiving there is in Costa Rica is at small operations catering mostly to tourists seeking tandem jumps. My friend David Clark has a place called “DESAFÍO VERTICAL” like that, when he is in between touring the world himself and helping Rich Grimm put on spectacular boogies at Hotel Barceló, Playa Tambor, Costa Rica. On the way to our rental house in Quepos, we kept seeing signs showing the way to “Skydive Costa Rica”. This is another tandem jump operation. Since my friends Mike and Jim that we were traveling with are tandem instructors who have made thousands of jumps with thrill seekers harnessed in front of them, we did not feel compelled to stop and say “hola”. Plus we had just finished a week of jumps, landing on the beach at Tambor. Roughly half of the year, Costa Rica gets too much rain to allow regular dropzone operations. The dry season is December through May.

Rich Grimm, operating as Tsunami Skydivers, has gathered hundreds of skydivers, including Hall of Fame organizers and cameramen, together at an all-inclusive resort on the beach in Costa Rica, in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, and 2023. I feel lucky to have been there for all of these. They usually include the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day, and end the day before Presidents Day. I have friends all over the world who I only see at these events, or when they come to Perris or Elsinore and I happen to be there. I have also been to similar events in Nicaragua, Cabo San Lucas, and Koodoo Island in the Maldives.

We slack off just slightly on nutrition during these trips. At the all-inclusive resorts, there are buffets that really have something for everyone. This year, for the first time, they had plant-based milks available at breakfast for cereal and coffee. I had green lettuce, fresh sliced beefsteak tomatoes, cooked beets, rice and beans (gallo pinto) at almost every meal at the resort. I ate more fried potatoes and plantains than I would have, had non-fried ones been available. I resisted the desserts, but drank more beers and gin and tonics than usual. I gained 4 pounds in 17 days. Now that I’m home, that will come off steadily.

You can tell where I am in the pictures below, by recognizing my rig. I have two rigs, and they look similar and are designed for easy recognition.