A long time ago, I set a goal to skydive and scuba dive in the same year. Who knows why this became important to me. Perhaps the responsibilities of career and homeownership caused me to yearn for adventure, and those two activities sounded pretty cool.

So I soon found myself staring out of the open door of a small plane, looking down at tiny plots of land and buildings 10,000 feet below me. And yes, I jumped. I’ve attached a couple of photos as proof.

Before you think of me as a brave and skilled skydiver, let me explain that I did not jump alone. I went tandem.

Tandem skydiving is a common method for beginning skydivers, in which an instructor wears the parachute and the student is connected to the instructor by a harness. Essentially, the instructor is strapped to the back of the student. Well strapped. It is a great way to experience a sky dive before committing to the time and expense of training to become a solo diver. And you learn much during a tandem dive, including proper procedures for exiting the plane, freefalling and landing.

The Federal Aviation Administration sets rigorous licensing and certification requirements for tandem skydiving instructors. Specialized equipment is used for tandem dives to regulate velocity and support the additional weight of two divers.

There is no way to adequately describe the thrill of willfully spilling out of a perfectly good plane and freefalling for about a minute, then spending the next five to seven minutes slowly descending under a parachute. The world just feels, smells and sounds completely different from two miles up.

So treat yourself to a day-long great escape and go tandem skydiving. The highly qualified staff at Skydive Georgia will assist you with every aspect of your adventure. You can sign up as a couple or plan an excursion with a group of friends. No experience is necessary, but you must be at least 18 years old.

The orientation and training takes from two to four hours, depending on time of day and number of people scheduled to skydive. You will jump from a height of 10,000 to 14,000 feet, depending on the cloud base on that particular day.

Skydive Georgia is open seven days a week, 365 days a year. Rates vary by season. Currently, a tandem dive costs $195 per person on the weekend and $175 on a weekday. This includes the cost of all equipment, instruction and the flight. Reservations are required.

Purchase a video package for an additional $90 which includes a CD with still frame photos and a DVD video taken during your dive by a professional photograph.

Skydive Georgia is located in Cedartown, slightly over 50 miles from Woodstock. Call 770-684-3483 for more information and, as usual, tell them that Dee sent you.

By the way, I did achieve my goal of scuba diving the same year. That tale is for another day!