Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Other Local Resorts & Areas => Olu Deniz Discussion Forum => Topic started by: indie63 on August 08, 2011, 12:34:52 PM
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Hi all,
Going to Oludeniz mid October with my partner and she wants to do Paragliding at Babadag on her birthday there, i was wondering am i better to book whilst in resort or before i go ? Been on Hamish Mcturk website, is he best to book with ? reputable etc or are there others in resort better to speak to. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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How about waiting until you're in resort, that way if you wife "bottles it" you've lost nothing!! As far as I'm aware Hamish McTurk are just an agent that books the paragliding & many other trips with 3rd parties. Might be cheaper to book direct, if you're anywhere near the beach in Olu, you'll soon suss out what companies are doing the paragliding, their company names are plastered all over the canopies.
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quote:
Originally posted by indie63
Been on Hamish Mcturk website, is he best to book with ? reputable etc or are there others in resort better to speak to. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hamish McTurk were of course one of the few tour agencies that supported and promoted the barbaric dolphin "attraction" in Hisaronu which was eventually closed by public pressure and protest. Companies like Hamish McTurk selling tickets for idiots to "swim" in a concrete hole in the ground with the dolphins prolonged their already considerable suffering.
You can book this with nearly all the tour companies - here is a list of those who refused to make money from this horrific freak show (and by doing so made it financially unviable earlier):
{A Link to an old CBF topic was here - no longer available}35986&SearchTerms=dolphins
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Thanks for replies, i will probably wait until i arrive then, i certainly wont use mcturk if that was the case.
Cheers for info...
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i go with sky sports been 6 times now.
i'm going with in aug.thought i might do it
again in oct i book when i get there . they have a web site you can look
at
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Would agree with using sky sports, very professional. We have used them for years for various 'outings' including my Mother in Law paragliding with them at the age of 89 AND 90! They will not be the cheapest BUT do you really want to jump off a mountain using the cheapest operator? Where do they make their savings?
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Also I believe that a number of the booking agents advertise the activity and you end up with Sky Sports anyway.
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A colleague at work is a Paraglider Pilot and goes out to Olu Deniz to instruct. She recommended Sky Sports so we have always used them
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You are best booking while in resort as sometimes the weather may not be suitable for paragliding This can even change by the hour but at least nearer the day you will have more idea how the weather is expected to be
All Olu deniz Paragliding operators are reputable and very professional and experienced in the sport They have to be, this is a serious sport and safety is paramount I suggest you visit Olu deniz and talk to the various operators there and choose the one you feel comfortable with
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Definitely book when you are there, I have been paragliding once, first time we came here, amazing experience but wouldnt do it again :)
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Sorry Jules, cannot agree that all Oludeniz paragliding operators are reputable, professionable, experienced. Sky Sports have been mentioned here and they are very good, so is Airborne. They both are professional companies in that they have experienced pilots, renew their equipment, including harnesses regularly, which have been a fatal factor in many of the accidents. I do not have any connection with any of the companies that offer paragliding in Oludeniz, but have been here since the start of this 'mad jumping from a mountain',as I consider it! At the end of the day, this is a dangerous thing to do, minimise your risk by using a good company that has insurance to bring you down off this mountain if there is an accident. Someone once said to me that it did not matter as if they fell from 6000 feet that is the end, yes, for you, I said, but not your family.And not if an accident happens and you have to cone down on the mountain. Holiday insurance certainly does not cover for this.How much is your life worth? An extra 20 quid surely??
Happy jumping!
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quote:
Originally posted by lissa
Sorry Jules, cannot agree that all Oludeniz paragliding operators are reputable, professionable, experienced. Sky Sports have been mentioned here and they are very good, so is Airborne. They both are professional companies in that they have experienced pilots, renew their equipment, including harnesses regularly, which have been a fatal factor in many of the accidents. I do not have any connection with any of the companies that offer paragliding in Oludeniz, but have been here since the start of this 'mad jumping from a mountain',as I consider it! At the end of the day, this is a dangerous thing to do, minimise your risk by using a good company that has insurance to bring you down off this mountain if there is an accident. Someone once said to me that it did not matter as if they fell from 6000 feet that is the end, yes, for you, I said, but not your family.And not if an accident happens and you have to cone down on the mountain. Holiday insurance certainly does not cover for this.How much is your life worth? An extra 20 quid surely??
Happy jumping!
ALL the paragliding Companies in Olu Deniz are Professional and reputable They have to be as you, and I also said, It is a dangerous sport and not just anybody can take your money and jump off a mountain with you They are all strictly controlled, I personally jumped with and know owner of Airborne
You dont seriously think that people selling this type of activity would be able to do so as amateurs and without the proper licences and insurance??
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Who knows ? There is a lot you would "assume" in Turkey based on what we assume in the UK. Who would have thought it was officially OK to stick 2 dolphins in a paddling pool in Hisaronu ?
I'm not saying other paragliding companies are unsafe ...but the point is we have know way of knowing that and the decision often comes down to pot luck or which company has the best sales patter ! :-)
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Just on the insurance thing. The insurance the companies provide I think is limited to Turkey so it probably doesn't cover a repatriation medical flight home. We have always either taken an add on for paragliding on our annual travel policy or a special policy for paragliding with a specialist company before we leave the UK (not very expensive )
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I have also lived here for 6 years and I do not assume that the Paragliding companies have insurance etc, I KNOW ,they have to by law!
And yes their insurance would only cover you for here Not for repatriation
The incidents of paragliding accidents are very low when tandem flying with the companies here, The magority of accidents occur by the solo fliers who come here to jump
And i dont think that the fact that 2 dolphins were put in a cesspit has any bearing on this topic
The fact is, there is Paragliding at Olu Deniz and yes accidents do happen, thankfully rarely, but people have to understand that it is not like going on a ride at Alton Towers, it is classed as a dangerous sport but anyone who comes on holiday and wants to try it Olu Deniz Paragliding companies are all very experienced and professional and are strictly controlled
Its a fantastic thing to do also, The views and adrenalin rush are amazing!!
I did it once But never again!!:D
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Instead of Paragliding have you considered a Tandem MicroLight Flight? www.flysouthturkey.com 02526166398 05333170504
You don't have the drive to the top of Babadag,the pilots there are extremely professional/experienced and everyone taking the trip seems happy to have done it.
I do not have any financial interest,just think they deserve a mention.
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quote:
Originally posted by Julesp
I have also lived here for 6 years and I do not assume that the Paragliding companies have insurance etc, I KNOW ,they have to by law!
And i dont think that the fact that 2 dolphins were put in a cesspit has any bearing on this topic
Jules, I am not anti-paragliding. I have done it twice and will do it again In fact I quite fancy learning to fly one.
The point I was making about the Dolphins was related to your general point that just because something seems obvious and should be the case doesn't mean it is.
Things happen where you think how the hell is that "allowed" (Dolphins for example and assorted Health and Safety nightmares which are "allowed"). Other stuff goes on where you assume it's all above board and isn't (who would have thought the bean bags on the beach which seemed perfectly up-front and sensible had been operating illegally for years ?) I'm sure you can think of loads of other "surprises"
You are lucky to have the local personal knowledge that all paragliding companies comply with whatever official / legal regulations there are. From my own experiences in Turkey I find people are generally told what the "seller" thinks they want to hear so I'll maintain my healthy scepticism and try not assume too much :-)
I wouldn't put anyone off paragliding as it's a truly memorable experience and fantastic value compared to getting dragged around the sea in a rubber ring for 10 minutes or hauled up into the air behind a speedboat. I'm still non the wiser as to how to compare paragliding companies though :-)
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I was walking past one operator this year with my son. The rep asked my son if he was interested in a flight.
My son asked how long he would be up in the air and the rep said 'about 20 mins'
He then looked me up and down (6'3 and 17 stone) and said 'about 5 mins for you mate':(
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Julesp i have been a bit of a fan of yours for a while reading your comments on varous topics like the duck pond etc but i must agree with Slartibartfast here. You cannot blindley defend profesionalism and safety regulations in Turkey because they are realy bad, and he did not introduce the dolphins in a concrete hole to the conversation your chairman of the bored Nitpicker scunner did.
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Has anyone heard any details of the paragliding accident yesterday when a Turkish man died? There are reports in the Turkish newspapers but can't find any details, ie, which company was involved.
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I didnt know there was another accident yesterday :( Paragliding accidents arent that rare as there was the tragic death earlier in the season of a Pilot and his English passenger
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http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/18632027.asp
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The pilot involved in the accident was from Airborne/Ikarus.
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Thats awful, so sad :( I believe the man who died was on his honeymoon