I know, I know, you’d have thought by now . . . . But, really, this was my first. We’ll start with some photos and then get on to the video I know you’re all dying to see.
This first photo [remember to left click once on every photo] is taken downstream with a telephoto (by me) and was my first look at what I was about to attempt. What kind of fucking idiot jumps off something like this? (see below for answer)
Jump off this?! Are you shitting me?!!
So the next step was to drive around to the entrance and see what it looked like from the jumpers point of view (and check the cost). They have an observation deck near the platform so I stood with an Irish couple contemplating a jump. It seems he had done it but she had . . . ahem . . . “taken it under consideration”. I watched a few guys jump, summoned all my courage and then decided to watch a few more. Another 30 minutes passed, no one had died (yet) so I went into the hut to reserve my jump. I was told to come back in 2 hours as they (the staff) were going to lunch and they had a group coming at 1 pm.
“But,” I protested, “I’ve gotta go now! I don’t know if I’ll be able to do it then.”
She shrugged. “2:30,” she repeated.
Easy for her, I thought. She hasn’t been thinking about this for 15 years, since I read about it in Outside Magazine, and I vowed I would do it . . . someday. What did she know about being a 50+ guy struggling to hang on to his fading physical assets, knowing this might be the “Last Hurrah” for his claim to membership in the testosterone fraternity. This would be Viagra for my waning machismo, a slap in the face of those who would act their age. And she would deny me this? Apparently, yes.
Okay, then, I sought another outlet. They call this area the “Adrenaline Capital” and for good reason. There are many activities here which normal people only read about and discount as being activities for the “fringe elements”. But by joining the “fringe”, maybe I could recapture my youth, maybe I could return to the invincible days, when I was simply immortal and had nothing to fear but zits and girls. Time was short so we raced to the jet boat port and got a seat on the next ‘flight’.
What do you know about jet-boats? They have very powerful engines which suck up water and thrust it out as jets. Their draft is about 6 inches and they literally can turn (or do a 360) on a dime. The boat we took (as shown) had over 600 hp! The other odd thing about them is that they speed in the opposite direction of the jet spray (I forget which of Newton’s laws that was) and not in the direction of the bow. This allows for the boat to aim in one direction yet be headed in another. And the pilots were aspiring NASCAR drivers (well, without the unusual family tree, drawls, cigarettes in t-shirt sleeves, etc). We wore life-jackets and the scared grins one sees on roller-coaster riders. And very wet clothes.
part way into a 360
Huka falls: 360,000 gals/min!still thinking about the Bungie jump
Okay, we’re both wet and still giggling from the corporeal pleasures of the jet-boat ride but now I’ve got to put aside my delight and concentrate on the task at hand. All during this ride, I’d alternate between unbridled joy from the ride and the lurking fear and trepidation awaiting me at the Bungie site.
Unfortunately, when we got back to the bungie site they were still open. Bummer. So, I went and watched a few more jumpers just to be sure it was still safe. Again, in 10 minutes, no one died. So, with a deep breath and a VISA, I paid. Did Marie Antoinette pay for her ride? That’s how I felt.
I walked out to the end of the platform over the river and sat for a moment while the victim ahead of me leaped into space, pale and screaming. Then, it was my turn.
Nice guy that I am, I turned to let the next person go . . . . but no one was there. I took a deep breath and crept to the “on deck” circle. There were two guys there, each checking the other on all connections. I was quite impressed with the emphasis on safety. Everything was checked twice, aloud, with the other listening. I was seated near the edge, and each ankle was encircled with nylon webbing which were connected with a locking carabiner, which was was then connected to another webbing which was fastened to the tower (in case I wanted to kill myself by jumping then, I couldn’t). I did a fair amount of rock climbing (Yosemite area) in my youth and all the devices, fasteners, and ropes/webbing were of the same era and ilk. So that helped with my sense of safety. Then I was told to stand up and march to the edge. Well, with both ankles fastened, it was a “penguin march”. I was instructed to extend both arms above me, tuck my chin, and fall forward. Piece of cake, right! So, I start to lean, look down at 200 feet of space, and, suddenly, 30 million years of evolution kicked in. My frontal lobe was telling the rest of my brain that I had a rope tied to my feet . . .to no avail. I realized I was going to die and my whole body shut down. I have never been so scared in my life (a life, may I remind you, which includes kayaking, climbing, rappeling, car racing, and flying which includes several engine failures). Had there been a way to stop it then, I would have given all my wordly goods to do so. Nothing. I fell. I remember little of the next two hours as I fell until the cord gradually began to slow me and I realized, once again, I had cheated death. I yelled, “YES!!” as much to congratulate myself as the realization I would never, ever, have to do this again.
Creeping to the edge, trying not to shit myself
I'm going to die, I'm going to die
good form for a dead man, eh?
I realize that only 1-2 seconds pass from leaping off the precipice until the cord catching and stopping me but . . . but . . . I don’t recall that time. Protective amnesia?
I have no recall of this point
don't remember this, either
So, I guess you’ll all be wanting to see the video? That’s why you’re here, right? So, click
here to watch it on “YouTube”.
So, what are my thoughts? Well, this is one of those things which is not fun to do but is great to have done. Also, I have to say that I’m a bit pleased with myself for overcoming the fear and doing it. I’ll just have to avoid being a pain in the ass by working this into every conversation: “Oh, okay, maybe a little sore from my last bungie jump.” or “No, I missed that episode while I was bungie jumping.” And so on.
Sorry about conning you all into reading this blog. If you haven’t already, you should go back and read from the beginning (see archives on the right of your screen and read pages from the bottom up). And come back often. I haven’t been writing much lately because of some problems down here but will be adding material frequently (hear about Tasmania, New Zealand) in the near future.
Cheers!
