Technology in adventure sports has come a long way in recent years. I never realized how safe and comfortable it could be launching 216 meters straight toward the ground.
Independence Day, 2010. As I stand atop the Bloukrans bridge outside of Plettenberg Bay, my mind races to justify why I am jumping off of this extremely high platform. If anything goes wrong, I plunge to certain death.
I spoke with FACE Adrenaline owner and bungy innovator AJ Hackett, to ask a few questions about his unique bungy setup. Hackett was the first to create commercial bungy jumping and even hurled himself off of the Eiffel Tower in 1987, so I figured he was a good guy to talk to about the safety and to hopefully settle my stomach.
"We use a special, custom bungy attached to the back side of the bridge to create a pendulum effect decreasing whiplash effects."
He also said that there have been 4 deaths in the 13 years they’ve been operating(it scared me as well to hear this) then he went on to say, “2 suicides, and 2 car accidents above the jump site--so its 100% safe.”
FACE Adrenaline suit you with a full body harness and backup carabiner used in case the bungy for some reason comes free from your legs. The Bungy that Hackett has perfected over the years is constantly honed to increase comfort and minimize chance of injury--a bit different than the vines used by the indigenous of Vanuatu. Hacket uses his own custom, unbraided cords in which the latex strands are exposed. These give a softer, longer bounce and can even be produced at home--I'm not saying you should create your own, but its possible. Many other bungies are made from factory produced, braided cords with a tight outer cover for a shorter bounce.
The rush from this is unreal. My brain had no idea why the earth was coming so fast!
With a friendly and encouraging staff, I felt safe and had a great experience that I hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy! EXTREME!
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