Marc Does A Bungy Jump

(Pictures here) [Update: video link here]


After getting weighed (83 kg), filling out a 'toe tag' (love that gallows humor), paying, and stashing the stuff in my pockets into a locker (and taking off my glasses), I walked out on the bridge. Far below, the green water of the river swirled.

A French family was in front of me. A 16-year-old girl waited to jump. The folks working the bridge encouraged her to scream with abandon. She did, all the way down! The fellows were pleased - that was their emotional satisfaction!

The fellow helping me started placing my harness on. I asked, "Is that the Shotover River down there?" He sighed (Americans, and their dim geographical knowledge), and said "No, that is the Kawarau River. The Shotover River drains into Lake Wakatipu at Queenstown, and then Lake Wakatipu spills down the Kawarau River. Farther down, it runs into a hydroelectric dam, and gathers in a reservoir." But actually, I didn't care what he said. I just wanted to take my mind off what was just ahead.

A 14-year-old French boy prepared to jump. They took me to the alternate jumping point (for the more-rotund jumpers). I elected to just touch the water, and they said they could adjust the rope to be just long enough.

The French boy was choking with fear. He gripped the bridge and froze. I could see his legs shaking. They gently tried to persuade him to jump.

The fellow helping me wrapped my legs with a bath towel and carefully strapped my legs with belts. "Now, unlike that boy, we are more mature," he said, referring to himself and me, "and we can be more brave." Yeah, right....

It took some time to persuade the boy to jump, and when he did, he didn't dive off, but went down, standing straight. I could see the staff have small qualms (because at the bottom, the boy would pitch upside-down, given the harness' location below the boy's center of gravity, and that might not be that fun....)

The 12-year-old French girl was next, but since it took so long with her brother, they decided I should go next (second-to-last plunger of the day).

So, shuffling my bound feet, I edged out on the plank extending from the bridge, releasing the bridge only slowly and stood directly over the swirling Kawarau River. I didn't like this, being footbound in such a vulnerable place. Dangerous! One could fall!

"Now, focus on that highway bridge over there," they said, "put your arms over your head, and dive." It was hard to see the highway bridge in the distance, without my glasses (just as well, under the circumstances, not being able to see perfectly). I waved for the cameras and the crowd. The fellow then said, "Now, 3, 2, 1, jump." I leaned forwards, sprung my legs gently, and......

Nothing

Nothing

(guess I'd better open my eyes)

A spinning green watery canvas filled the entire universe some indeterminate distance in front of my face.

OWWW! My right side hurt! Like a swimming cramp! My liver must have been hurled against my diaphragm with utmost prejudice!

Didn't touch the water. Shouldn't have taken that stuff out of my pockets after they weighed me! Didn't really feel the spring back.

(oh, I should shout something)

"Yaarrghh! Yoo-hoo!"

Ack! I'm way in the air again! The rope snagged my heel, and now I'm really spinning!

Now I'm going down again! The blood is rushing into my fingers!

....

Eventually, once I stopped bouncing, they lowered me towards the lifeboat below. I grabbed their long metal hook so hard I dragged the boat through the water, and they said "Whoa! Whoa!" I relented my grip, to their relief, and they worked me into the bottom of the raft. They then set me ashore, and I walked back up to the visitor's center, stopping to watch the 12-year-old French girl come screaming downwards.

....

The day's remaining drive down the Kawarau Gorge was gorgeous, but somehow I had trouble focusing on the scenery....