Bungee jumping is a type of extreme sport that involves leaping from an elevated surface, usually a platform that is man-made or naturally occurring. The participant is outfitted with an elastic cable that is fastened to either their feet or their torso before they leap. The beginning point is then tied to that cable. The subject will then plunge headfirst after being secured. They will continue until the cord is fully extended, at which point the cord will rebound and the person will shoot back up. The descent will most likely just last a few seconds.
From the term “bungi,” which meaning “to tie or bind,” comes the word “bungee.” Aboriginal Australians initially used it to denote a particular type of tree in 1837. Later, the phrase was employed to describe the kind of rope used for bungee jumping.
The Nevis Highwire in New Zealand’s Nevis River Valley is one of the most well-liked places for bungee jumping. Since the leap is 134 meters high, the free fall should last around 8.5 seconds.
History Of Bungee Jumping
In the Pacific islands of the Antipodes, bungee jumping became a popular extreme sport. Young men from Pentecost Island (Vanuatu) would leap off towering wooden platforms while only being bound by vine leaves at their ankles as a test of their bravery. The length of the vine was chosen such that the young man’s hair touched the ground just as the elasticity of the vine reached its maximum.
Although daredevils had previously attempted bungee jumps (in Bristol, England, from the city’s famous Clifton Suspension Bridge; and in the USA, from the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco), the first commercial jumps happened in New Zealand, a nation that is frequently regarded as the Mecca of contemporary extreme sport, in the second half of the 1980s.
Indeed, A.J. Hackett founded the world’s first commercial bungee operation in Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island. It wouldn’t be incorrect to refer to New Zealander Hackett as the originator of bungee jumping, or at least its contemporary incarnation.
It wouldn’t be incorrect to refer to New Zealander Hackett as the originator of bungee jumping, or at least its contemporary incarnation. In 1986, he made an attempt at his first leap from Auckland’s Greenhithe Bridge. Later, Hackett would attempt leaps from other bridges and large buildings (including the Eiffel Tower), and his daring actions played a significant role in popularizing the sport.
Equipment
An elastic rope, which is actually a braided shock cable, is linked to the jumper’s ankle and forms the majority of a bungee jump. Natural rubber is utilized to make the majority of bungee cords (used due to its elasticity). A torso harness and a leg harness, which are attached to the cord, are used for bungee jumping (back-up for the ankle attachment, for safety purposes).
Tips
Each bungee operation would have varied minimum criteria depending on the height jumped as well as the difficulty of the leap. As long as you’re in good condition and shape, the lowest age is often 12 to 14 years old, and the maximum weight is typically 110 kg. The minimum weight requirement is 35 kg.
Medical Issues
It is advised against doing the leap if you have a heart ailment, epilepsy, high blood pressure, diabetes, a neurological illness, or are pregnant.
Environmental Issues
Remember the two golden commandments of bungee jumping: don’t litter, and leave your local area as you found it, whether you’re bungee jumping in the city or outside of it. Please tidy up any non-biodegradable rubbish you notice around (carry it out with you). And stop damaging the rocks in order to flaunt your daring!
Catapult, Reverse Bungee, and Bungee Rocket are Among Variations.
As implied by the name, the jumper in a catapult or reverse bungee is fastened with a body harness and elastic ropes while standing on the ground or base. The jumper is then launched into the air with fine force given to the ropes and subsequently released.
Catapult
The jumper begins “Catapult” (Reverse Bungee or Bungee Rocket) on the ground. After the cable has been stretched and the jumper has been fastened, it is released. This is frequently accomplished with a crane or a hoist connected to a semi-permanent structure. This makes extending the cable and lowering the person to the ground simpler.
Trampoline
Bungee jumping and trampolining are combined in the song “Bungy Trampoline.” Starting on a trampoline, the participant is equipped with a body harness that is connected to two tall poles on either side of the trampoline by bungy cables. The bungy cables are tightened when they start to jump, enabling a greater leap than would typically be possible using just a trampoline.
There is no actual jumping involved in “Bungee Running.” It simply entails using a bungee cord to sprint down an inflatable track, as suggested by the name.
A velcro-backed marker is frequently used to indicate how far the runner progressed before the bungee rope was pulled back. This pastime is frequently found at fairs and carnivals and is frequently particularly well-liked by kids.
Ramp
Off a ramp, bungee jump. Two rubber cords, or “bungees,” are fastened to a harness by being knotted around the participant’s waist. These bungee cords are attached to steel cables, which steel pulleys allow them to slide along. Before leaping, the athletes ride bicycles, sleds, or skis.
SCAD Diving
The participant is dropped from a height in SCAD diving (Suspended Catch Air Device), which is similar to bungee jumping except that there is no chord and the athlete free-falls into a net. SCAD divers who are not trained employ a specialized free fall harness to guarantee the right falling posture.
SCAD divers that dive free-style do not wear harnesses. The landing is incredibly gentle and forgiving into the enormous airtube framed net. Germany’s MONTIC Hamburg is where the SCAD was created in 1997.
Bungy Trampoline
It combines trampoline with bungee, as the name implies. The jumper stands on the trampoline while wearing a body harness. On both sides of the trampoline, two tall poles are linked with bungee cords to hold the harness in place. Every time someone uses the trampoline, the bungee cords are stretched. The likelihood of reaching higher in the air is increased by the force on bungee cords caused by the typical leap on.
Reverse Bungee
The current fairground amusement known as the reverse bungee was created by Troy Griffin sometime around 1978. It is sometimes referred to as the catapult bungee, slingshot, or ejection seat.
The coaster gained popularity and is currently among the most well-known rides. Many installations additionally include a reverse-mounted camera that records visitors’ experiences and is often sold after they’ve finished the attraction.
Both amusement parks and standalone attractions provide reverse bungee rides. Most installations charge an additional fee and need separate park entrance due to the restricted capacity of the attraction.
Skyscreamer
Two telescopic gantry towers positioned on a platform feed two elastic ropes to a two-person passenger vehicle made of an open steel sphere, and these towers are part of the ride. As the elastic ropes are stretched, an electro-magnetic clasp holds the passenger vehicle to the platform.
The passenger car is launched vertically with a g-force of 3-5 when the electromagnet is shut off, reaching an altitude of between 50 meters (164 feet) and 80 meters (262 ft).
The ride is chaotic and unsettling since the passenger sphere is allowed to revolve between the two ropes. The passengers are lowered back to the launch position once the ropes have been released following numerous bounces.
Slingshot
Instead of elastic ropes, the Funtime Slingshot employs steel cables and a revolutionary spring propulsion mechanism. The attraction can launch riders up to 150 meters (492 ft) in the air at speeds up to 160 miles per hour using up to 720 specially constructed springs.
What are some of the best places to go bungee jumping?
There are few well-known locations where bungee jumping may be done for breathtaking vistas and the thrilling free fall. The highest commercial bungee jump is a record that belongs to Macau Tower in Macau, China.
A participant at the Macau Tower will leap from a height of 233 meters and continue until they reach a height of 30 meters, at which point the cable will bounce back up. The almost 220-meter-tall Verzasca Dam in Ticino, Switzerland, is another well-liked spot for bungee jumping.
What equipment do I need to safely go bungee jumping?
A minimum amount of gear is required for safe bungee jumping. All that is required of a participant is comfortable attire and adequate footwear, such as shoes. Three further crucial items of gear will be supplied by the experts working there: a harness, a helmet, and the bungee cord.
The bungee cord is tightly fastened to the harness, which is wrapped around your torso. After you descend, the cord will pull you back up. The majority of bungee jumping locations also include rigging systems, which are a network of pulleys and ropes used to bring the jumper back to the original surface or platform when the jump has ended.
Risk of Injury
Bungee jumping injuries may be split into two categories: those that happen regardless of safety precautions and those that happen after leaping as a result of equipment failure or a catastrophic event.
First, if the safety harness malfunctions, the cable length is estimated incorrectly, or the cord is improperly linked to the jump platform, an accident may result. A guy died in 1986 while practicing for a bungee feat on a BBC television program when the cable from a carabiner clip came away.
Despite safety precautions, injuries frequently involve the sudden increase in upper body intravascular pressure that occurs during bungee cord recoil. The most often reported problem is harm to one’s eyesight.
A retinal hemorrhage-related vision impairment may be temporary or take many weeks to go away. In one instance, the eyesight of a 26-year-old lady persisted after 7 months.
As the jumper is shocked by the bungee cord, whiplash injuries may develop; in at least one instance, this has resulted in quadriplegia related to a fractured neck. Getting caught in the cable with the jumper’s torso or neck can potentially result in a very catastrophic injury. More recently, bungee jumping-related carotid artery dissection resulting in a specific form of stroke has also been described.
