Bungee jumping is an amazingly wonderful experience, this goes without saying! This venture has its own wonders, no doubt about that. However, it can feel a little scary for some. What’s more, people invariably like to know how scary some ventures are before they book them. This is because one of the most difficult things for most people isn’t negligence itself. It is yet the worry of being embarrassed by negligence.
What does bungee jumping feel like? In this article, you will, by all means, discover what bungee jumping is and how it impacts your body and mind. Let’s hop into more right this instant!
What does bungee jumping feel like, per se? Bungee jumping totally differs from any other venture. You line up into the air, which is a dreamlike adventure, then slip with the breeze flowing ahead of you. The draw-back-up and a few bounces are oftentimes as flat as a pancake.
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What Is Bungee Jumping?
Generally speaking, bungee jumping is a thrilling adventure sport that involves jumping from a tall podium – typically from a barrier, bridge, crane, or building, attached to a special viscous flexible cord that flinches after a few moments of freefall. Even though the bungee platforms are typically from fixed facilities, it is also likely, and highly exciting, to bungee jump from burning air balloons, cliff gondolas, and choppers.
Bungee jumping is popular all around the globe. This sport is great to do in a group with buddies or family, cheering one another as you wait for your own turn to bounce! Sound thrilling, by all means!
Some bungee locations have the lowest weight limit sooner than a minimum age. Therefore, it’s a venture that can be endeavored by a scope of ages, with no highest age limit. Some bungee sites yet have the lowest age. The standard is approximately 14 years old, but this is conditional on each unique bungee.
A sport that needs minimal rehearsal on the participant’s part, needing only a minimal level of vigor, sound health, proper footwear, and to listen to a security briefing, this is a terrific sport that nearly everyone can try!
The Chronicles of Bungee Jumping
On the report of the myth encircling the South Pacific isle of Pentecost Island, bungee jumping has its origin there. The tale states that a woman, running from her abusive husband, clambered a tree to hide, which the aggressor pursued her up. Just as he attempted to grab her, she hooked vines around her ankles and bounced.
He jumped at the same time but struck the ground and died. The woman, however, survived because of those vines and her clever mind. This legend indeed is bizarre, yet very impressive!
From the time this legend took its rise, the people of the island have been jumping from trees with vines hooked to their ankles. What’s more interesting, this “land diving” has evolved into a ritual on Pentecost Island. This ritual is being practiced each year on Saturdays from April to June. This is indeed an interesting occurrence!
What about Modern History?
In April 1979, the Oxford Dangerous Sports Club attempted jumping from Bristol’s Clifton Bridge in England. Illegally and rather off the guard, a few fellows of this club tied flexible bungee ropes to themselves and jumped. They did that again at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, United States. one year after that.
This, however, pushed the sport into the mainstream together with other jumps. In 1989, the world-famous A.J. Hackett opened the world’s first retail bungee jumping place in Queenstown, New Zealand.
The Bungee Jumping Gear
The number of tools that are a must for this extreme activity is minimal. What does that mean precisely? Well, the participants may only need to carry proper footwear.
The bungee place will provide the specially created braided shock rope. This is the rope you will be connected to. Also, they will provide the leg and body harness you will be wearing, attached to the bungee rope. Last but certainly not least, more often than not you will need a helmet.
Don’t be doubtful of the area if you can’t see a harness. Why? That’s because some bungee locations simply link jumpers to the bungee rope through the ankles, while others employ a harness. What are the specifications of each of these security tools? Let’s hop into each of them!
- Bungee cord. This is a special rope made from tightly twisted rubber strands. There are various powers and thicknesses out there. So, various bungee locations opt for negligibly altering cords. This rope will have recoil when you reach a particular juncture before you are near the ground.
- Harnesses. The harnesses are often worn around the thighs, abdomen, chest, and shoulders. The bungee rope is attached to it. Precisely it is linked to the front of each part of the harness.
The Jump
Arrive at the bungee location no less than an hour before your turn. This will provide you with time to inspect the surroundings. Also, you could watch other people before you jump, get instructed, and have a safety briefing.
What exactly happens before you jump? Before the jump, you will be weighed so that the operatives set up the precise cord you will use. After binding your harnesses and cord and inspecting everything is safe and sound, you’ll then be prepared to bounce! It goes without saying that this is the most important measure.
What happens during the activity itself? Try to calm your mind, extend your arms, flex your knees and jump into the void. Appreciate the sense of the freefall. Note that it will solely last a couple of moments. After that, the rope will be fully stretched, and the stretchy will shrink and bring you back up negligibly.
You will hang like that shortly at the end of the cord until you are one dropped down to a specially-made landing site airbag, platform (or boat), or two raised back up to the site you jumped from. That’s about it!
What happens after the jump? After having your harnesses disconnected from the cord and the harness later taken off, you’ll be able to rest and think back on the fantastic bungee jumping adventure you’ve just had!
What Does Bungee Jumping Feel Like?
If you are asking yourself what does bungee jumping feel like, it can all go into these points. Take a brief glance at some of them:
- Nerves and potential terror before you line up.
- The immense thrill and adrenaline-powered anxiety as you fall with probable screaming.
- Downy moving back up and maniacal chuckle.
- Periodic bounces and then swinging where you feel relaxed but whizzing at the same time.
- You presumably will then want to do it over again!
- A sensation of an insane wild high for many days to come.
Yes, bungee jumping will be quite scary if you are trying it for the first time. However, after a few jumps, you will never be terrified of doing it ever again. This goes without saying!
Is Bungee Jumping Dangerous?
Yes, bungee jumping can be dangerous, by all means. Indeed fatalities are quite rare. Yet, this activity can do something to your body that, on typical occasions, you would not subject it to.
The jump itself isn’t the problem. It’s the moment at which the bungee rope extends to its fullest length and pressure. At this juncture, it can draw you back with plenty of force, and unexpectedly too. Some people have stated the pullback was very aching. So, be mindful of this!
The kinds of harms that can occur include but are not limited to:
- Eye damages: blood pressure in your eye’s blood vessels can unexpectedly arise. Because of this, some individuals have noted transient vision loss, scars, and retinal hemorrhaging.
- Spinal damage: the power of the bungee rope when it is being pulled back can provoke spinal ruptures and herniated discs. There is a slight risk of immobility and quadriplegia as well.
- Neck damage: your neck muscles can weaken resulting in quick distress. In more severe possibilities, neck and spinal damage can ensue. Also, even probable strangulation from the bungee rope can happen.
Sound scary, right? Fortunately, it is rare, but they are always dangers you ought to weigh up. There are indeed some incredibly terrifying things that can happen to your body while performing this jump.
Final Words
Yes, there are dangers implicated with bungee jumping, but statistically, the likelihood of injury is fairly slight. Whether you can confront your fears and make the jump, it is the unwritten rule you will want to do it again. You will, by all means, want a replay of that sense of terrifying delight you got from this unique extreme sport. Now that you know more about this, try to make every moment count!
