Bungy JumpingBungy Jumping
Publication Date: May 2001
by Michael Black
The sensation of bouncing up and down like a yo-yo from a suspended bungy platform is difficult to describe. You simply have to experience it for yourself. The queaziness in your stomach as you stand on the platform looking down at the landing area. The heart-pounding feeling as you leap from the edge is second-to-none. You will never forget the awesome, adrenalin-pumping freefall until you finally feel the bungy cords gradually kick in. This often sends jumpers into completely uncontrollable fits of laughter or mixed screams of terror and joy.
Slowly the cord stretches to the maximum cord extension and you experience approximately three Gs of force just before your body hurtles back into the sky. This part of the jump is often referred to by bungy operators as the "comfort zone"- when first-time jumpers think the bungy has them and that it's all over. That's when they find out the worst is yet to come! As the jumper reaches the top of the first rebound, all the tension comes off the bungy cord and they're left wondering . . . What? Where has the bungy gone? That's when they realize what's coming next - more freefall! Most jumpers will experience three or four major bounces before the bungy begins to settle. However, most jumpers will be unsettled with a light-headed feeling of euphoric sensation for the rest of the day.
Bungy jumping today is a modern version of an ancient rite of manhood performed in the Pentecost Islands in the South Pacific. On the island of Vanuatu, young men jump from specially constructed bamboo towers with vines attached to break their fall. Climbing to an approximate height of 35 meters, they hurl themselves towards the ground with only vines tied to their ankles, thus proving their manhood and ensuring a bountiful yam harvest. The best man is the one that comes the closest to the ground. Some come too close, actually hitting the ground with their head or shoulders.
Modern-day jumping, as we know it, was started in England by the Oxford Dangerous Sports Club, who called it BUNGEE. The world's first commercial bungy jump was opened in central New Zealand about a decade ago - they spelled it BUNGY. Since they made it more popular, they say this is the true spelling of the jumping procedure.
Bungy jumping is totally safe if you jump with a professional crew and
a regularly inspected facility. Modern-day bungy jumping now utilizes special
purpose harnesses and very strong elastic cords. The bungy rigging is individually
calibrated to your weight, ensuring the smoothest possible ride. Bungy jumping
is usually done in the United States with several types of harnesses depending
on the bungy facility.
The method of attaching a jumper to the rope with a towel and a bit of webbing was pioneered by A. J. Hackett and is used by many companies. It's very simple and quite comfortable for the jumper. It also doesn't take a long time to tie. A towel is wrapped around the jumper's legs (as padding). Then a webbing sling (closed loop) is tied over and around the towel to secure the jumper. As the webbing takes load, it only gets tighter. No real knots are involved as such. Despite it's simplicity, there is a special technique to trying this harness - NEVER try this on your own - you could kill yourself!
Many bungy jumping facilities use a body/seat harness or a shoulder/chest harness as a backup. Some facilities use all of the above: a leg harness to take most of the weight, and a body harness, or a climbing harness (with option shoulder support) for backup and also to make the ride back up more comfortable (if they do haul you back up).
Most people that watch bungy jumpers from the safety of the ground want to know only one thing - Why do they jump? This is the question most first-time bungee jumpers ask themselves before they jump. Is it a moment of pure insanity? Is it the insatiable desire that some have for an adrenalin rush, or is it a result of peer group pressure? No one can say for sure why each person takes that leap of faith off the bungy tower. But for whatever reason they jump, one thing is for sure...life will never be the same after they have.
For more information on bungy jumping, check out the following websites:
www.skyhighbungee.co.uk/html/faq.html
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