Bungee Jumping Travel & Destinations Guide Worldwide

Bungee Jumping

Travel Guide

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Origin

The first modern bungee was made by The Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club. It set one up from the 250ft Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, in the 1970s. This led to them being arrested, but didn't stop them; they later jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge and the Royal Gorge Bridge in the US. The jump from the Royal Gorge Bridge was televised, spreading the idea and popularity of this thrill-seeking activity to the world.

A.J. Hackett had watched the University's dangerous sports club with some interest. Taking inspiration from these nutty academics, and the Vanuata ritual of land diving, he developed his own bungee. He revealed it to the world in 1987 and proved its effectiveness as only a bungee jumper would: he threw himself of the Eiffel Tower.

He then went on to open the world's first permanent commercial bungee jump, off the Kawarau Bridge, Queenstown, New Zealand,

Since then, bungee jumping has evolved. And it continues to grow and change, with the thrill-seekers out there pushing for more extreme experiences. Now you can throw yourself from more than just the top of a building or bridge. There are drops of several hundred feet into volcanoes, jumps that submerge your head in water, even jumps from helicopters. In 2007, Hackett doubled his previous bungee record of 700m to 1499.6m in Malaysia.

In a twist to the original idea of bungee, now you can 'catapult'. You are secured to the ground, the cord is stretched, and next thing you know you have been catapulted into the air!

Get Started

Jump! There's no official training, just pay attention to what you are told on the day. If you want to find out more then look up the jump online.

Equipment

The bungee cord is formed of many latex strands wrapped up like a rope, which are enclosed in a tough outer casing. In most cases, jumpers are attached to the cord by ankle and body harnesses making the jump very safe. That said, an airbag or net is put under some jump spots - just in case.

When jumping, it's better to not take anything with you, as you are likely to lose anything you have in your pockets.

Jumpers have been seen in fancy dress and wearing absolutely nothing! Best advice is to wear loose-fitting sports wear.

Style

Over the years bungee jumping has evolved to include several types of jump:

Normal bungee jumps (on your own).
Tandem bungee jumps (with someone else).
Jumps from buildings.
Jumps from bridges.
Jumps from volcanoes.
Jumps from helicopters
Jumps from cranes.
Catapult 'jumps'.

Lingo

Bungee – English spelling of the activity. Uses shock cords, which give more freefall, higher 'G' forces and a long hangtime between rebounds.

Bungy – New Zealand spelling of the activity. Uses all rubber cords, which give a lower velocity and smoother fall, with high rebounds.

Rebound – the moment where the bungee cord goes tight and snaps the bungee jumper back upwards.

Harness – used to attach the jumper to the elastic cord.

Govern

The British Elastic Rope Sports Association
(BERSA)
http://www.bungeezone.com/orgs/bersa.shtml

European Bungee Sports Association
(EBSA)

Packing

Fresh underwear.
Comfortable, casual sports kit.
Drink for while you wait to jump.
Camera with HD recording/ mobile phone with half-decent camera phone.

Safety

Bungee jumping is a safe activity. The bungee cord is much shorter than the distance between the jumping platform and the ground. Most injuries in the past have been down to human error: Where the bungee cord wasn't properly attached to the jump platform, or the jumper; or the cord's elasticity was miscalculated. All staff at jumps need to be properly trained and experienced in bungee jumps.

Jumpers should wear suitable clothing that won't interfere with the harnesses, and avoid wearing any jewellery that could get caught on the bungee cord (no necklaces, earrings etc). The most common injuries from bungee jumps are when people get their limbs tangled with the rope.

Many bungee operators will close the jump when there is poor visibility or unpredictable winds. They also need to look after their equipment; rain, snow, damp or ice can impair the equipment's effectiveness.

Jumpers should meet the following criteria:

Weight and height within the cord's range.
Normal blood pressure.
Normal heart rate & rhythm.
No back or leg injuries.
Normal breathing.
Normal circulation.
No head injuries.
Not pregnant.
No recent history of surgery.

Bungee Jumping Travel Guide