29 Incredible Bungee Jumping Facts For All Adventure Lovers

Shagun Dhanuka
Jan 24, 2023 By Shagun Dhanuka
Originally Published on Jan 27, 2022
Edited by Jacob Fitzbright
Bungee jumping fun facts for all adventure lovers out there.
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Age: 3-18
Read time: 4.5 Min

Bungee jumping is a sport wherein the jumper usually falls from a great height while attached to a rubber cable.

When the cable bounces from its maximal stretch followed by a period of headlong free fall, it is bounced partway back. The Oxford Dangerous Sports Club made the first Western bungee leaps, inspired by accounts of the Pentecost Island divers.

In 1988, bungee jumping became available to the general public for the first time in New Zealand.

There are various risks associated with bungee jumping. The rope must be the exact fit for the jumper's weight, otherwise, it may snap. If the rope isn't the correct length, a person might fall to the ground before the rope can stop them.

 

Invention Of Bungee Jumping

  • Alan John Hackett is regarded as the founder of bungee jumping. He was a New Zealand entrepreneur who invented the bungee rope in the 1980s.
  • In 1987, he did the first commercial bungee, jumping from the Eiffel Tower.
  • When Face Adrenalin brought bungee jumping to the African region in the '90s, the Bloukrans River Bridge was the very first bridge to be utilized as a bungee jump launch location.
  • Face Adrenalin has been operating the Bloukrans Bridge commercial bungee since 1997, and is the world's highest commercial bridge bungee.

 

History Of Bungee Jumping

  • Young guys on Pentecost Island in the Vanuatu Islands made the first leap that was akin to bungee jumping.
  • To demonstrate their manhood, they leaped from a wooden platform while their legs were tethered to vines.
  • Bungee jumping has grown in popularity all over the world, but it all began when one New Zealander imitated a perilous South Sea ritual.
  • The first leap captured on camera was on April 1, 1979, and was performed by students of the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club.
  • Pentecost Island, Vanuatu's land diving is an old ceremony in which teenage boys jump from large hardwood platforms with an elastic rope tied around their feet as a test of courage and transition into manhood.
  • Land-divers, unlike contemporary bungee-jumping, purposely contact the earth, but the ropes absorb enough force to keep the impact from being fatal.
  • The jumpers were apprehended soon after but proceeded to leap off the Golden Gate Bridge as well as the Royal Gorge Bridge in the United States. The most recent leap was funded by and shown on the American show 'That's Incredible', which helped to disseminate the concept throughout the world.
  • Since the '80s, almost 1 million recorded jumps have occurred.
  • This record of safety may be attributed to bungee operators strictly following the rules and regulations that govern jumps, such as double-checking calculations and fittings before each jump.
  • To allow for stretching, the cable should be considerably smaller than the length of the leaping platform.
Bungee jumping is an intense activity that every adrenaline seeker should attempt at least once.

After Effects Of Bungee Jumping

  • Bungee jumping may be harmful if the gear is not properly examined and utilized, as well as if it does not fit the jumper properly.
  • Damage to one's eyesight is among the most prevalent bungee jumping hazards.
  • Bungee jumping has been shown to elevate stress levels and harm the immune system.
  • With regular usage, bungee cords will ultimately stretch, fray, or break due to exposure to the sun, rainfall, wind, and severe temperatures, which can hasten the degradation of the cord.
  • The high pressures that your body is subjected to as it is recoiling upward through the bungee cord might cause injury to your vertebrae and spinal cord.
  • The bungee cord pulls you back up with a rapid and powerful force when you free fall.
  • The deadly combination of this great force and is dangling from a cable can result in a variety of damage to your eyes, spine, and neck.
  • Compression fractures, shattered bones in the spine, herniated discs, and gaps between the vertebrae are all common injuries.
  • Bungee jumping should be avoided by pregnant women and those with heart problems, particularly those with high blood pressure.
  • Musculoskeletal discomfort in the feet, neck, spine, and chest, as well as neurologic problems including dizziness and headaches, and impaired vision, were among the first signs.
  • The most prevalent symptom was dizziness, followed by neurologic problems and musculoskeletal issues.

Fun Facts About Bungee Jumping

  • Bungy jumping, often known as Bungy lumping or bungee jumps, gets its name from the strong elastic cords used in securing luggage.
  • The name 'bungee' derives from a variant of English that implies 'something thick and squat', as in bungee leaping.
  • Bungee leaps are frequently done from stationary things, such as mountains, bridges, and buildings, on a very high, vertical, or horizontal object. However, a leap from an airplane is also possible.
  • The Macau Tower in China is the world's highest and most stunning jumping bungee spot, standing at 764 ft (233 m).
  • Mohr Keet, who jumped off South Africa's Bloukrans Bridge at the age of 96, was the world's oldest bungee jumper.
  • The elastic rope is generally tied around the jumper's legs, and they also wear protection gear similar to that worn by climbers.
  • Bungee jumping is common in movies, and it was used in the opening scene of James Bond's 'GoldenEye' in 1995 and was filmed at the Verzasca Dam bungee tower.
  • Bungee jumping may be done in a variety of ways, including commencing the leap from the flat ground or jumping from a ramp.
  • South Africa's Bloukrans Bridge is the world's highest commercialized natural bungee jump.
  • Andrew Salisbury leaped from a helicopter hooked to a bungee above Cancun, Mexico, in 1991, plunging 3,156.2 ft (962 m).

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Written by Shagun Dhanuka

Bachelor of Business Administration

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Shagun DhanukaBachelor of Business Administration

With a Degree in Business Administration, Shagun is an avid writer with a passion for food, fashion, and travel, which she explores on her blog. Her love of literature has led her to become a member of a literary society, where she contributes to promoting literary festivals in her role as head of marketing for her college. Shagun also pursues learning the Spanish language in her free time.

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