Bungee Jumping in New Zealand - A Heart-Stopping Adventure

Bungee jumping began in Queenstown, New Zealand pioneered by A.J. Jackett and Henry van Asch in 1988. Their first commercial bungee thrill adventure began at Kawarau Bridge outside of Queenstown but has now expanded to other sites in New Zealand and other countries around the world.

One of the other sites in New Zealand is the Nevis Swing suspended 160 metres above the canyon floor with a 120 metre rope length. After their release, participants race towards the other side of the valley at speeds of up to 120 km per hour. It is considered to be the world's largest swing.

Another heart-stopping attraction is the Ledge Bungee which is 400 metres above Queenstown. At this site you can leap in the moonlight with the stars shining brightly above or during the day with the view of the town below. Or, take a trip up the gondola above Queenstown to try the Ledge Swing and get a thrilling view of the town and Lake Wakatipu. Of if you're not quite up to the Ledge Swing, you can take the gondola up to the fantastic restaurant at the top, as I did, and view the lake and town after a wonderful meal. The swing ride over the lake takes one hour to complete.

Bungees used are similar to the bungee cords that we have all used at one time or another to keep things fastened and in place. Because of this firm elastic cord, the person free-falls, rebounding many times until the bouncing gradually lessens.

The idea of bungee jumping has been around for many hundreds of years. On Pentecost Island in Vanuatu, young men jump from platforms with vines tied to their ankles to test and prove their manhood. The story goes that a young woman was the first to do this in Vanuatu. And in 1979 members of the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club made a bungee-type jump from the 250 foot Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol. They were arrested for their effort. Before he began his commercial bungee jumping enterprise, Hackett jumped from the Eiffel Tower and that was the beginning of the world's interest in bungee jumping.

When the two young men attempted to get financing from the bank they were turned down. No bank wanted to be part of a crazy scheme where people jumped off a bridge. They felt the risks were too high and so declined. Hackett and van Asch were eventually able to get financial backing from friends and relatives to begin their bungee jumping enterprise. Initially given a twenty-one day license to operate, they had twenty-eight people willing to pay seventy-five dollars each to enjoy the experience of a lifetime on their first day of operation. It wasn't long before the adrenaline rush experience of jumping off a bridge caught on and now many visitors to New Zealand wouldn't consider leaving the island without trying this heart-stopping thrill of a lifetime.

While I prefer the safety of terra firma, there are many adrenaline rush addicts who enjoy the experience of jumping off into space and plunging to the water below before that bounce propels them up again to continue the experience until the bounce lessens. Since Hackett and van Asch opened their business in November of 1988, millions of people have participated to become one of the many thrill-seeking adventurers. I wish I was brave enough to be one of them. Watching those souls braver than I was as close as I ever want to get to the experience.

Snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef

Australia's Great Barrier Reef, which is one of the most accessible reefs in the world, makes snorkeling a dream. The reef is one of the natural wonders of the world and the largest coral reef. It stretches from Papua, New Guinia to Bundaberg in the south. There are a total of 540 islands that are part of the Great Barrier Reef.

Australia's underwater ecosystem is diverse and scenic making snorkeling an experience that is not only fun but one that will raise awareness of marine life. Submerged in the warm waters are baby sea turtles, red bass and giant clams to name only a few of the amazing sights a snorkeler will see.

On our trip to the Outer Great Barrier Reef out of Cairns we went by catamaran, travelling about ninety minutes before arriving at an enormous floating dock. On our trip, those who were snorkeling went down from the dock to a platform that each swimmer pushed off from. On this occasion, the area was contained and snorkelers were required to stay within that area. Also, wearing a life jacket was mandatory for anyone over fifty years old as the waters were not entirely calm.

Some trips out of Cairns will have participants jumping off a boat into the water while others are in shallow waters where you can walk in fron the water's edge. Some excursion companies will take snorkelers to an area where there are buoys and those who are not as comfortable in the water can go between the buoys. There are enough options available that even a nervous beginner such as myself will feel confidently mesmerized by the view below them.

On most trips instruction will be given to those who have never snorkeled before as well as there is often an instructional video to view snorkeling techniques. It is important to be able to swim and be somewhat fit. Even if a life jacket is used, there should be some ability to swim.

Some snorkeling tips are:

- Swim with a buddy, never alone.

- For first time snorkelers, it's best to go from a beach rather than a boat, initially staying in shallow water that is calm.

- Never look directly down; keep face looking forward.

- Realize that in salt water your body floats higher than in fresh water so excessive movement of arms and legs is unnecessary. The key is to relax.

- Ensure that you are using a correctly fitted mask that doesn't leak or is too tight. To prevent the mask from fogging up, clean often and use an anti-fog solution on the inside of it.

- A snorkel should have a splash guard. But if water gets in it, blow it out forcefully and the water will shoot out of the top.

- Fins also should fit your feet properly. Fins make it easier to swim.

- Avoid areas with heavy boat traffic or dangerous currents.

- Do not touch any of the reef because the coral is easily damaged and it can readily cut the skin's surface.

It is important to respect the reef and be a coral friendly snorkeler. One of the ways to do this is to follow snorkeling etiquette by not wearing a common sunscreen which will cause reef damage. Choose instead one that is biodegradable.

By following the above suggestions, you will enjoy your snorkeling experience and all that you can see of the astounding reef and breath-taking sea life.