Modern Bungee Jumping



Modern bungee jumping started with a jump from a suspension bridge in Bristol, England, on April 1, 1979. Obviously, it was no April fool's joke. From a height of 250 ft., four friends from the 'Dangerous Sports Club' leapt into the history books by taking the historic plunge. They were promptly arrested by the authorities shortly after completion of their activities. However, this failed to dampen their spirits much. They moved their jumping activities to the United States, where the jumped from the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco, California. They also managed to secure sponsorship from the American television show 'That's Incredible' for their jump from the Royal Gorge bridge in Colorado. Their perseverance helped bring modern bungee jumping to the spotlight of the media, and the masses.

Bungee jumping takes place around the world today, from Australia to the United States, to many countries in Europe. It is well respected as a dangerous and extreme sport. Despite it's obvious dangerous aspect, millions of people have successfully completed jumps since the onset of modern bungee jumping. Indeed, tens of thousands of bungee jumpers take the plunge each year, in an ever-increasing variety of ways and places.

Many commercial endeavors have sprung up because of the rise in popularity of bungee jumping in the modern sports world. One of the most notable and respected outfits is the A. J. Hackett Bungee Company in New Zealand. A. J. Hackett founded the company in the late 1980s, after popularizing the sport with his own jumps. Indeed, he contributed to the modern bungee jumping by developing a new type of bungee cord. He personally demonstrated his new super elastic bungee cord when he jumped from the Eiffel Tower in 1987. His company has done a great service to the sport by helping to develop modern means and methods that provide a safer form of bungee jumping.

Modern bungee jumping has even crept into some aspects of mainstream western culture. For example, there have been a few major movies that have featured a bungee jump in their plot. One of the most well-known of these movies would be the James Bond spy-thriller, 'GoldenEye', from 1995. In this particular film, Bond is shown performing a bungee jump from what is supposed to be a dam in Russia. While the jump was actually performed, and was not computer or artist generated animation, the actual location of the jump was incorrect. The filming actually took place at the Versazca Dam in Switzerland.

Modern bungee jumping has even become a sport that in which the participants are striving to outdo one another. The Guinness Book of World Records has become involved, and has recorded what they have officially deemed as the 'highest commercial bungee jump'. This jump takes place from the Bloukrans River bridge in South Africa. At over 700 feet above the floor of the valley, it is an astounding feat indeed. While other jumps have taken place from higher locations, this particular locale is considered the highest because it is purely a bungee jump. There are no additional cords or secondary safety cables ... just the good ol' bungee cord. Like it or not, it looks like modern bungee jumping is here to stay.


Brought to you by the Bungee Jumping Mini Guide

AddThis Social Bookmark Button





Bungee Jumping Articles

Bungee Jumping In America
The Risks Of Bungee Jumping
Modern Bungee Jumping
Bungee Jumping Safety
The Sport Of Bungee Jumping
Bungee Jumping Clubs
Bungee Jumping As Stunts
Physics Of Bungee Jumping
Who Is Best Suited For Bungee Jumping?
The History Of Bungee Jumping
Bungee Jumping Culture
Bungee Or Bungie Jumping
Naked Bungee Jumping
Bungee Clubs Around The World
How Did Bungee Jumping Become So Popular?
Types Of Bungee Jumping
Ways To Bungee Jump
What Type Of Bungee Jumping Trip Would You Like?
Bungee Jumping Equiqment
The Highest Bungee Jumping In The World
Five Bungee Jumping Questions
Do You Want To Learn Bungee Jumping?
Where To Bungee Jump
The Discovery Of Bungee Jumping






Bungee Jumping Articles


What Type Of Bungee Jumping Trip Would You Like? If you would like to try the sport of bungee jumping, you can..


Bungee Clubs Around The World If you are a newcomer to the sport of bungee jumping and wish to..


Do You Want To Learn Bungee Jumping? Perhaps you have decided to take up the sport of bungee jumping..


The Sport Of Bungee Jumping Three decades before bungee jumping began to come into the..



Bungee Jumping Videos:

Bungee Jumping News:

 
North Yorkshire readers can win a bungee jump - Darlington and Stockton Times

    

North Yorkshire readers can win a bungee jump
Darlington and Stockton Times, UK - Jan 6, 2009
READERS who borrow library books are being offered the chance to win a bungee jump in a competition. North Yorkshire County Council’s library service is ...
Readers' bungee incentive Scarborough Today
all 3 news articles



Jim Carrey on new movie ‘Yes Man’ - WalesOnline

    

BBC News

Jim Carrey on new movie ‘Yes Man’
WalesOnline, United Kingdom - Dec 25, 2008
THERE’S very little Jim Carrey won’t say yes to – and for the Hollywood star’s latest film comedy that included bungee jumping while chatting on a mobile ...
Say yes to life The Sun Daily
Yes Man bungee jump Manchester Confidential
Carrey on laughing Northern Echo
Movies.ie - Times 24
all 903 news articles