Bungee Jumping

Guide Note

Bungee jumping is an extreme sport that involves jumping off of a platform or bridge while connected to a long, thick, elastic rubber "bungee" cord. The cord acts to absorb much of the energy created by the extended free fall. As the cord reaches the end of its stretch, it snaps back up, bringing the jumper with it, who continues to bounce up and down along with the cord as the energy from the fall dissipates.

Fast Facts

1. First commercial bungee jumping facility was founded by A.J. Hackett in New Zealand
2. The Guinness World Record for highest jump is off Bloukrans Bridge in South Africa
3. Most bungee jumps occur over water
4. Extensive safety precautions are taken before any jump
5. Injuries and fatalities among bungee jumpers are relatively low
6. Some jumpers jump from moving vehicles such as hot air balloons, helicopters and mobile cranes

In the 1950s, naturalist David Attenborough captured footage of young men on Pentecost Island tying vines to their ankles and then jumping off bridges to prove their bravery. The first modern bungee jumps were made in 1979 in Bristol, England, by three members of the Dangerous Sports Club. They were arrested shortly after, but continued to popularize the sport by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge and various other structures. By the late 1980s, commercial bungee jumping facilities had begun to spring up around the world.