|
sky tower sky jump
 Step onto the
Auckland Sky Tower outdoor observation deck, and look down at the
miniature red bull’s eye painted on a raised platform 192
metres below.
This
is your precise landing spot in the Sky City Plaza on a leap of
faith that is like nothing else on earth - as near to ‘Jump
Heaven’ as you can get.
The Auckland Sky Tower Sky Jump is different from bungy jumping.
It is a cable-controlled base jump, where participants can choose
to go down feet first or glide down head first like Superman. You
wear a special suit with a full body harness attached to a wire
cable and a descender unit. As you fall the cable drum feeds out
wire behind you at a controlled speed. You fall at about 60 kph
and gradually decelerate as the ground approaches and finally
touch down on the lower platform at a safe landing speed. The
fall lasts around 20 seconds and provides an unbeatable ground
rush.
 It
offers a new kind of free falling thrill with wide appeal,
because of its controlled descent. The vertical cable-guides
provide a safety feature that enhances the experience for people
who would baulk at a total free fall experience. The guide wires
on either side prevent the jumper from turning around and
becoming disorientated.
The Sky Jump is reputed to be the highest public tower-based jump
in the world. For comparison purposes it is four times higher
than the popular Taupo Bungy, Mokai Gravity Canyon. Bungy founder
AJ. Hackett made a courageous bungy jump off the Sky Tower in
1998 setting a new world height record for a jump from a fixed
structure. Now that the guide wires have been added it is a ‘breeze’ and is within the capability of any thrill
seeker.
Put this awesomely massive jump on your ‘must do’ list
if you dare.
|
