AJ Hackett Bungy Jumping

April 5th

What an extreme day! There are tribes on the island of Vanuatu that test their manhood by jumping off large towers after tying vines to their legs. AJ Hackett saw this practice on TV, and decided to make a sport out of it, starting in New Zealand. He jumped from many locales including the Eiffel Tower, after which he got arrested. Today, he has set up several towers throughout the world to bungy off of.

Tower from below

The one I am jumping off today is the first purpose built bungy jumping site in the world. It is set within the tropical Australian Rainforest in Smithfield, a town near Cairns. It is 50 metres high or 164 feet. The tower at AJ Hackett is built over an artificial pool. To get to the top we had to climb many steps. At the top we witnessed the rain forest more vividly, as well as the ocean in the distance.

View from the top with ocean in the distance

I was the 2nd one to go after Erin and before Zach. As they strapped me up my heart pounded like a billion drums. I tried to keep my nervousness down and just jump. I waddled to the edge of the platform, waved, and heard the instructor count down.

5...4...3...2...1... I plunged forward and extended my hands. The platform seemed to stay next to me for a bit too long before gravity took hold and hurdled me towards the ground. I felt all the fluids in my body slosh around and saw rain droplets evenly falling with me, as if still. Less than 4 seconds later, but what felt like minutes, and my body was half submerged underwater. Afterwords I bounced up and down and coiled upwards. Reaching out my hands, I was pulled in by a man on a boat who pulled me in and unattached me from the bungy cord.


Zach and I decided to go a 2nd time (for some crazy reason), this time backwards! For this we were certified as hardcore bungy jumpers. Next time I go bungy jumping I can ride a BMX bike off the platform if I so choose!

Videos of my 2 jumps (video quality suffered a lot in upload)

jump 1
jump 2


Keep it level!


Jono