Kiwi Land, Part XI

Location: Nomads Backpackers, Queenstown

Date: 3 June 2012

Time: 5:00 PM

The first part of my adventure is the canyon swing.  The swing is the tallest cliff jump in the world.  It starts 109 meters above the Shotover river.  Basically, you’re harnessed onto a long rope that’s suspended above the canyon with wires.  You jump (or flip or dive or anything) off the platform into a 60-meter freefall.  At the end of this freefall you’re going about 150 kph (over 90 mph) and then you swing 200 meters in an arc over the water.

Oh, nothing like a 109 meter canyon!

For some reason they drew a snowman on my hand...

Gear on, myspace style

Two things about the swing: one, it’s absolutely terrifying; two, it’s absolutely exhilarating.  I jumped three times because they were having a special on repeat jumps (a charitable donation to help a kid with cerebral palsy).  The guys up there are known for screwing with you—telling you how things “usually end up okay,” pretending to throw or kick you off, etc.  It’s 100% safe, but they like to convince you that you might die.

1. My first jump was a backwards flip.  I left the platform backwards, threw my head back and feet up, and I did a couple flips in the 60 meters.  Then I hit the swing, flipped back upright, and shot out into the canyon, screaming with excitement.  Again, I must go again!  Thankfully they winch you back up so you don’t need to walk to the top of the canyon.
2.  The second jump position was called “gimp boy.”  You hang upside down on the wire with your feet crossed above you, for some reason holding a teddy bear between your legs (and a ukulele in my hands), and then they pull a pin and you plummet face first towards the ground, which is the craziest thrill.  They joke that you should bring spare underwear to this activity (and even sell it there), and I almost needed it.  The operator told me he would give a countdown… “five, four—“ then he pulled the pin so I was completely surprised, so I made a very non-manly noise as I shot towards certain death.  That was my favorite one.
3.  I did a “superman” forward leap for my third one.  It’s technically not as scary, but having to actively throw myself off the platform was very hard.  Its not a very natural thing to jump head first off a cliff, but I eventually mustered up the courage.  My jump was more of a spread-eagle/flying squirrel combo than a superman, but it was fun nonetheless.

Backwards flip

"gimp boy"

Superman

The canyon swing was my favorite adventure activity, even more fun than bungy.

"Even my shit was scared!" Yes, they sell underwear at the swing, just in case accidents happen.

After lunch I did a jetboat ride on the Shotever river.  The jetboats zoom through the narrow canyons at 80 kph, and the drivers are trained to make you think they are about to crazy into the rocks.  You literally get inches away from the canyon walls as they slide the boats around the corners.  What’s cool about the jet boats is that they can operate in only four inches of water because they’re powered by water jets instead of propellers.  The dual jets (powered by a 320 hp crate motor in back) pump over 800 liters of water per second!  This makes the boats not only fast, but highly maneuverable, and they can even do 360 degree spins, which we did about ten times.  The ride was about 30 minutes of sheer thrill.

Jetboat (that's me in the front on your left)

Yes, that's supposed to happen.

As a result of today’s activities, I must admit I am an adrenaline junky.  Gravity has become a toy for me.  All my previous reservations about these crazy activities are gone.  Next up: skydive, but I’m going to wait until this summer for that.