DexterIntroduction to Base Jumping
March 29th 2008 00:11
Base Jumping
3,2,1 we have Lift off
Continuing to build a solid foundation on which to launch seekextreme.com my next profile is Base Jumping.
Technically not a competitive sport rather a thrill seeking exercise, BASE jumping is about as out of hand and fate tempting as any skill can be. Think skydiving on crack and you are touching upon the essence of just how out of hand this is.
When things go wrong
Apologies for laziness but I’m on a tight schedule today so rather than wax lyrical and provide a history lesson I’ve decided to just rip off the basic information on the sport from the trusty wikipedia library.
From wikipedia:
"BASE" is an apronym that stands for the four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump:
* Building
* Antenna (an uninhabited tower such as an aerial mast)
* Span (a bridge or arch)
* Earth (a cliff or other natural formation)
The acronym "BASE" was coined by film-maker Carl Boenish, his wife Jean Boenish, Phil Smith, and Phil Mayfield. Carl was the real catalyst behind modern BASE jumping, and in 1978 filmed the first BASE jumps (from El Capitan, in Yosemite National Park) to be made using ram-air parachutes and the freefall tracking technique. While BASE jumps had been made prior to that time, the El Capitan activity was the effective birth of what is now called BASE jumping. BASE jumping is significantly more dangerous than similar sports such as skydiving from aircraft, and is currently regarded by many as a fringe extreme sport or stunt.”
The leap of faith
As someone who is still trying to build up the courage to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, I envy those bold enough to indulge in this ludicrous past time. Even watching footage I find myself often holding my breath. Hurtling towards the earth at terminal velocity, the stunts resemble a form of attempted suicide.
So now for your viewing pleasure here is some jaw dropping samples that should serve to excite the uninitiated and familiar alike.
Base Jumping Video 1
Base Jumping Video 2
Base Jumping Video 3
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