| The
Right Gear |
Sound
reasoning and judgement.
The courage to say no. |
Police divers recovered the body
from 3m (10’) deep water near the base of the
cliff. Despite clearly posted signs warning people
of the perilous waters below, many thrill-seekers
tempt fate and jump anyway. Local officials stated, “The
risk-taking behaviour of young people can cause them
to do things they later regret. Unfortunately, it
takes an incident like this to reinforce the very
real dangers of cliff diving.”
AdventureSmart reminds you that cliff jumping is inherently
dangerous due to:
- Unknown objects lurking below the surface of the
water;
- Ever-changing water conditions and depths; and
- Slippery conditions climbing to the diving
point.
Cliff jumping injuries are very common:
- Any jump from a height is traumatic to the
body. As height increases, the risk for serious injury
goes up substantially. At 3m (10’), your body
is travelling at approximately 27km/h (17mph) when
you hit the water. At 6m (20’), you’re
going about 40km/h (25mph).
- Even if the water is deep and you go in feet
first, your speed is great enough to cause spinal
compression, bone fractures, concussion, or a collapsed
lung. An awkward entry - landing even slightly off-center
- can have a catastrophic result.
Remember - no matter how great the thrill, it’s
not worth your life. |
