| Bungy Jumping | | | | and fast moving New Zealand rivers and now, |
| Where it all began... | | | | throughout New Zealand, there are many jetboat |
| | | | operators waiting for you to come along and |
| Of course we can't claim to be the absolute | | | | experience the thrill. Queenstown does claim to be |
| inventors of bungy jumping. That honour goes to | | | | the jet boating capital of the world and with its |
| the people of the Pentecost Island in Vanuatu | | | | highly popular jetboat trips it's no wonder. |
| who tied vines to their ankles and threw | | | | One of the coolest things about riding in a jetboat |
| themselves off towers. | | | | is how manoeuvrable they are. Many jetboats |
| Bungy jumping as we know it was refined and | | | | can, from full speed, be reversed and brought to |
| the first recorded jumps using modern day | | | | a complete stop within their own boat length. This |
| techniques were made by the Dangerous Sports | | | | is called a 'crash stop'. One of the other tricks |
| Club in Bristol, England jumping off the Clifton | | | | that make a jetboat ride so entertaining is the |
| Suspension Bridge, but the men who made | | | | Hamilton turn or 'jet spin' which is a high speed |
| commercial bungy happen in New Zealand and | | | | manoeuvre achieved by pulling a sharp turn and |
| globally are A J Hackett and Henry van Asch. | | | | cutting the engine throttle which causes the boat's |
| They are credited with starting the adventure | | | | stern to lift and spin quickly around with a large |
| tourism revival in New Zealand with the opening | | | | spray of water. Definitely lots of fun. |
| of the Kawarau Bridge Bungy. | | | | Rafting |
| From humble beginnings the A J Hackett | | | | A white water thrill... |
| enterprise now holds international patents and in | | | | Rafting also known as white water rafting is a |
| New Zealand operates 'The Ledge Bungy', 'The | | | | thrilling yet challenging recreational activity involving |
| Nevis Bungy', 'The Nevis Arc', 'The Ledge Sky | | | | an inflatable raft, a river or other body of water |
| Swing' and the original 'Kawarau Bridge Bungy' in | | | | and a eager as crew of 4 to 12 passengers keen |
| Queenstown and the Harbour Bridge Bungy site in | | | | to hit some white water. It is the ideal sport for |
| Auckland. | | | | adventure tourism as anyone can come along for |
| Skydiving | | | | a trip, from the novice to the absolute expert. |
| The ultimate adrenalin rush... | | | | Thanks Wikipedia. |
| Did you know that New Zealand has over 12 | | | | One of the cool things about rafting is that you |
| skydiving operators and you can jump from an | | | | can choose what level of water you want to |
| altitude of 15000 ft with some of them. Did you | | | | challenge, thus making it the perfect activity for |
| also know that some of these operators come | | | | families as well. The grades or levels of water you |
| with the opportunity to learn how to skydive | | | | can choose from in New Zealand are: |
| yourself. Would you be up for the challenge? | | | | - Grade 1: short and small areas of rough water, |
| Amazingly skydiving (or parachuting) was first | | | | prefect for beginners and pleasure cruisers as |
| successfully done, according to Wikipedia, on the | | | | only minimal maneuvering required. |
| 22nd of October, 1797 by a bloke called | | | | - Grade 2: some rough water which may require |
| Andre-Jacques Garnerin whose first jump was | | | | some maneuvering, rocks likely to be found also. |
| done off a hot air balloon from 3000 ft with a silk | | | | - Grade 3: will find white water and small to |
| parachute that had a basket attached to it. His | | | | medium waves with the potential for a small drop |
| wife Jeanne-Geneviève was also the first female | | | | but no significant danger just be prepared for |
| parachutist. | | | | skillful maneuvering. |
| These days skydiving has developed into | | | | - Grade 4: will definitely find whitewater and |
| something easily accessible to the public and is an | | | | medium to large waves with significant possibility |
| absolute adrenalin buzz. Crazily the fastest | | | | of rocks and possibility of a medium drop requiring |
| recorded free fall achieved by a human is 614 | | | | sharp and skillful maneuvering. |
| mph (that's 988 km/h or 274 m/s). The man | | | | - Grade 5: awe-inspiring whitewater and large |
| who did this was Colonel Joseph Kittinger who | | | | waves with significant potential for multiple |
| was part of a United States Air Force program | | | | hazards and rocks in water. The possibility of |
| testing high-altitude escape systems. Needless to | | | | these hazards and a large drop require precise |
| say, you won't be going that fast. When you | | | | and very skillful maneuvering. |
| tandem skydive you fall at a speed of about 195 | | | | - Grade 6: too dangerous to be considered for |
| km/h (that's 120 mph or 55 metres/second). | | | | effective and safe navigation. You WILL |
| On a personal note, I really enjoyed my skydiving | | | | encounter huge whitewater, huge rocks, many |
| experience. In fact, it was absolutely fantastic. I | | | | hazards and drops that will put massive strain on |
| did a tandem jump from 13000 ft and loved | | | | both raft and individulas inside. Challenging Grade 6 |
| every second of it. The operator I choose was | | | | water is dramatically increasing the potential for |
| Skydive Abel Tasman, and they were great at | | | | serious injury and even death. |
| providing a safe yet stunning experience. | | | | I have been for many rafting trips, particularly on |
| Jet Boating | | | | the Buller River in Nelson and Tasman and it is so |
| Fast-paced action... | | | | much fun. Respect for the water is a must, |
| Sir Charles William Feilden Hamilton, commonly | | | | however, and you quickly realise that whilst it is |
| called Bill Hamilton is the New Zealander to credit | | | | amazing fun it needs to be taken seriously. In |
| for developing the modern jetboat and the | | | | New Zealand safety on the water is taken |
| founder of what is now the world's leading water | | | | extremely seriously with the New Zealand Rafting |
| jet manufacturing company - CWF Hamilton Ltd. | | | | Association created to form policies, guidelines and |
| The jetboat was designed to operate in shallow | | | | procedures for all commercial rafting operations. |