3.10.2014

Cliff diving

Cliff diving from any height can't be called safe -- it's one of the most dangerous extreme sports. In fact, official tourism sites of popular cliff diving destinations don't promote the activity. 
Cliff diving puts tremendous stresses on your body. If you jump from 20 feet (6 meters) above the water, you'll hit the water at 25 mph (40 kph) -- the impact is strong enough to compress your spine, break bones or give you a concussion. But that's only if you enter feet-first in a straight, vertical line -- a horizontal, or "pancake," landing is like hitting concrete. Halving the height of the jump to 10 feet (3 meters), as mentioned earlier, reduces your speed of impact to 17 mph (27 kph), and even cars sustain damage when hit at that speed.



Competitive cliff divers dive from heights of 59 to 85 feet (18-26 meters), but professional show divers in Acapulco, the La Quebrada Cliff Divers, sometimes jump from 148 feet (45 meters) above the water. These show divers survive to dive another day because they've trained for years, are familiar with the area and adjust their dives according to fluctuating wave and water conditions. But even they occasionally sustain injuries.


Tips :
  • Start low and slow. Before you head to the cliffs, practice the pencil dive from high-dive platforms at a swimming pool. In a pencil dive, you strive to make your body as slim and straight as a pencil. 
  • Use the buddy system. Don't dive alone.
  • Explore the water. Before diving, swim around your landing area to check the depth of the water and search for any obstacles.
  • Plan your exit. Before you plunge into the water, plan where you'll get out and how you'll get back.
  • Dress for success. A wetsuit adds a layer of cushioning between you and the water. Skip the water shoes, though, to reduce the surface area of the first body part that makes impact with the water.
  • Keep it simple. You need to enter the water in a straight, vertical line. Any deviation from this toes-first, narrow-entry position risks injury and assures increased pain.



Equipment :
Cliff diving equipment is very minimal. Technically, all you need to cliff dive is yourself. However, there are some equipment that you should bring to make sure the cliff diving experience is safe for everyone. Also, in addition to equipment, you should also bring along friends. If something were to go wrong, you’d want people there to help you


  • Chain A chain is used to lower into the water to make sure the depth is safe for cliff diving. Ideally, you want a depth of 75 to 90 feet. You should also swim through the water to make sure there are no sharp rocks or other debris.
  • First aid kit A first aid kit should be brought along while cliff diving in case of a minor accident. For example, if you hit some debris when diving into the water, you could have a nasty cut. Your first aid kit should contain essentials like bandages, antiseptic, gauze, adhesive cloth tape and scissors.
  • Cell phone When cliff diving, a serious accident can occur, such as hitting a rock on the way down into the water. If this should occur, your friends that are with you will need to be able to call for help. Bring a fully charged cell phone that generally receives good reception.
  • Water In case there is an accident, you might be waiting for an ambulance for some time. Also, the hike up to the cliff might be long. Water will help keep you and your friends hydrated.
  • Hiking boots Again, the cliff might take some hiking to get there. When this is the case, you need to dress appropriately. You might dive into the water in bare feet, but that won’t cut it when hiking up a cliff.
  • Camera Assuming everything goes well and there are no accidents or injuries while cliff diving, you’ll want to capture the moment. Bring a camera along with you, so one of your friends can get a shot of your amazing dive.







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