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Cliff jumping

Cliff jumping is the act of leaping from elevated cliffs or rock faces into bodies of water below, primarily as a thrill-seeking recreational pursuit involving free fall under gravity alone, with entry speeds escalating rapidly with height—for instance, reaching approximately 27 km/h at a 3-meter drop.^[1]^[2] The practice originated as a ritualistic test of bravery among Hawaiian warriors in the 18th century, exemplified by King Kahekili's leaps from 19-meter cliffs around 1770, and evidence of similar activities appears in ancient Etruscan tomb paintings dating to 530–500 BCE depicting figures near cliff edges over water.^[3]^[4] While popular at sites like Hawaii's Kahekili's Leap and Mexico's Acapulco cliffs, cliff jumping entails severe risks, including fractures, spinal injuries, concussions, and drowning from water impact or unconsciousness, with empirical studies on analogous cliff diving recording injury rates of 7.9 per 1000 hours of exposure and higher incidence during non-competitive practice sessions.^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8] Distinguished from professional cliff diving—which incorporates acrobatics from standardized heights of 18–27 meters—recreational cliff jumping often lacks such training, amplifying hazards from misjudged depths, surface conditions, or physiological limits, resulting in multiple annual fatalities worldwide.^[9]^[10]

Historical Development

Origins in Traditional Hawaiian Practices

In traditional Hawaiian society of the 18th century, the practice known as lele kawa—leaping feet-first from cliffs into the ocean without splashing—served as a rigorous test of warriors' (nakoa) loyalty, bravery, and physical capability under King Kahekili II (c. 1737–1794), the last independent ruler of Maui and overlord of several islands. Kahekili mandated that his warriors execute such jumps from sites like Kahekili's Leap at Kaunolu on Lānaʻi, a 63-foot (19-meter) drop into approximately 12 feet (3.7 meters) of water over a submerged rock ledge, to affirm their allegiance and combat readiness; failure often resulted in injury or death due to the shallow depth and hazardous entry.^[11]^[12] This ritual originated around 1770, rooted in the king's emphasis on survival skills essential for warfare, distinct from recreational pursuits.^[13] Accounts of lele kawa derive primarily from Hawaiian oral histories and ethnographic traditions, with Kahekili himself performing leaps to set the standard and inspire emulation among his forces. Early European explorers, arriving in the Hawaiian Islands during the 1770s—such as those under Captain James Cook in 1778–1779—noted the exceptional physical feats and aquatic prowess of Hawaiian chiefs (aliʻi), providing indirect corroboration through logs describing similar displays of endurance and precision, though specific cliff leaps were preserved more vividly in indigenous narratives.^[14]^[15] Unlike modern cliff jumping focused on adrenaline, these practices prioritized causal tests of resilience for military utility, with warriors entering the water in a controlled manner to mimic battle maneuvers and avoid detection.^[16] While analogous high-leap traditions appeared in other Pacific cultures, Hawaii under Kahekili represents the primary documented origin point for structured lele kawa as a warrior initiation, supported by site-specific archaeological evidence at Kaunolu—including ancient fishponds and heiau (temples) tied to royal training grounds—rather than broader ethnographic diffusion.^[11]^[17] This foundation underscores a first-principles approach to human capability: empirical validation through repeated exposure to high-risk physical demands, ensuring only the adept advanced in hierarchical structures.

Expansion to Modern Recreational Activity

The transition of cliff jumping from ritualistic or traditional practices to a modern recreational pursuit began in the early 19th century with publicized stunt jumps in the United States, exemplified by Sam Patch, known as America's first daredevil. Patch, a mill worker from Pawtucket, Rhode Island, gained fame for leaping from heights exceeding 80 feet, including jumps from the Passaic Falls in New Jersey on September 30, 1827, and October 13, 1827, and from the Genesee Falls in Rochester, New York, reaching 125 feet in 1829. His most notable feat occurred on October 7, 1829, when he jumped from an 85-foot platform on Goat Island at Niagara Falls into the Niagara River below, surviving and drawing large crowds that marked a shift toward spectacle-driven entertainment rather than cultural rites. These events inspired subsequent stunt performers and highlighted jumping as a form of public thrill-seeking divorced from indigenous traditions.^[18]^[19] In the 20th century, particularly following World War II, cliff jumping integrated into adventure tourism, with formalized displays at sites like La Quebrada in Acapulco, Mexico. Local fishermen began competitive jumps from the 115-foot cliffs in the early 1930s, evolving into professional performances by 1934, where divers execute precise entries into a narrow 23-foot-wide channel to entertain tourists. This development reflected a broader post-war surge in leisure travel and extreme sports, positioning cliff jumping as a controlled yet exhilarating attraction rather than isolated stunts. Similarly, in the United Kingdom, the practice termed "tombstoning"—jumping from cliffs, piers, or bridges into water—emerged as a youth-oriented thrill in coastal areas during the 1980s and 1990s, often unsupervised and linked to peer-driven dares, contributing to its recognition as a recreational hazard by authorities.^[20]^[21] Into the 21st century, social media platforms have amplified participation since around 2010, with videos of jumps at natural sites encouraging imitation and increasing visibility among global audiences. This digital influence correlates with rises in reported incidents at popular locations, such as heightened rescues and near-misses at spots like Lynn Canyon in Canada, where unfamiliar visitors drawn by online content underestimate variable water depths and hazards. Empirical trends indicate a causal link between viral content and localized surges in activity, transforming cliff jumping into a widespread leisure pursuit while underscoring the shift from elite stunts to accessible, crowd-sourced recreation.^[22]

Techniques and Execution

Basic Entry Methods

The primary technique for safe entry in cliff jumping is the feet-first pencil dive, where the jumper aligns the body vertically with legs together, toes pointed, arms pressed against the sides or crossed over the torso, and muscles tensed to maintain rigidity upon impact.^[23] This posture minimizes the surface area of initial contact, enabling efficient penetration of water's surface tension and reducing the peak hydrodynamic forces by forming a transient air cavity that delays full deceleration.^[24] Biomechanical models indicate that such entries distribute impact loads primarily to the lower extremities, with peak forces ranging from 7.9 to 16 kN on the tibiae, tolerable for trained individuals when form is precise.^[23] This method proves effective for heights up to 40-50 feet (12-15 meters), where entry velocities remain below critical thresholds for amateur tolerances, as evidenced by competitive data showing safe feet-first dives to 18-26 meters with conditioning.^[23] Jumps under 20 feet (6 meters) pose low risk with proper execution, yielding impact speeds of approximately 25 mph (40 km/h) and accelerations around 7 G.^[10] ^[24] Beyond 60 feet (18 meters), however, velocities exceed 50 mph (80 km/h), generating deceleration forces often surpassing 10 G even in optimal entries, as the brief penetration depth fails to sufficiently mitigate slamming pressures.^[25] ^[23] Essential pre-jump assessments include confirming water depth at a minimum of 10-15 feet (3-4.5 meters) to avoid substrate collision during deceleration, calculated from entry momentum requiring submersion depths scaling with height to reduce velocity to safe levels below 1 m/s.^[26] Visibility checks for submerged hazards, such as rocks or currents, must also precede entry to prevent secondary collisions, grounded in the physics of trajectories unaltered by aerial adjustments post-launch.^[24]

Specialized Variants

Tombstoning refers to a rigid, feet-first vertical entry into water from elevated natural or urban structures, characterized by minimal body adjustment during descent to maintain a straight, upright posture akin to a falling stone.^[27] This technique, originating in the United Kingdom, derives its name from the upright, unyielding form that resembles a tombstone, with early documented usage linked to reports of jumps from sites like Tombstone Rock in Devon as far back as 1995.^[28] Commonly performed from piers, quarries, or coastal cliffs in regions such as Scotland and southern England, it emphasizes simplicity over acrobatics, often in unsupervised settings that limit preparatory scouting.^[29] Platform jumping, by contrast, involves leaps from constructed surfaces such as docks, bridges, or purpose-built diving ledges, which provide standardized takeoff points but introduce execution variables like surface grip and structural vibration.^[9] These artificial setups, distinct from natural cliff edges, enable height control in engineered environments—typically ranging from 10 to 30 meters in recreational contexts—but demand assessment of platform integrity to avoid slips or collapses during launch.^[30] Regional nomenclature varies, with terms like "pier jumping" applied in coastal areas where wooden or concrete docks serve as primary launch sites, differentiating it from irregular rock faces by the predictability of the drop trajectory.^[27] Other specialized entries include døds, or death dives, a Norwegian-originated style executed by initiating a horizontal glide before tucking into a hands-and-feet-first penetration to distribute impact away from the head and torso.^[31] This method, also termed "dods" in informal jumping communities, prioritizes creative variations such as mid-air twists but correlates with execution errors from the added sequencing demands, as the initial flat trajectory amplifies timing precision requirements over straightforward vertical drops.^[32] Empirical observations from amateur practitioners highlight how such complexity deviates from basic feet-first techniques, necessitating greater aerial awareness to align extremities for entry.^[33]

Risks and Injury Patterns

Direct Impact Injuries

Direct impact injuries in cliff jumping primarily arise from the rapid deceleration experienced upon water entry, where the jumper's body mass encounters resistance from the water's surface, leading to high forces concentrated on specific anatomical points. The kinetic energy at impact, given by the formula KE = \frac{1}{2}mv^2, scales with the square of velocity, which increases with fall height via v = \sqrt{2gh}, resulting in deceleration forces F = ma that exceed human tissue tolerances when entry depth is insufficient to dissipate energy gradually.^[34] At heights exceeding approximately 12 meters (40 feet), even feet-first entries generate velocities around 17 m/s, causing the water's surface tension and incompressibility to behave akin to a solid barrier over short timescales, as the fluid lacks time to displace laterally before transmitting peak pressures upward through the body.^[35] ^[36] Feet-first impacts transmit axial compressive loads from the heels through the spine, often resulting in thoracolumbar burst fractures due to the calcaneus driving force into the vertebral column; this pattern predominates in cliff jumping scenarios where alignment falters under high-speed entry.^[37] A 2017 prospective study of cliff diving injuries found foot and ankle trauma accounting for 18% of cases, typically from shallow entry angles or foot misalignment that unevenly distributes decelerative forces, fracturing bones or rupturing ligaments upon initial water contact.^[7] Neck and cervical spine injuries, comprising 14% in the same analysis, stem from hyperextension or lateral bending during entry, where incomplete streamlining allows hydrodynamic slamming to whip the head, compressing cervical vertebrae or straining soft tissues.^[7] Failed penetrations, such as belly flops or non-vertical orientations, exacerbate trauma by spreading impact over larger body surfaces, maximizing surface-breaking pressures and leading to concussions from skull deceleration or internal organ lacerations from inertial forces shearing against decelerating viscera.^[23] These injuries correlate directly with entry posture, as deviations increase drag and peak slamming coefficients, amplifying localized pressures beyond 100 kPa in milliseconds, sufficient to rupture eardrums or cause cerebral contusions without helmet protection.^[34]

Secondary Environmental Hazards

Submerged rocks, logs, or uneven terrain beneath the water surface pose significant risks in cliff jumping, as they can cause lacerations, fractures, or entanglement upon submersion, particularly when visibility is impaired by turbidity or depth. In natural water bodies, sediment, algae, or organic matter often reduce underwater visibility to less than 1-3 meters, preventing accurate assessment of hazards before entry.^[38]^[39] Trauma surgeons note that such unseen obstacles contribute to non-impact injuries, as jumpers descend rapidly and collide post-entry without prior detection.^[38] Strong currents, including rip currents at coastal sites or river flows, can sweep jumpers away from the entry point or shore after landing, exacerbating fatigue and elevating drowning risk through prolonged struggle against water dynamics. Oceanographic data indicate rip currents form narrow channels of seaward flow, reaching speeds of 1-2.5 meters per second, which overpower swimmers attempting direct return to safety.^[40] In cliff jumping contexts, these flows interact with post-jump disorientation or minor injuries, preventing egress and leading to submersion exhaustion.^[41] Cold water shock, triggered by immersion in temperatures below 15°C, induces an involuntary gasp reflex and hyperventilation within the first 30-60 seconds, potentially causing water aspiration and respiratory compromise if the head is submerged upon entry. Physiological studies confirm this response involves sympathetic nervous system activation, leading to increased heart rate and blood pressure, with empirical associations to hypothermic drowning in open-water activities lacking acclimatization.^[42]^[43] Sites with seasonal or alpine water sources amplify this hazard, as the rapid cooling overrides voluntary breath-holding.^[44]

Empirical Data on Incidents and Fatalities

In the United Kingdom, between 2005 and 2015, coastguard services responded to over 200 incidents of tombstoning—a practice involving jumps from heights into water similar to recreational cliff jumping—resulting in 83 injuries and 20 fatalities.^[45] In British Columbia, Canada, the Coroners Service recorded 128 accidental drownings from 2008 to 2016 attributed to jumping or falling into water, with a substantial portion linked to cliff jumping at popular sites.^[46] A prospective study of cliff and splash divers, tracking 7,857 hours of exposure at an average height of 13 meters, documented an injury rate of 7.9 per 1,000 hours of sport exposure, primarily affecting the feet and ankles.^[7] Such data likely underrepresent risks in amateur cliff jumping, as professional or monitored diving contexts facilitate better reporting compared to unsupervised recreational leaps, where many incidents go undocumented.^[7] At Lynn Canyon Park in North Vancouver, British Columbia, over 40 fatalities have occurred in the past 50 years, predominantly from cliff jumping, including a man in his early 20s who drowned in July 2024 after jumping into fast-moving water.^[47]^[48] Similarly, at Thetis Lake near Victoria, British Columbia, a 19-year-old U.S. visitor drowned in September 2025 while swimming after a presumed jump, highlighting recurring overconfidence among repeat visitors at familiar locales despite known hazards.^[49]

Key Locations

Globally Renowned Sites

Kahekili's Leap, located on the southern shore of Lanai in Hawaii, stands as a historically significant site where warriors under King Kahekili II demonstrated loyalty and skill by leaping from a rock ledge approximately 62 feet (19 meters) high into the turbulent Pacific Ocean below.^[50] This practice, known as lele kawa, required precise entry to avoid submerged rocks, and the site remains accessible via a rugged trail within the Kaunolu archaeological district, though jumping is prohibited to protect the cultural landmark and prevent erosion.^[13] In Acapulco, Mexico, the cliffs of La Quebrada reach heights of 136 feet (41 meters), featuring a narrow channel just 23 feet wide and up to 13 feet deep at high tide, where professional divers have executed synchronized jumps since 1934 as a daily public spectacle.^[51] Divers ascend 233 steps to the platform and time entries with incoming waves for safe penetration of the sea inlet, drawing crowds to the elevated viewing area constructed in the 1930s.^[52] Rick's Cafe in Negril, Jamaica, overlooks cliffs rising 35 feet (11 meters) above a turquoise cove, offering multiple ledges for jumps into consistently deep waters protected by coral reefs, which has made it a staple for tourists since its opening in 1974.^[53] The site's popularity stems from its straightforward access via beachfront stairs and reliable conditions year-round, accommodating jumps from lower platforms up to the full height for varying skill levels.^[54]

Regional and Emerging Spots

In Switzerland's Ponte Brolla, located along the Maggia River in Ticino, cliff jumping occurs from natural limestone cliffs rising 13 to 27 meters above crystal-clear pools, with jumps accommodating both recreational variants like feet-first entries and professional dives up to 27 meters during events hosted by the World High Diving Federation.^[55]^[56] The site's steep, rocky terrain demands precise execution to avoid submerged hazards, and water temperatures around 18°C add to the challenge, though its accessibility via short hikes has boosted popularity among European adventurers in recent years.^[57] In the United States, Guffey Gorge—also known as Paradise Cove—in Colorado's Park County features cliff jumps from heights of 15 to 20 feet into a narrow, variable-depth pool fed by Elevenmile Canyon Reservoir, where water levels fluctuate seasonally due to rainfall, snowfall, and temperature changes, heightening risks of shallow impacts.^[58]^[59] Injuries from such jumps have risen, with authorities reporting serious cases like spinal damage in 2017, underscoring the need for pre-jump depth checks amid the gorge's steep, unregulated access trail.^[60] Similarly, Waimea Bay on Oahu, Hawaii, offers jumps from "Jump Rock" at 20 to 40 feet into calm summer waters, but winter swells exceeding 20 feet render the site hazardous and jumping prohibited, with tidal and wave variability causing near-misses documented in local advisories.^[61]^[62] Emerging spots in the Middle East and Southeast Asia have gained traction through 2020s adventure tourism reports, often amplified by social media. Oman's Wadi Shab, a canyon wadi near Tiwi, involves optional 5- to 6-meter cliff jumps into turquoise pools during a 7-kilometer hike, prized for its boulder-strewn terrain and freshwater caves, though unverified depths and flash flood risks necessitate strong swimming skills and weather monitoring in the absence of lifeguards.^[63]^[64] In Indonesia's Nusa Ceningan near Bali, the Blue Lagoon features jumps from 5 to 13 meters off rocky cliffs into tide-dependent turquoise waters, accessible via scooter but with safety concerns including irregular ladder access and potential closures, as noted in post-2020 traveler accounts emphasizing self-reliant tide checks to mitigate impact injuries.^[65]^[66]

Regulations and Debates

Existing Bans and Enforcement

In the United States, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Huntington District banned cliff jumping and diving at 19 lakes across West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, and Virginia, including Summersville Lake, effective May 25, 2007, following 32 fatalities from such activities between 1998 and 2005 across Corps-managed waters.^[67]^[68] The prohibition targets jumps from cliffs exceeding safe depths to mitigate direct impact injuries and rescue risks, with violations punishable by fines though specific amounts vary by incident.^[69] National park services enforce restrictions on high-risk aerial activities, including prohibitions tied to jumps from elevations that pose immediate hazards, as seen in Yosemite where BASE jumping—a related high-drop practice—carries federal penalties under 36 C.F.R. § 2.17 for aircraft and glider operations without permits.^[70] Recent enforcement in Yosemite, as of October 2025, resulted in convictions with fines ranging from $600 to $2,510, up to two days in jail, probation, community service, and lifetime bans from the park for violators.^[71]^[72] Internationally, UK coastal regions have imposed local bans and bylaws against tombstoning—jumping from cliffs or structures into the sea—following fatalities, such as in Newquay where harbor masters prohibit jumps from piers and cliffs due to variable water depths and submerged hazards.^[73] In Canada, while outright bans are limited, the District of North Vancouver erected prominent warning signs at Lynn Canyon Park in July 2025 to curb cliff jumping after youth deaths, emphasizing risks like shallow waters and rocks despite fencing.^[74]^[75] Enforcement faces persistent challenges from resource constraints, including understaffing in U.S. parks, which exacerbated illegal high-risk jumps during the 2025 government shutdown when ranger presence dropped, allowing violations despite posted fines over $500.^[76]^[77] Reports indicate that such gaps lead to continued incidents, underscoring the tension between regulatory intent and practical oversight in high-traffic areas.^[78]

Arguments for Personal Responsibility Versus State Intervention

Advocates for state intervention in cliff jumping argue that the activity's inherent risks impose significant external costs on society, justifying restrictions to mitigate taxpayer-funded search and rescue operations. Cliff jumping from heights exceeding 20 feet can generate impact speeds of 25 mph or more, resulting in severe injuries such as spinal compression, fractures, or death upon hitting water, which behaves like a solid surface at high velocities.^[10] In regions like Arkansas, spikes in cliff jumping-related injuries and fatalities—prompting discussions of outright bans by managing authorities such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers—have been linked to increased emergency responses, with proponents citing these patterns as evidence that unregulated access creates a public nuisance and strains emergency services.^[68] Although search and rescue missions in the U.S. are typically provided at no direct cost to participants, averaging around $2,500 per operation and funded through public budgets, critics of unrestricted jumping contend that such interventions divert resources from other needs, supporting bans as a causal deterrent to preventable incidents.^[79] Opponents of expansive state intervention emphasize personal responsibility and the principle of voluntary risk assumption by competent adults, drawing parallels to other high-risk pursuits like hang gliding or professional cliff diving that remain unregulated despite comparable dangers. They argue that blanket prohibitions erode traditions of self-reliance, particularly on public lands managed for multiple uses, where policies vary: the National Park Service enforces strict bans on similar activities like BASE jumping to preserve park integrity, while the Bureau of Land Management permits broader recreational access under its multiple-use mandate, allowing informed users to weigh risks without presuming governmental guardianship.^[80]^[81] This disparity highlights critiques of "nanny state" overreach, as evidenced in debates over extreme sports where participants demonstrate calculated decision-making, with injury rates in organized cliff diving reported at 7.9 per 1,000 hours of exposure under controlled conditions, suggesting that education and waivers could suffice over prohibitions.^[7] Environmental concerns further fuel pro-regulation views, with jumping activities contributing to habitat disruption through erosion and sediment runoff that suffocates marine life and introduces contaminants into aquatic ecosystems.^[82] Bans have demonstrably curbed such impacts in specific locales, as seen in U.S. Forest Service closures of high-risk sites following fatalities, which reduced unauthorized access and associated ecological strain.^[83] Thrill-seekers counter that responsible practices minimize these effects, asserting freedom claims rooted in the psychological benefits of extreme sports—such as enhanced autonomy and fear mastery—that outweigh collective mandates, provided participants accept liability for personal choices rather than externalizing costs.^[84] Empirical patterns indicate bans lower incident rates by limiting exposure, yet they may stifle recreational opportunities, prompting ongoing debates over balancing individual agency against societal safeguards.^[85]^[86]

Depictions in Art and Media

Ancient Greek art provides one of the earliest visual representations of diving into water in the Tomb of the Diver, a limestone sarcophagus from Paestum, Italy, dated to circa 470 BCE, where the lid features a fresco of a nude youth executing a headfirst dive into stylized waves, interpreted by scholars as symbolizing the deceased's transition to the afterlife.^[87] ^[88] In Hawaiian tradition, cliff jumping known as lele kawa—feet-first leaps from heights into the sea—originated as a ritualistic practice predating European contact, with early European documentation appearing in 18th- and 19th-century voyage accounts and illustrations capturing native divers from coastal cliffs.^[14] Modern media depictions often portray cliff jumping in cinematic action sequences, such as the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, in which the titular characters jump from a high Andean cliff into a shallow river below during a pursuit scene, heightening dramatic tension without illustrating potential hazards.^[89] Similar sequences appear in adventure films like Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), featuring coordinated leaps from cliffs into the sea amid fantastical elements.^[90] The Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, initiated in 2009, has generated extensive photographic and video documentation of controlled high dives from natural cliffs reaching 27 meters, showcasing professional athletes' acrobatics in promotional media that emphasize spectacle and athleticism.^[91] ^[92] Since the 2010s, social media platforms including Instagram and TikTok have amplified amateur cliff jumping through user-shared videos, contributing to heightened public awareness and emulation of the activity, though specific correlations to participation growth remain undocumented in peer-reviewed analyses.^[93]

Thrill-Seeking Culture and Community Practices

Participants in recreational cliff jumping frequently demonstrate high sensation-seeking tendencies, defined as a preference for intense, novel stimuli that elicit physiological arousal through adrenaline surges and subsequent dopamine release in response to height-induced fear.^[94] Neuroimaging and genetic studies link this to variations in dopamine D4 receptor genes (DRD4), where certain alleles correlate with greater thrill pursuit, as the anticipatory fear activates the brain's reward pathways, providing a hedonic payoff that motivates repetition.^[95] Empirical research on extreme sports participants reveals no singular psychological profile but consistently identifies vertigo mastery and emotional catharsis as key drivers, with participants reporting sustained engagement akin to behavioral addiction patterns, where risk awareness coexists with compulsion for the post-jump euphoria.^[96] ^[97] Informal communities coalesce around cliff jumping via digital platforms, where users exchange site recommendations, jump footage, and rudimentary techniques. Dedicated subreddits such as r/cliffjumping, active since the early 2010s with peaks in user-generated content during the 2020s, enable spot-sharing and experiential validation among peers, often prioritizing visceral appeal over technical rigor.^[98] YouTube tutorials and documentaries, including beginner guides uploaded as early as 2016 and evolving series like "Flow State 2" in 2025, amplify this by disseminating jumps from user-filmed locations, fostering a culture of emulation that reinforces social bonds through shared defiance of norms.^[99] ^[100] Such networks, while democratizing access, risk disseminating causal misconceptions, as anecdotal videos may underemphasize variable water conditions or entry angles, leading to imitative errors without empirical vetting.^[101] Unlike professional cliff diving, which structures events like the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series—entering its 16th season in 2025 with dives from fixed platforms over 20 meters judged on form, difficulty, and execution—recreational cliff jumping eschews regulation for autonomous, outcome-unscored leaps.^[91] ^[102] This distinction underscores jumping's appeal as a raw, self-selective endeavor, where participants calibrate heights and styles via personal trial amid natural variability, contrasting the controlled, athletic precision of pro series that mitigate variables through oversight and training.^[103] Motivational surveys of extreme athletes highlight this unregulated pursuit's draw in evoking unmediated agency over fear, prioritizing intrinsic reward over competitive metrics.^[104]

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Why do people land like this and what it the name for it? : r/cliffjumping
Aug 15, 2022 · Dods or death dive - allows for more fun variations than standard flips and dives . The hands and feet break the water so your head feels no ...40.5 meter (132 ft) death jump world record by Ken Stornes - Reddit160 ft (48,7 m) deathdive / døds world record by @flyingfloou. Just ...More results from www.reddit.com
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[PDF] MIT Open Access Articles The hydrodynamics of high diving
Jun 15, 2020 · In this study, we investigate experimentally the dynamics of the jumper underwater and the hydrodynamic causes of injuries in a high dive, by ...
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Q: Why is hitting water from a great height like hitting concrete?
Jul 25, 2012 · The original question was: I know that if you hit water at a certain speed it is supposed to crush your body like you have hit concrete.
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Why is jumping into water from high altitude fatal?
Apr 4, 2014 · Pressures caused by breaking the surface make water act more solid on shorter timescales, which is why they say hitting water at high speeds is ...
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A prospective analysis of injury rates, patterns and causes in Cliff ...
Cliff jumpers generally present with thoracolumbar burst fractures from high compressive energy delivered to the calcaneum when entering the water.
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Surgeon emphasizes devastating injuries cliff jumps cause
Jun 29, 2023 · Cliff jumping is dangerous due to underwater hazards like rocks that may not be visible and changing water depths that may make it shallower.
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! Murcia Today - Cliff-diving Dangers: How To Protect Yourself When ...
Avoid cloudy water or water with a strong flow: bottom visibility can be misleading; Always think twice: even if you're familiar with the dive site, recent ...
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Pacific Marine saves two from drowning in Hawaii > U.S. Marine ...
... cliff-jumping spot on Oahu's coast. The cliffs ... Pacific Marine saves two from drowning in Hawaii ... Battling strong currents and waves that seemed to ...
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What is a rip current? Rips are strong currents running out to sea ...
Jul 3, 2025 · Rip currents will not pull you underwater but will pull you away from shore. Drowning can occur from the struggle against the current.
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Habituation of the initial responses to cold water immersion in humans
The magnitude of the 'cold shock response' can be attenuated by providing suitable protective clothing which reduces the cold stimulus (Tipton et al. 1990).Missing: threshold | Show results with:threshold
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Habituation of the cold shock response: A systematic review and ...
Cold water immersion (CWI) evokes the life-threatening reflex cold shock response (CSR), inducing hyperventilation, increasing cardiac arrhythmias, ...
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What You Need To Know About Cold Water Drowning
Jun 10, 2025 · Cold Shock Response: This response affects breathing and happens within the first minute. An automatic gasp reflex occurs in response to ...Missing: threshold | Show results with:threshold
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Man dies after 'tombstoning' off Plymouth Hoe cliff - BBC News
Oct 14, 2016 · Between 2005 and 2015 coastguards dealt with more than 200 incidents of tombstoning, with 83 injuries and 20 deaths. An 11-year-old boy died in ...Missing: statistics | Show results with:statistics
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Editorial: The dangers of cliff-jumping - Victoria Times Colonist
Jul 11, 2017 · According to the B.C. Coroners Service, 128 people accidentally drowned between 2008 and 2016 by jumping or falling into water across the ...
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New signs in Lynn Canyon combat cliff jumping - CityNews Vancouver
Jul 21, 2025 · More than 40 people have died in Lynn Canyon due to the extreme sport over the last 50 years. Submit a Correction · Accessibility Feedback. Top ...
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'Know the hazards': Cliff jumper dies in North Vancouver
Jul 5, 2024 · A man in his early 20s is dead after a fatal cliff-jumping incident in North Vancouver on Wednesday (July 3). Assistant chief Scott Ferguson ...
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RCMP investigating drowning at Thetis Lake A 19-year-old man ...
Sep 5, 2025 · An incident at Thetis Lake Friday afternoon has resulted in the drowning death of a man. ... died while cliff jumping at Ruby Lake. Staff Sgt.
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Kahekili's Leap, Lanai - To-Hawaii.com
Kahekili's Leap is a rock ledge on Lanai's south shore. It was here where King Kamehameha's warriors proved their bravery by leaping 80 feet into the ocean ...
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Acapulco Cliff Divers - Famous Show of the Elite Athletes, Mexico
La Quebrada have been showing off in front of spectators since 1934. Their diving from heights of 20-35m (80-115ft) into the "Gulch" - narrow sea cove below.
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Clavadistas de la Quebrada | Acapulco, Mexico - Lonely Planet
Acapulco's most famous tourist attraction, the cliff divers of La Quebrada have been dazzling audiences since 1934. Every night, a team of seven lithe young ...
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Rick's Cafe: Negril's Famous Cliff Jumping and Sunset Watching Spot
There are five jump off points at various heights from which to dive, the height ranges are 10-35 ft. The Rick's Cafe has the most beautiful cove along the West ...
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Cliff Jumping In Jamaica: Tips & Insights to know before you leap
Mar 14, 2025 · Rick's Café is located on top of a 35-foot high cliff, which makes for amazing views. There are upstairs rooms, which are available only if you ...
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Ponte Brolla and WHDF Championship - Cliff Diving Switzerland
Here, the athletes are diving from the heights of 18 - 23 meters (female) and 22 - 27 meters (male). The impact is about 9 times bigger than jumping from the 10 ...
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Get into cliff diving mode with the most spectacular spots in Europe
May 20, 2024 · Sisikon and Ponte Brolla – Switzerland. Gary Hunt jumps from the 27m ... A trip to Ponte Brolla and diving from incredible sharp, steep and rocky ...
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What is Cliff Diving? - World High Diving Federation - Jimdo
In Ponte Brolla, athletes can dive from 13, 15 or 20 meters height into the crystal clear, around 18 °C cold water of the river Maggia. The natural diving pool ...The History Of Cliff Diving · World High Diving Federation... · The International Cliff...
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Paradise Cove, Colorado - All you need to know - Gentry Travels
Jun 17, 2022 · The usual jumping spot is around 15-20 feet high and lands in a shallower water section. There are plenty of other places to jump from, but even ...<|separator|>
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Guffey Gorge (Paradise Cove) | Cliff Jumping - Uncover Colorado
The pool, though small, is generally deep and safe for jumpers. However, water levels can vary depending on rain and snowfall, temperature, and season, so ...
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Cliff Jumping Injuries On The Rise At Coveted Cove - CBS News
Jul 11, 2017 · Authorities in Park County are warning of the dangers at a popular swimming hole after a cliff diver suffered serious injuries.
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Waimea Bay Beach Park - Safe Beach Day
The bay is home to "Jump Rock" which has become a popular destination for cliff diving from its 20-40 foot summit. During the winter months, advisories are ...
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Cliff Jumping in Hawaii: The 12 Best Spots for the Free-Falling Time ...
Unfortunately, Waimea Bay rock can be hazardous on rough days, and jumping is prohibited during the winter when the surf becomes overpowering. Whether you ...
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The Wadis of Oman - Husaak Adventures
The adventure here starts off right from the beginning with a 5-6 m cliff jump into a water pool which can also be crossed by abseiling. By this point you ...
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Wadi Shab (2025) – Best of TikTok, Instagram & Reddit Travel Guide
Safety First: Know the Risks. Wadi Shab is a natural adventure with no lifeguards. Be prepared for self-rescue. If you're not a confident swimmer, consider ...
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Blue Lagoon Cliff Jump On Nusa Ceningan, Bali: Complete Guide
Jul 4, 2023 · The Blue Lagoon cliff jump in Nusa Ceningan is one of the most awesome cliff-jumping spots in Bali. There's a few different heights ranging from 5-12 meters.
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Blue Lagoon Cliff Jump (2025) - All You Need to Know BEFORE ...
Rating 4.2 (240) The Blue Lagoon Cliff Jump is officially closed, but people still jump when conditions are right. It's a 12/13m jump, and the tide and ladder are needed. It is ...
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Deep water soloing banned at Summersville Lake - All Climbing
May 31, 2007 · Effective immediately, the Huntington District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is banning cliff jumping/diving on all district managed ...
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Banning cliff diving an option for Corps - Arkansas' Best News Source
Jul 16, 2007 · According to the most recent statistics available, 32 fatalities resulted from cliff jumping from 1998 to 2005 Corps-wide, and Spaul said the ...
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Summersville Lake Cliff Jumping Ban - Mountain Project
Dec 9, 2007 · Cliff jumping in all its various forms, including deep water soloing, has recently been banned by the Army Corps of Engineers. The penalty ...
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Safety - Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
Sep 7, 2025 · BASE jumping is prohibited. Hang gliding is allowed with a permit. Launching, landing, or operating an unmanned aircraft from or on lands and ...
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https://abc30.com/post/3-men-convicted-illegally-base-jumping-yosemite-national-park/18067860/
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https://nationalparkstraveler.org/2025/10/three-base-jumpers-convicted-illegal-jumps-yosemite-national-park
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Warning over 'dangerous' tombstoning in Cornwall and Newquay ban
Aug 17, 2022 · "Tombstoning can be dangerous because water depth alters with the tide, the water may be shallower than it seems, submerged objects like rocks ...
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Officials hope to deter Lynn Canyon cliff jumping with new signs ...
Jul 24, 2025 · The District of North Vancouver has put up new signs in Lynn Canyon Park to discourage dangerous cliff jumping. As Kier Junos reports, visitors ...
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New Lynn Canyon cliff jumping signs target Gen Z - North Shore News
Jul 24, 2025 · The District of North Vancouver has installed new signs at Lynn Canyon Park to discourage people from cliff jumping at the popular spot.
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Government shutdown prompts illegal BASE jumping surge in ...
Oct 14, 2025 · The lack of staffing has led some to engage in dangerous and illegal antics, with videos circulating on social media showing people BASE jumping ...Missing: challenges | Show results with:challenges
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https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/2025/10/24/illegal-base-jumpers-in-yosemite-national-park-convicted-00621845
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https://www.fresnobee.com/news/california/yosemite/article312630208.html
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Who Pays for Search and Rescue? Behind the Tricky Economics of ...
$$2,500: average cost for one rescue ; 1,890: rescues led ; $3.1 million: rescue costs covered ; $180,000: annual SAR budget from recreational licenses ; $100,000– ...
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BASE Jumping is Illegal In Yosemite, But People Still Do it. Why?
Oct 13, 2025 · “BASE jumping is illegal in all national parks, including Yosemite,” a spokesperson for the park service's Office of Public Affairs told ...
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Motorized Recreation on Federal Lands | Congress.gov
May 29, 2024 · BLM lands are used for diverse forms of recreation, including both nonmotorized (e.g., hiking) and motorized (e.g., off-roading) recreation. The ...
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Cliff Failures - hakalau our home
Environmental Harm · The sediment load in the water kills marine life by suffocation and may contribute agricultural chemicals, harmful to sedentary animals and ...
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Green Mountain Reservoir cliff diving spot off limits after fatal fall
Aug 8, 2017 · The U.S. Forest Service has banned access to a popular yet treacherous cliff jumping spot at Green Mountain Reservoir, the site of a tragic ...
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Red Bull Cliff Diving and the psychology of fear
Jan 16, 2023 · A good cliff diver is a master of their own world, managing their emotions and exerting precision control over their body and mind.
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State park rangers fell trees to thwart cliff-jumpers at Eno Quarry
a cliff with a 25-foot drop into deep water. While they hope to ...
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What is reasonable? - by Sandro Galea - The Healthiest Goldfish
May 6, 2023 · On the other hand, is it reasonable to ban extreme sports like hang gliding or cliff diving? I would say it is not. Certainly, these activities ...
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Tomb of the Diver - Smarthistory
Aug 6, 2024 · The Tomb of the Diver is significant because of its paintings, which are often celebrated as rare examples of an ancient Greek art form that is mostly missing ...
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Has the mystery behind the fresco in the Tomb of the Diver been ...
Oct 18, 2022 · Rather, he proposes that the image simply depicts a real scene: a young man jumping into water. “It's a book that is partly academic, but also ...
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BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969) Movie CLIP HD
Sep 17, 2025 · Cliff Jump Scene | BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969) Movie CLIP HD PLOT: The true story of fast-draws and wild rides, battles with ...
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQUUZuqyOtE
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Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series: event info & videos
Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series: Divers execute incredible acrobatics from heights of more than 20m in the ultimate display of focus and skill.Missing: depictions | Show results with:depictions
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Legendary leaps and daring descents: The history of cliff diving
May 10, 2024 · Free-falling from up to 27m combined with awe-inducing acrobatics – that's the essence of cliff diving. Since 2009 the Red Bull Cliff Diving ...What is cliff diving vs high... · What is Red Bull Cliff Diving?
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The Instagram Effect: Is Social Media Influencing Visitation to Public ...
May 1, 2024 · We show suggestive evidence that Instagram is not likely correlated to increased visitation everywhere; rather, it is only in a few locations generating high ...Missing: cliff | Show results with:cliff
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Sensation-Seeking | Psychology Today
Sensation-seeking, also called thrill-seeking or excitement-seeking, is the tendency to pursue new and different sensations, feelings, and experiences.
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Opinion: Why danger is exciting – but only to some people
Sep 6, 2016 · Many, but not all, studies have found that people with a certain dopamine receptor are more likely to be thrill seeking. This gene variant ...
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Psychological traits of extreme sport participants: a scoping review
Extreme sports participants are often characterized by an accentuated desire for risk and abnormal personal traits.
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Does Age Matter? A Qualitative Comparison of Motives and Aspects ...
Recent research has shown multiple motives for high-risk sport participation derived from research on adult participants. The aim of this study was to ...
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r/cliffjumping - Reddit
Is it possible to make a worthwhile YouTube channel purely based on cliff jumping? And am I good enough?A Place for Cliff Jumping... · What is Cliff Jumping to you? · First time cliff jumping...Missing: 2020s | Show results with:2020s
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How To Cliff Jump - Tutorial for Beginners - YouTube
Jun 22, 2016 · This video is for educational purposes only. Do not attempt!!!*** Here is a quick cliff jumping tutorial to show how to safely jump.
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Flow State 2 | The Future of Cliff Jumping - YouTube
Aug 7, 2025 · Crazy good quality. This could be easily on Netflix. Thank you so much for uploading this on YT for free. 1:52:36 · Go to channel ...Missing: Reddit 2020s
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An exploratory study of motives for participation in extreme sports ...
Jul 1, 2019 · Participants in extreme sports are motivated by factors such as vertigo and catharsis, in addition to traditional motives like competition and ...
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Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Magazine 2025 - Issuu
Mar 19, 2025 · Media Service – During the season, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series provides the media with a variety of rich and distinct contents ...Missing: depictions | Show results with:depictions
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Cliff diving for beginners: The best tips and tricks - Red Bull
Jun 24, 2024 · Cliff diving is the act of jumping off a cliff or high platform into a body of water. It's considered the world's oldest extreme sport: its ...
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Exploring the Motivations of BASE Jumpers: Extreme Sport ...
BASE jumping motivations are explored using a means-end approach, linking physical objects to benefits and values, with a focus on positive outcomes.