Auckland Bridge Bungy

...of modern bungy have added Auckland Harbour bridge to their portfolio of official bungy sites after their successes in Queenstown in the South Island.

This latest jump site is definitely worth a go and can be combined with jumps at other AJ Hackett sites at a discount. Basically if you do a jump at any AJ Hackett site you get a discount on a subsequent site as long as you complete within a month of the initial jump.

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...complimentary shuttle bus from the Auckland Maritime Museum, Viaduct Harbour at 09:00, 11:30 & 14:30. Groups of 6 or more can arrange pickups from your hotel or hostel. The site is open from 08:30 - 16:00 Monday - Sunday.

So what happens next?

On entering the AJ Hackett building you go through to the reception where you pay for your jump. It is best to pre-book over the phone to ensure that there isn't too long a wait. ... more

AJ Hackett the pioneers of modern bungy have added Auckland Harbour bridge to their portfolio of official bungy sites after their successes in Queenstown in the South Island.

This latest jump site is definitely worth a go and can be combined with jumps at other AJ Hackett sites at a discount. Basically if you do a jump at any AJ Hackett site you get a discount on a subsequent site as long as you complete within a month of the initial jump.

Auckland Harbour Bridge Bungy is situated at ....yes you've guessed it....Auckland Harbour Bridge over the Waitamata Harbour below. You drive through the Westhaven Marina over loads of speed bumps and then under the bridge, the AJ Hackett office is here on your left. If you aren't driving yourself you can catch a complimentary shuttle bus from the Auckland Maritime Museum, Viaduct Harbour at 09:00, 11:30 & 14:30. Groups of 6 or more can arrange pickups from your hotel or hostel. The site is open from 08:30 - 16:00 Monday - Sunday.

So what happens next?

On entering the AJ Hackett building you go through to the reception where you pay for your jump. It is best to pre-book over the phone to ensure that there isn't too long a wait. You have to sign a disclaimer releasing AJ Hackett from being liable for any injury to yourself. This is pretty standard stuff as throwing yourself off of a bridge on a piece of elastic is going to have some risks!! (They've completed over a million jumps completed in New Zealand). You are then weighed....no chances of hiding from this one....so that they can measure the amount of bungy cord to be used for your jump and to be able to vary the distance that you drop i.e. if you want to stay dry (you wimp); or if you want to get soaked!! Your weight in kilos is then written on your hand in permanent marker so that it can be checked at the jump pod. I am jumping with '88' on my hand. The next thing you need is your safety harness. You will probably be in a group of people going to the jump pod so you will all line up and be shown how to put on the webbing safety harness. Your jump guides will ensure that they are securely fitted. You are then led out of AJ Hackett, across the road and through a security gate under the bridge.

The bonus of this jump is that you actually get to do a small bit of a bridge climb to get to the jump pod which is situated under the middle arch of the harbour bridge. Getting out to the middle is a 5-10 minute walk in single file along metal walkways hanging beneath the road bridge above. To be quite honest I found this quite hairy as I've always been scared of heights. The view of Auckland city centre and the Skytower is really impressive and so too the Volcanic island 'Rangitoto'. The water below is blue/green and on this Spring day looks a bit chilly!! As you approach the centre arch you climb a ladder up into the purpose-built jump pod. Basically it looks alot like one of the pods on the London Eye which opens with hydraulics jump-side. Once inside the adrenalin is really starting to pump. I'm 3rd up as the jumps are performed in descending weight order. The set up is really professional up here. There are 2 jump seats where you sit to get harnessed up for your jump. Being an adrenaline / dangerous sport you can imagine the characters running the show. The guys and girls are very friendly and dispel any fears that anyone may have, cracking jokes and taking the mickey where appropriate. There are lots of whoops and cries of 'Dude!!', 'Far out' and various cool hand gestures which you will find almost impossible to avoid doing yourself!! Depending upon the staff you'll get banging dance or skater metal booming out into the pod to get you going.

I'm up next!! They confirm my weight from their records and double-check with what is written on my hand. I sit in the jump seat and one of the jump officials straps my legs into the bungy bindings. Basically they will attach the cord to these bindings....so if these come loose...so do I!!! This is the traditional method of attachment and is used for the forward and backward jumps. I jumped the 'K' bridge in Queenstown, the original bungy site, and they used a towel wrapped around my legs in the more traditional method....either way is just as good!! Now during this kitting up you are being filmed for the DVD of your jump should you want to purchase it so keep this in mind...i.e. don't be picking your nose unless you want everyone to watch you doing this. The cord is attached to the bindings and harness and you are told what to expect and what to do. I have opted for a water dunk so I am told that as I reach the water I need to put my hands out above my head and tuck my chin in so as to break the water surface cleanly.

Of course with jumping off of a bridge on a piece of elastic there needs to be a way of getting you back up. I am instructed that when I have finished bouncing up and down I need to reach up towards my ankle , which will be above me, and pull the release cord which basically swings me into an upright position. A collection device is then lowered down the cord which locks into place to allow you to be pulled back up into the pod.

I shuffle to the edge of the jump pod and the guys check to ensure that it is safe for me to jump i.e. there isn't a yacht passing below for me to jump on to. They tell me that I should dive out as far away from the pod as possible to make it look good and get the full effect of the experience.

At the edge of what feels like the highest diving board in the world, all I can see below me is water and this makes it look even higher than the 40 metres they advertise it as (It's actually 43m at low tide). I wave to the camera......I take a deep breath....I take another....and another....it seems like I'm there for an eternity fighting my instincts....'go on jump'..'what the hell are you doing it's 40 metres up?'...'go on you're on a cord what can go wrong?'....'we're not made to fall that far!!'
Suddenly I free myself from the internal conflict and leap out in a graceful swallow dive. For a second I am flying out high above the water....the next I am hurtling head first towards the harbour below.....

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRG GGGG GGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!" (quick tuck head in) SPLASH!! (mouth full of sea water)......(BOING)..............."WOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO............... ......YEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!....(BOING)......WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOHO OOOOOOOOOO!!" to quote my actual screams!!

That was simply exhilarating!! As I reach the end of my bounces I reach up and pull the release at my ankles and drop to a sitting position. I sit there in mid-air whilst they pull me up, taking in the impressive views that can only be experienced from my bungy cord. I am absolutely buzzing.

On returning to the pod it's high fives all round and the bravado and the camaraderie increases the more jumps that are completed. Extra noise is made for a fellow Englishman who jumps dressed as a baby complete in nappy and holding a teddy bear and rattle. As the last jumper is hauled up we are asked whether anyone wants to do a second jump for a reduced price. Of course I can't resist!!

This time I am doing a running leap and the cord is attached directly to my harness at my waist. I take 3 steps back and then throw myself out from the platform, remembering to hurl the bungy cord out to my right as I leave the pod. the adrenaline rush is unbelievable and I manage to not only get my hands wet, I also get my feet wet with a double touchdown never before seen at Auckland Harbour Bridge.

Back in the pod and its time for the walk back to AJ Hackett to see the video footage and photos. We watch everyone's videos and most people decide to purchase a DVD of their jump along with 3 photos in a nice binder. The DVD quality is spot-on and has been created from cameras at set positions in the jump so everyone gets the same formula.

So what does it cost and what do you get for your dosh?

Please note that these prices were valid April 2006 but should be a good guide.

NZ$85.00 (approx £30.00) Gets you a single bungy jump plus a T-shirt souvenir and a certificate proving that you were man or woman enough to do it!!
(My second jump cost me NZ$50.00 and may have been a low-season promotion so ask for details when booking)

NZ$20.00 for the set of 3 photos.

NZ$45.00 will get you a DVD (created there & then) and 3 photos of your jump.
(If you buy the DVD and you know that you will be doing another AJ Hackett bungy jump you can have the DVD left 'open' so that you can have your other jumps added at a discounted rate!!)

There are numerous other deals available that get you to try all of their jumps in New Zealand with varying combinations and discounts. Brochures are readily available at the tourist information bureaus across New Zealand.

Summary:

REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLYYYY GOOOOOOOD FUUUUUUUUUUUUN!!

Definitely worth doing and the only place to bungy in the North Island.

 

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