As I looked down, the glassy water rippled slightly from passing boats. A cold metal bar and 20 feet were the only things separating me from the ice cold ocean below. One by one, my friends climbed over the railing, ushering me to follow. I remained frozen with no intention of moving. As they jumped, there was three seconds of silence before they hit the water forming a ripple that seemed to shake me. The cold metal electrocuted my body with shots of adrenaline. The split second of straddling the railing with neither of my feet planted on the ground was scarier than jumping off the bridge itself. I maneuvered my way to the other side, effacing the only barrier between me and the open water. I felt my heart pulsing throughout every part of my body, moving from my chest to the tips of my fingers. I looked down, stunned by the distance between myself and the ocean. I am going to die. …show more content…
I hesitated at first, but when my friends reached one, I bent my knees, closed my eyes, and waited to die. Time froze as I stepped off the ledge. The sound of laughter and screaming could no longer be heard. Everything was silent and still, except my stomach. The activity of my stomach was a new feeling to me. It seemed to drop at a faster speed than the rest of my body. I waited for the water the bring a refreshing rush through my body, but it seemed to never come. Finally, I was engulfed by the water, first by my toes, then my stomach, then my head. The adrenaline rushing through me made my body oblivious to the cold sensation of the salty ocean. I opened my eyes, clouded by blue green bubbles, and swam to the surface. The sun gently hit the top of my head and I was able to hear my friends cheering when I looked up from at the bridge. As I floated in the void free of gravity, my heart racing, I realized the only thing I wanted to do was jump off that bridge
I smiled to myself and decided that I would go join in. With that, I took a huge deep breath and jumped into the salty water. The water was cool and refreshing; I felt it slide through my hair making it sway in the water. I swam deeper and deeper into the deep blue water. Sunlight streamed through it, lighting up the water around me turning it to gold. I kicked harder and I felt my muscles surge with strength and I pushed further. My lunges began to burn for the need of oxygen, but I refused to go up. I repeatedly told myself just a little bit longer. Until I was unable to proceed anymore without more air in my lungs, I swam to the top of the water taking a huge breaths, filling my lungs with air. I could then taste the salty water as it ran down my face and dripped over my lips. Just then I thought, I will never forget this moment, this place, or the experiences I felt while visiting
Interviewing people that have experienced the results of people leaping off the span provided the sad reality of those that seek to leave their agony. Often using morbid humor to make her point, she quoted Sgt. Lopez, “A lot of times, we pull bodies out with crabs hanging off them, speculating that crabs consider people a delicacy as much as people consider crabs” (Roach, 2001). The physics of how people perish is described in graphic detail to vulgar extremes. The majority of her writing is devoted to the descriptive recovery and unattractive nature of the jumper’s condition. Explaining how there are systems in place on the bridge to spot possible attempts to dive off the bridge Sgt. Lopez feels, “if they can get there before people jump there is a ninety-nine percent chance to stop them.” The only solution noted in the article is to put up fencing to keep people from jumping; however, she does not expand on the safety issue only to summarize with humor. Comparing the Bridge District’s reluctance to spoil the view by incorporating a barrier, to the spoiled view of a decomposed corpse (Roach,
Surprisingly, our parents had beaten us to the top and we all stopped in awe, mesmerized by the great waterfall in front of us. My mouth felt like the Sahara desert. I vividly remember reaching for the chilling water bottle that hid underneath the tons of clothes stuffed in my father’s black backpack to quench my thirst. I took off my beaten down shoes and stinky socks covered in dirt from the trail and blood from the blisters on my feet and dove into the refreshing lake. After swimming through the lake for a few seconds, I abruptly jumped out of the freezing water. My toes turned into a blue that reminded me of the blueberry muffins from breakfast that morning. My body shivered as I exited the lake and threw on a warm towel over my shoulders. Gradually my body heat increased, escaping the risk of hypothermia. At that point, I just wanted to go home. My family and I gathered all our belongings and I dragged my energyless body into the large, gray shuttle. The shuttle smelled of sweat from previous passengers. It drove us down a rough, bumpy trail, causing my tall father to constantly slam his head on the roof of the car. After we finally got back to our hotel, we all let off a sigh of
As I inched my way toward the cliff, my legs were shaking uncontrollably. I could feel the coldness of the rock beneath my feet when my toes curled around the edge in one last futile attempt at survival. My heart was racing like a trapped bird, desperate to escape. Gazing down the sheer drop, I nearly fainted; my entire life flashed before my eyes. I could hear stones breaking free and fiercely tumbling down the hillside, plummeting into the dark abyss of the forbidding black water. The trees began to rapidly close in around me in a suffocating clench, and the piercing screams from my friends did little to ease the pain. The cool breeze felt like needles upon my bare skin, leaving a trail of goose bumps. The threatening mountains surrounding me seemed to grow more sinister with each passing moment, I felt myself fighting for air. The hot summer sun began to blacken while misty clouds loomed overhead. Trembling with anxiety, I shut my eyes, murmuring one last pathetic prayer. I gathered my last breath, hoping it would last a lifetime, took a step back and plun...
We set out early the next day just as dawn awoke to light our way. We wanted to put distance between us and the island of the cyclops. I had thought that the ram I had sacrificed the night before had brought us good fortune, but I was to be proven wrong. The sea glittered like millions of lustrous jewels all dancing in the placid waves of the ocean. The ocean seemed to lap at the boats, encouraging them to sail faster towards the distant lands. Wisps of white fluffy clouds streaked the light blue sky as if a painter had lazily taken his brush and dabbed it in a few places; it seemed accidental, but in reality it created a master peace. The fresh sea breeze blew in our faces along with gusts of wind that danced in the air and propelled the boats on; it seemed to beckon us to explore the ocean. It was one of the days that seemed as though nothing
My sweat soaked shirt was clinging to my throbbing sunburn, and the salty droplets scalded my tender skin. “I need this water,” I reminded myself when my head started to fill with terrifying thoughts of me passing out on this ledge. I had never been so relieved to see this glistening, blissful water. As inviting as the water looked, the heat wasn't the only thing making my head spin anymore. Not only was the drop a horrifying thought, but I could see the rocks through the surface of the water and couldn't push aside the repeating notion of my body bouncing off them when I hit the bottom. I needed to make the decision to jump, and fast. Standing at the top of the cliff, it was as if I could reach out and poke the searing sun. Sweat dripped from my forehead, down my nose, and on its way to my dry, cracked lips which I licked to find a salty droplet. My shirt, soaked with perspiration, was now on the ground as I debated my
It takes about an hour to get to this bridge and so on the way up I was a mix of emotions. I wanted to go bridge jumping because it would be exhilarating. However, on the other hand the bridge was 35 feet above the river. I was going through all the scenarios that could happen and my heart was beating out of my chest. Then, finally we got there and I was scared to death.
Before getting to the jump there was a thirty-minute drive to the site and on the way, I contemplated whether or not jumping was a good idea. I had been told by my friends who had gone the day before that someone got hurt by not jumping out towards the water, so I was fighting the fear of not jumping “right” or landing without hurting myself. As we arrived at the cliff it became apparent to me that forty foot high cliff was unmatched by its surroundings and, jagged rocks and murky water lay beneath it. I looked in amazement as I thought to myself about how soon I would be in what looked like a bottom less lake. I waited until someone jumped to make sure it was safe enough while my friends consistently urged me to go. I decided after a short amount of time had passed to jump. As I ran off the cliff into thin air I realized there was no turning back. I screamed at the top of my lungs and my heart seemed to pumped harder and pumped louder than it ever had before. Before I knew it I had hit the water. What had seemed like a minute in the
I did it. I jumped off. The cold air hitting my face as I plummet towards the gravel. Some panicking, some remained still. I heard one lady scream. Crashed. The pain jolted throughout my body. It didn't hurt as much as the realisation that I didn't succeed. I was still alive. People started to surround me, some dialing 911 to seek for professional help. A man was telling me "Hold on, you'll be fine". I didn't want to hold on.
Well, that time arrived when Dad was taking me, and nothing was going to hold me back. I watched Dad approach me as he returned from a blue and white hire tent with a long (well what seemed long at the time), bright yellow foam board. It had a small white fin sticking out its rear. We stayed shallow and like any impatient 5 year old I began to suffer from frustration as I continuously nose dived into the sand at my efforts to stand up.
My body was dyeing away, My breathing ragged and noiseless, but still it drew out at a slow pace. My footsteps made a fast crunching sound as I ran across the heavy and still ground. I was starving and my stomach fought for survival. My mind became numb and weak and I couldn’t think anymore. I got the water bottle that had been strapped onto the position of my back pack.
I felt the bridge tremble, and without hesitation I layed down. All I did was breath... and waited for my last one. A few moments later the bridge collapsed. I felt my heart pounding in my neck as I
It looked very different from summer time because there was nothing but snow and ice. One guy suggested we can go down and play on the lake. That was exactly what I wanted to do. I thought playing on the ice was a really cool thing. Now in retrospect, I was so naïve in that time. I was excited and I quickly ran to the lakefront. The lakefront is about 1.5 meters from the surface of the frozen lake. I didn’t think how dangerous it is, and I just jumped out of the lake! Then I shouted to the other little partners: “Come down with me, it is fantastic!” I looked at them, but no one moved. The little guy who suggested go down to the lake didn’t move either. He said he was fear of heights and he didn’t want to jump off. I was thinking to myself “These guys really don 't how to play.” I tried to walk to the other side of the lake. At first I walked slowly, then I ran up and tried to slip on the ice. After a few seconds, something bad happened. My feet suddenly broke the ice and I just fell into the lake vertically! At that moment I felt like I fell into an abyss, and exceedingly cold water immediately flooded me. The frigid water chilled me to the bone. I realized that I have to land as
I will never forget the first time I went snorkeling, it was something I had been afraid to do up until the moment I touched the water. Beforehand all I could think about was what if I got attacked by a shark? I was too young to die and I felt like I was tempting fate. Then once I made the plunge into the water everything washed away, as if the waves carried the fear with them as they folded over me. I remember that day so clearly, rocking back and forth, up and down, I sat on a small glass bottom boat. The enormous ocean waves making me nauseas as I put my snorkel gear on. I hurried as fast as I could, knowing my nausea would go away as soon as I entered the water. This wasn’t the first time I have gotten sea sick, but it only shows up when the boat is sitting still. As soon as I got my equipment on I jumped into the water, fins first. I felt the sensation of goose bumps shivering up my whole body, tiny bubbles rolling over my body from breaking the surface, they ran from my toes upwards to break free at the ocean’s surface. Once the bubbles cleared, I looked around to see a new blue world I have never experienced before. I heard the sound of the ocean, mumbled by the sound of my deep breathing and the tanks of the more experienced scuba divers below me. It’s a very relaxing and peaceful sound, and if I had not been in such a new and unusual place I could have floated with my eyes closed for hours.
This lukewarm water was deceiving though, because it only seemed lukewarm due to the drop in temperature and misty rainfall. The waves were rushing toward me like a bull to a matador’s red flag. My mouth tasted as if someone dumped a whole shaker of salt on my tongue. The wave pushed my further and faster as it I could feel the wave breaking on my body and there I was back at the shallows again floating in with the white wash and was ready for another wave. As I stood back up and ran back out to the deep water I saw one of my surfing mates catch the most perfect barrel it was rad. It would have been a great snap shot. I caught another wave, this one was even bigger. The thrust of the wave was twisting my body and I was pulled towards the sea