Hey everyone! It’s been a while since my last post, the end of the semester was hectic. It was all worth it though and I celebrated the end of my junior year with a bang. Timmy has been studying abroad in Sweden this semester and our schedules lined up perfectly for me to go visit him for a week.
From seeing a European football game to exploring Copenhagen, seeing arctic seals swimming in a pond at the Höör zoo to seeing the sunrise in Kastrup, he and I were able to see and do a lot while I was visiting. Another list item that Timmy and I share is cliff jumping and the most exhilarating activity I did while visiting him was the cliff jump at Dalby Stenbrott.
Dalby Stenbrott is a quarry with a 16 meter (roughly 53 ft) cliff overhanging the water below. Tim had been there before with some of the friends he met while in Sweden. Without much hesitation we walked around the water and ascended the steep, winding dirt path to the top of the cliff. Upon reaching the top of the incline, I looked over the edge and took a mental picture of the rocks and the tree I would have to jump over.
Prior to getting to the top, Tim told me about the tree that was rooted on the cliff-side and how I’d need to have enough speed jumping off the cliff to clear it. I also noticed that water was shallow close to the edge of the cliff because I could see the big rocks hugging the intersection of the water and the cliff.
In the past, moments like these gave me butterflies but there was something about this place that calmed me. Looking back, it must have been the beautiful contrast of blues and greens that fill the view at the peak of the cliff.
Shutting off my conscience, I quickly took off my shirt and strapped on the go pro. I then jogged over to my spot and awaited Tim to give me the thumbs up. When I got the green light I took a couple strides, stuttered to adjust my footing, then sent it. At lift off, my mind went blank, transfixed by the light bouncing off the water, but then screamed upon the realization that this visual marvel was approaching faster and faster.
When I entered the water, I panicked a little and clawed as quickly as I could to the surface of the water. When I got to the top and opened my eyes back to the spectacle, I felt a new sensation: sheer chills; two chills to be exact. One chill was the same chill I get whenever I get to cross something off my list. The second chill pushed this chill aside very quickly. The water was freezing. I swam as quickly as I could to the other side of the quarry where there was an area for me to heat up in the sun. About halfway to the other side, I felt the same cramp in my leg as I did in the triathlon, so I switched to a breaststroke and took in the view some more.
Climbing out of the water, I looked back at how far I swam and the height of the cliff I jumped off of. I took a deep, content breath and I found myself wishing there was a higher one right next to it for me to jump off of. Before take-off and even right after landing I had no sense of how much fun it was. It’s only now, after re-watching the video and remembering it that I remember the thrill. It’s fascinating how instincts can take over and remove feelings of fear and reluctance.
I am deathly afraid of falling so this was a huge list item for me, especially knowing that I did it without any hesitation. Cliff jumping from a height such as this is a big step in the right direction for me to conquer my fear of falling. Next up will be bungee jumping of some kind and then the mac daddy of them all: skydiving (props to you Timmy)
Be sure to check out our new YouTube channel to see the full video featuring Tim’s jump also!
Overall rating: 8/10
– Nick
A Tinkers Damn 