Queenstown Again - Canyon Swing

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So I went back through Queenstown after doing the trip south through Te Anua (Doubtful Sound, Kepler Track, and Milford Sound), Stewart Island, The Catlins, Dunedin, and the Otago Peninsula. The weather was great in Queenstown so I spent a couple of days relaxing. I also decided to do one more activity while in New Zealand. I had heard that the Canyon Swing was alot of fun, so I decided to give it a try.

Laurent and I decided to both do the Canyon Swing and we decided to go ahead and sign up together. We met in the afternoon in the Shotover Canyon Swing shop in Queenstown. After signing our lives away and getting weighed in, a van drove us up into the mountains to the location of the Canyon Swing. We stopped up on the side of the mountain and had to hike a short distance along a trail to the launch area. After the Nevis Bungy Jump, the site for the Canyon Swing was not all that impressive. At the Canyon Swing, you could not see much until you were out on the ledge, ready to be released/jump/fall off the ledge.

There are several types of jumps that you can decide to do for the Canyon Swing. There is a Cutaway, where you are held up by a rope and the rope is slowly cut until the last string breaks. There is a standard Front Jump, like the bungy jump that I had done. There was the Chair, where you get tied into a chair and lean back until the chair falls backward. You could do also do Flips, a Handstand, etc. as there were at least a dozen to chose from and others in their bag of tricks.

Well I looked through the list and asked one of the guys for a suggestion. He suggested "Backwards", since I had already done a bungy jump and going backwards would be a different feeling. So I decided to go backwards. I get into the harness and get set up for the backwards jump. I have to back to the ledge, while a guy has me held by my harness. I was told to lean back and put my hands on my head. OK. They leaned me back until I thought I was going to be released off the ledge. Then they pull you back straight. They did this several times, leaning me back and then pulling me up straight. They also told me to bend my legs; no, not that bent; no, not so straight; over and over. They also kept telling me to look back; no, up; no, at them...And then all of the sudden I am no longer being held onto and the guys and the ledge are falling away at an incredible rate of speed. Pretty cool feeling.

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Photos

Canyon Swing - Backwards
Getting my feet set on the edge of the platform.

Canyon Swing - Backwards
Leaning back with my hands on my head.

Canyon Swing - Backwards
Now looking up and leaning back with my hands on my head.

Canyon Swing - Backwards
Checking out how far it is down to the river.

Canyon Swing - Backwards
The Release!

Canyon Swing - Backwards
Falling away from the platform - cool sensation.

Canyon Swing - Backwards
Beginning to flip upside down.

Canyon Swing - Backwards
Still in the position. I think I was frozen in fear.

Canyon Swing - Backwards
Swinging between the river valley walls. Enjoying the views around finally.

Canyon Swing - Backwards
Getting hauled up to the platform.

Canyon Swing - Backwards
Back to the safety of the "ground".