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Falling

Gallery: NPN PhotographersPosted December 15, 2009912 views8 comments

Ok, so this doesn't give you guys the best view of me... but it's good for a laugh!

This photo was taken by my friend, TJ Tuthill on a trip to Victoria Falls in Dominica as part of a semester abroad on 'Seamester'. Dominica is by far my favorite country, and I've been fortunate enough to have been there twice. A large majority of the island nation is rainforest, and it has such natural wonders as the Boiling Lake and the Valley of Desolation.

Our guide told us it was safe to jump from these cliffs, and being 20 years old, I thought what could go wrong? Well... when you're 30+ feet up on an EXTREMELY slippery cliff next to a 400' raging waterfall... some things can go wrong. I jumped, but slipped backward, narrowly avoided bashing my head on the rocks, then overcompensated and ended up essentially belly flopping from 3 stories up, again almost crushing myself on the rocks below. A bruised stomach (and ego) were the only injuries suffered, but I fortunately have this great photo to show to all!

- Luke

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on December 15, 2009 at 8:38 PM

Luke,

i have gone there 3 times it just keeps getting nicer and nicer.

Mike

Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on December 16, 2009 at 8:43 AM

Hi Luke - glad to see no real damage was done! Nice to meet you!

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on December 18, 2009 at 6:55 PM

Luke, a wonderful looking location. Sincerely glad you were not hurt.

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on December 23, 2009 at 5:18 PM

Ha! Next time you feel up to such a stunt, we have plenty of cliffs here in CO, Luke--just give me a heads up and ill have my MkII video mode ready to go

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Joel DeYoung on December 25, 2009 at 7:40 AM

Wow! glad you didn't get seriously hurt! Looks like a beautiful location.

What is it about being 20 and cliff diving? When I was 20, I was in Arizona along the Colorado river, We had boated up to a large rock where people said it was "safe" to jump from. It was about 35 feet to the water from the jump point.
A friend of mine went first. I remember that he made quite a strong leap to make sure he cleared the rocks below. Even so, after he landed, the people who were watching in the boats below shouted for me to jump a little farther out than he did as he almost didn't clear the rocks!
I don't ever remember thinking this may be a bad idea! not until after I jumped of course! Luckily I made it out and can laugh about it now.
Have a great Christmas all.

Registered on July 12, 2009, 92 Posts, 1074 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Willison on January 31, 2010 at 10:10 AM

Ahh, the adventurous twenties!
Strange, how clear the mind becomes on the way down from a jump, isn't it? Good thing you compensated, belly flop or not.

Registered on April 10, 2009, 292 Posts, 3967 Comments

Comment posted by Emille Currie on March 12, 2010 at 2:01 PM

Gutsy - or maybe slightly crazy? All good attributes for any worthy photographer. I have to fully agree with you about Dominica - it's one of the few places left in the Caribbean that has not yet been overrun and spoiled by unethical tourism.

E. Currie

Registered on February 10, 2010, 0 Posts, 1 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on April 14, 2010 at 2:35 AM

No fair!! We want a FACE to the name!

Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments