It was very lunar. a very desolate place, very isolated. My feeling was one of complete isolation, from all of humanity.
James Cameron, we salute you.
On March 26th, 2012, Cameron completed what is now the deepest solo-man dive in world history. 6.83 miles to the bottom of the ocean. With 30+ deep-sea dives to the Titanic and 7 years of preparation for this particular voyage, Cameron was no stranger to the open ocean — check out this clip to hear him wax philosophical on his experience.
The Challenger Deep is a small, slot-shaped depression of the Mariana Trench, the world’s deepest canyon, situated about 200 miles southwest of Guam in the Pacific Ocean. The descent in Cameron’s proprietary bullet-shaped submarine took 2 hours and 36 minutes, and while the vessel was designed for a 6-hour trip, the mission was cut short a couple of hours in when a hydraulic fluid lead obscured Cameron’s view. It only took 70 minutes to ascend.
Cameron spent more than 3 hours drifting along the Challenger Deep, an alien-esque, desolate landscape more than 50 times grander than the Grand Canyon.
Armed with tools like a robotic claw, “slurp gun” and sediment sampler, Cameron collected samples. Video footage was captured via an 8-foot tall tower of LED lights.
When Cameron surfaced, he was unable to fully extend his arms and legs for hours.
A half-hour special, James Cameron: Voyage to the Bottom of the Earth, is running on National Geographic and showcases Cameron’s expedition.
Skydiving is a prominent thing to do on most people’s bucket lists. It frequents itself at the top of the list so often that some say skydiving has lost its perennially #1 ranking as the world’s biggest rush.
So why not step it up a notch, Nerve Rush style. Skydive on every continent!
Below are the best places to skydive on each of the 7 continents:
With a drop-zone located only a few miles away from the Pacific Ocean sky-dive Santa Barbara offers up breath-taking panoramic views of the California coast line. This drop zone isn’t just a create spot for first timers. For those that have jumped before but are looking to add a little extra thrill to the experience, Santa Barbara offers up the highest tandem skydive in North America. An 18,000 ft jump with over a minute and a half of free-fall time is sure to give a fix to any adrenaline junkie.
Aside from its chocolate, banks, and watches, Interlaken, Switzerland houses one of the most extraordinary drop zones in the world. At the base of the Swiss Alps and nestled between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz you will have the option of jumping from an airplane or helicopter. Scenic views of mountain tops and glaciers offer a unique look as your shoot opens. If skydiving wasn’t enough to tickle your fancy, Interlaken also gives you the opportunity to test your nerves through hang-gliding, Alpin rafting, and paragliding.
From bungee jumping, to elephant back riding, and now skydiving. Victoria Falls in South Africa, located on the Zambezi river between Zambia and Zimbabwe, gives those with a few screws loose a chance to see one of the worlds largest and most beautiful waterfalls from a unique perspective. A 25-minute scenic flight with Skydive Vic Falls gives you a chance to see the falls up close as well as many other local landmarks.
The indigenous name for the Falls is “Mosi-oa-Tunya” – which translates to “The Smoke that Thunders.” If that doesn’t scare the crap out of you, I don’t know what will.
Well on its way to becoming one of the worlds best skydiving resorts on the planet, Skydive Dubai offers thrill-seekers a chance to fly over a man-made peninsula that is literally on the water and even has its own private beach. After taking in the views that include the World archipelago, the 7-star Burj Al Arab hotel and the Burj Khalifa – the tallest building in the world – you can take a dip in the Arabian sea or enjoy the world-renowned night life. If that is not enough, hop on a quad and rip in up in the desert.
Deemed the adventure capital of the world, Queenstown is located on the south island. Between Queenstown and Rotorua, a 2nd location on the north island, 180,000 people have tumbled out of planes since 1990. The first commercial skydiving operation in New Zealand gives you the chance to leap from up above the Remarkable’s mountain range (how fitting is that). The Rotorua location is found between two towering volcanoes and is surrounded by mud pools, active geysers, and steaming lakes. The sky above this drop zone is known as Ranginui, or the Maori Sky God.
6. South America: Skydive Sao Paulo, Brasil
Perfect blue skies and wonderful weather make Sao Paulo a pristine drop zone. Located near the Atlantic ocean just outside of Rio De Janeiro, this jump offers up one of the most beautiful skylines in the world. If you time it right, you might be able to get a jump in as well as catch Formula 1 race, attend the ATP Brasil Open, or an Indy 300 event. The 2011 Skydiving world championships were held here..so you know it’s legit.
7. Antartica: OK..Maybe Not
This is not for the noob. Valery Rozov was the first man to climb the nearly 10,000 ft Mountain, Ulvetanna and base jump off of it. The free fall lasted roughly 45 seconds through -30 degree Fahrenheit winds. Although you might not be able to experience what Valery did there is a chance to get close.
Falling from 29,500 ft in the air will give you plenty of time to pull your shoot. You’ll also be able to land on the highest drop zone in the world at 12,350ft. The Everest jump team only conducts four jumps over the course of a year. You’ll need to throw down a few clams as well to prove your serious. About $25,000 worth! Word on the street is that you get a pinky ring and diamond studded wing suit, John Travolta style. Reserving your spot needs to be done six months prior to the jump date. If you’re looking to put some hair on your chest, this may be your best shot.
*Bonus 2: Outerspace
For a jump that is seriously out-of-this-world, check out Felix Baumgartner and team Red Bull starts. These fools plan to jump from a stratospheric balloon 120,000 ft above the earth. Felix will be testing the limits as gravity yanks him back into our atmosphere at supersonic speeds. This jump will exceed the current world record held by Joe Kittinger in 1960 by nearly 18,000 ft.
I’m not sure how long the free fall will be..due to the weight of this guys balls.
If you decide to put this on for bucket list better save it for last.
A unique race, never attempted before – from Peru to Guyana in 3 weeks, going through Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. The adventure begins on 1st of August 2012! Do you dare to take it on?
What is ‘The Inca Rally’?
Imagine blitzing across the Peruvian Andes, hustling through Ecuadorian deserts and Colombian plains, cruising through Venezuela’s Caribbean coastline and plunging into the depths of the Guyanese Amazonian jungle in just under 3 weeks. That’s The Inca Rally.
As you race along its 8,000 km route, you will experience one of the most stunning landscape ranges and mingle amongst some of the most exciting cultures of any rally. You will party the nights away in the different capitals, learn about great community projects en route and challenge yourself throughout with all the other racers that you meet.
This is real adventure. With a purpose.
The Route
The rally is an unsupported and untested charity race across South America’s most challenging terrains; taking racers from Peru to Guyana through Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela in 3 weeks.
These are the countries once fabled to be home to the mythical golden city of El Dorado, believed for centuries to be hidden deep in the South American jungle. Along the way, racers will climb vertiginous Andean peaks, cruise through vast plains, bask in the Caribbean sun and plunge into the Amazonian basin. There is no official route – just parties organised in each capital for the drivers who make it that far.
This is the first and only rally to cross this challenging section of South America, from the Pacific coast to the Caribbean beaches.
Peru Lima – 1st Aug 2012
Ecuador Quito – 5th Aug 2012
Colombia Bogota – 9th Aug 2012
Venezuela Caracas – 13th Aug 2012
Guyana Georgetown – 18th Aug 2012
The Charities
As a social enterprise, we are highly committed to our charitable causes. Each year drivers vote for one of three chosen charities to receive funds they’ve raised for the rally. 2012 nominees are Incawasi, a Peruvian charity trying to break the cycle of family poverty; EveryChild, working to prevent children from growing up vulnerable and alone; and Survival International, campaigning for tribal people’s rights worldwide. All three charities operate in countries along our route.
Requirements
We love the roads less traveled, the local communities and the foreign cultures. We seek the unexpected, the challenges and the victories. We do all this to challenge ourselves and help others.
Here at the Inca Rally, we get a kick out of hurtling ourselves headfirst into the unknown armed with just a questionable overconfidence in our ability to be resourceful enough to get out of any sticky situations. So that is what we are about. Shaking the safe monotony of daily life and plunging straight into adventurous randomness.
Are you up for the challenge? You can find out more information on the Inca Rally official website. Sign up as an individual and join an existing team, or rally your friends together and fundraise for a team of your own.
Featuring Tommy Czeschin, Drew Danielo and friends, On The Loose showcases wakeskating, one of those fringe sports we at Nerve Rush HQ are big fans of. Beautifully shot, and seems like a sport I’d be down for on a clear, warm day.
Former graphic designer turned adventurer and motivational speaker, Dave became disenchanted with work and, having recently taken up longboarding, decided to set out on an adventure. One year later, Dave skateboarded his way from Perth to Brisbane–yes, across the entire continent of Australia–received his first world record and book deal and never looked back.
Since then, Dave has paddled 2 of the world’s longest rivers from source to sea, crossed England (and Lake Geneva) by Stand Up Paddleboard, broken a world speed record on a human-powered hydrofoil — I could go on. The man is righteously adventurous.
I’m thrilled and humbled that Dave took the time out of his schedule to chat with us here at Nerve Rush HQ. We asked him a few questions about his Expedition1000 project, particularly his August 2012 plan to swim 1,000 miles of the lower Missouri River.
1,000 miles – wow! But we have to ask, why the Missouri River?
Until recently I wasn’t interested in doing a swim because I didn’t think I’d see anything, but then slowly I realised I would have a view, just a different one (two inches above the water!). Despite appearances, I’m not totally crazy, so I decided to swim downstream on a river with a decent current, and the Missouri fit the bill.
How long will it take? What do your logistics look like?
I’m not after any records on this one, it’s simply a personal challenge for someone who doesn’t swim so much to see how it feels to be in the water for so long. It’ll take 50 days, 20 miles a day between Yankton, SD and St Louis, MO. I’ll be dragging my own gear on a raft but will also have a team on the water around me. I love trickling down my experience to others so am assembling a team to do everything from still photography to safety kayak, all of them will be paddling the full 1000 miles on canoes, kayaks and SUP. If anyone would like to join the team here’s the link:
Hah! Well, now you ask…. I can’t remember the last time I swam more than 50 metres. I’ve just sailed across the Pacific and didn’t even touch the water. And I’m about to cycle a 4-wheeled bike from Miami to Memphis. I’ll do about a month of basic swimming, but nothing can prepare you for an expedition like the expedition itself. So I’ll take it easy the first couple of weeks and build up my strength. Besides, I figure I’ll be a brilliant swimmer by the end of the trip!
Now, this swim is a part of a larger project you’re working on called Expedition1000. Can you tell us about that?
Sure. If you want to call this a career, my goal is to undertake 25 separate journeys, each at least 1000 miles in distance and each using a different form of non-motorised transport. Along the way I’m encouraging people to get off their butts, to combine sport and travel to stay healthy and get in touch with nature a little more. I’ve not met anyone who spends time outdoors and keeps fit that hasn’t seemed pretty much at peace with themselves, so I figure the more people who do it the better. I’m also aiming to raise £1 million for charity, including the breast cancer awareness organisation CoppaFeel. Great cause, it’s all about giving ourselves as much life as possible.
You’re up to some crazy stuff. Where can our readers follow along with your adventures?
Featured in the 2006 Reel Rock Film Tour, First Ascent is a film about those places in the world that are too dangerous, too remote..or just too hard to climb. It’s about the glory of being first, of doing something nobody has ever done before. Another beautiful documentary from Sender Films.
This video is less about real climbing — have you seen Alex Honnold? — than it is luscious cinematography, but alas, certainly Nerve Rush worthy. Tombstone Rock is in Canyonlands National Park near Moab, UT, where Bear Grylls first learned about climbing from his father. Watch him reconnect with his roots, courtesy of Degree’s Masters of Movement series.
Ladies and gentlemen of the Nerve Rush community, we have an exciting opportunity to share.
Interested in adventure filmmaking? Feel like getting paid to hang out in Los Angeles with one of the world’s raddest skateboarders?
Boom!
AT&T is looking for an 18-24 year old filmmaker to join its ranks this summer in Los Angeles. If you fit the bill, you’ll get a new Nokia Lumia 900, some other swag, and oh, you’ll work as part of professional crew to co-direct and produce an original short featuring Paul Rodriguez, skateboaring protégé.
Who is Paul Rodriguez?
Only a 3-time X Games Gold Medalist. Only the first skateboarder to receive a Nike signature model shoe. Only an entrepreneur who runs his own skateboard and sneaker shop — a philanthropist who works with non-profit Stoked to open skate parks and make the sport more accessible. A rad dude, if you ask me.
To learn more and enter the contest, head over here: http://social.att.com/prod
Nerve Rush HQ was compensated by AT&T for this post.
Compared to the rest of our gut-wrenching inventory, this is one of the mellower clips we’ve featured at Nerve Rush HQ. That said, some gnarly cool riding from the guys at Young Wise Tails in Hawaii. Well done, guys.
The Challenger Deep is a small, slot-shaped depression of the Mariana Trench, the world’s deepest canyon, situated about 200 miles southwest of Guam in the Pacific Ocean. The descent in Cameron’s proprietary bullet-shaped submarine took 2 hours and 36 minutes, and while the vessel was designed for a 6-hour trip, the mission was cut short a couple of hours in when a hydraulic fluid lead obscured Cameron’s view. It only took 70 minutes to ascend.
![The Inca Rally [Race Profile]](https://www.nerverush.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/The-Inca-Rally.jpg)
32-year old Dave Cornthwaite is downright cool.
