Life on the ledge, the sequel

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It was three years ago that Andrew Kirkpatrick and Evan Faulkenberry decided to film one of Bermuda’s long-held summer pastimes — cliff jumping.

They gathered together a bunch of friends, got into their boats and started filming people doing different stunts off the Island’s rocks.

For the most part it was just a bit of fun. Last year, with the help of US pro-athlete Mike Wilson, it took on a life of its own.

Their YouTube video shot by Conor Toumarkine, ‘Trip Of A Lifetime, Cliff Jumping in Bermuda’, went viral on the Internet. Its three versions garnered nearly 900,000 views on the popular media website.

The four-minute clip became an unofficial tourism video and showcased a unique side of the Island, Mr Kirkpatrick said.

“It’s a roundabout way to advertise. People see the beaches and golf courses, but then cliff jumping comes up on the screen and it’s something different that people are interested in.

“We have heard of people all over the world who had friends or ties to Bermuda and have seen the video and sort of stumbled over here. You don’t start out to do something as an advertisement, but I think now we can see the potential.”

Mr Kirkpatrick, 28, said the local group of cliff jumpers were looking to get sponsorship for this year’s project, expected to start next month.

“This year we want to do something a bit different then cliff jumping because we have done it for three years and we have gone to all the spots numerous different times. I think this year we will do more rope swings and slip and slides off the cliff into the water somehow.”

They also want to add in more creative angles using fancy cameras such as the 30 Gopro and RED epic. They are also hoping to get at least a million YouTube hits.

If given extra funds the cliff jumpers plan to include Mr Wilson and extreme athlete Rory Bushfield in the video.

“When you start flying people in that is when it gets expensive,” Mr Kirkpatrick said.

“We are going to be using Bermudians too, but with those recognisable names the videos go viral a lot easier and quicker.”

Mr Kirkpatrick, who films with Burnt House Productions, said he and his friends are considering bringing gymnasts or professional skiers down in the future.

He was initially surprised when Mr Wilson, known for doing extreme stunts everywhere from ski slopes to zip-lining agreed to venture to Bermuda.

Mr Kirkpatrick said: “We saw a video of him online doing a rope swing, so Evan just thought it would be a shot in the dark and sent him a random e-mail telling him ‘this is what we do, take a look at our video, and do you want to come down and be a part of it?’.

“We got a response from him and his camera guy and we were like ‘yeah, come on down’.

“We skyped a few times and he scheduled to come down for four days, but ended up staying for two weeks.”

Their concern when Mr Wilson arrived, was that Bermuda’s cliff jumping wouldn’t be extreme enough for the American pro-athlete.

They scoured the Island to find some of the best jumping spots and stumbled on a location in St David’s with cliffs between 85ft and 100ft.

Mr Wilson is described as a “very physics-oriented guy” who has various methods of testing cliffs before doing a jump.

He did his examination and then set up a trampoline and did a triple front flip off the cliffs.

Mr Kirkpatrick said: “I think the first time we realised that we had bitten off more than we could chew was when we had picked them up at the airport on our boat and [Mike] passed us his carry-on bag which had a parachute in it.

“Thankfully we never had the time to use it in the end.”

Though some people consider cliff jumping as potentially dangerous, Mr Kirkpatrick maintains they take necessary precautions before every jump.

“Half the jumpers you see in the video have all been or are lifeguards. We bring spinal boards and neck braces and one of the guys works for St John Ambulance. We also check the depth before we dive.”

Brian Steinhoff, Dylan Ward, Robert Pantry, James Adams, Jermaine (Pong) Simons, Shane (Turk) Morrissey and Nick Noviello were all part of the project.

At the end of the day it’s still about a group of friends and the enjoyment they get from it.

“It’s crazy fun flying through the air, what’s better than that?” Mr Kirkpatrick asked.

“I think meeting new people is one of the highlights because when you are out there you meet locals you haven’t seen before and everyone bonds one time in that common pastime we have. Everyone, from young like 11-year-olds to old dock sea captains, can relate to when they used to cliff jump.

“Every summer when we get close to it people keep asking ‘Are you doing another video?’ It’s nice to also promote Bermuda in a different way of advertising as opposed to a typical commercial.”

He said the videos also showcased the special Bermudian style of cliff jumping.

“I watch a video and can pick up a Bermudian because of their style, just by the way they move in the air or the little things they do.

“It’s in a way artistic and labels locals in a good way.”

Useful website: www.burnthousepro.com.

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