Time to Jump
As you reach the entrance to the offsets, you can feel your adrenaline begin to rise.
After being cramped up in a car for what feels like an eternity, the only thing on anyone’s mind is releasing all your contained energy. Unfortunately, for my friend Jon, the only thing running through his mind is fear. Pulling up to the offsets and seeing the 70-foot cliffs and crystal clear water is a one of a kind feeling. Unlike the rest of my friends who don’t have an ounce of fear in them, Jon is filled with it. From the fear of heights to the fear of darkness, he is pretty much scared of anything and everything adventuress.
Just convincing him to go with us was a challenge but getting him to jump was going to be a completely different task. As we inch our way up to the edge of the cliff, being careful not to slip on the loose gravel, the first glance down is breathtaking. Since the Offsets is spring fed, the water is as clear as bath water and you can see the fish and moss growing on the rocks 50-100 feet below the surface. Looking off the 70-footer into the bone chilling 65 degree water, your stomach becomes queasy and the longer you wait to jump the worse it becomes. Right before you take the leap, you have to toss your noodle down so you have something to float on after you jump and then watch everyone else jump.
While free falling the 70 feet down to the water, you feel weightless momentarily and as you hit the freezing water it takes your breath away. Cutting through the water, your ears begin to pop and the only thing you can see are millions of bubbles surrounding you. Floating back up to the surface, your eyes become watery from hitting the water so hard and the search for your noodle begins. As it normally goes I’m the first to jump followed by Cole, Matt, and then Clayton. Standing 70 feet above us, Jon was contemplating jumping which is the worst thing to do. With our voices echoing throughout the entire park, we all start chanting his nickname, “J Wow, J Wow, J Wow.
” Not long after that the whole park joined in, chanting, “J Wow, J Wow, J Wow.” With everybody in the parks attention focused on him, he had no choice but to jump and with a running start leaped off the cliff. Free falling down to the water, he started to swing his arms in an effort to keep balanced and plunged into the water. Returning to the surface he shouted, ” Well I did it, and it was awesome!” Before we could catch up with him, he was already climbing back up the rocks preparing to kump again.
