Duluth's dangerous waters

Posted at 3:08 PM on July 20, 2010 by Nate Minor (0 Comments)

No, I'm not referring to the normally frigid Lake Superior. We all know that's a veritable jacuzzi this summer.

Instead, Duluth's thrill-seekers are taking advantage of the city's rocky landscape and hills to go cliff jumping. Not surprisingly, a few people have been injured in recent days after they jumped from rocky ledges to a wide part of Amity Creek, the Duluth News Tribune and Fox 21 reported today.

Ashley Holt, 14, told the paper jumping from the rocks isn't dangerous if you know what you're doing.

"It's fun," she said. "You get a rush from it. It's not really hard. You just have to push yourself away (from the rocks)."

Apparently, one of those injured couldn't remember what he had done, reporter John Lundy wrote. "Bystanders said he attempted to do a double flip from a height of about 25 feet and belly-flopped."

No wonder.

Cliff jumping is a time-honored tradition in the northeastern part of the state and especially the Boundary Waters, as a quick Youtube search shows. If done right, it can be a lot of fun and one heckuva adrenaline rush.

If done wrong ... well, let's hope only the more cautious adventurers make it to where an ambulance is more than a phone call away.

Services

• Hourly Newscast
• HD Radio
• iPhone App / Mobile
• E-mail newsletters
• RSS feeds
• Podcasts
• Submit your photos
• Videos
• Weather
• Most e-mailed stories