Jungle surfing (or ziplingg to some) in Cape Tribulation had been of my list to MUST DO’S for many years. So when some friends from Denmark where keen to try it I didn’t wait any longer.
I was impressed by the checkin station, in particular their friendliness and efficiency. A few signatures here and there on some paperwork and we were whisked off deeper into the jungle. We were given cool bandanas as a keep sake, but more importantly to wear to stop nits getting into the helmet, or so I assume. They comically named each of the helmets.. so for the rest of the story you can refer to me as Lara Croft, travelling with Snow White and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I should add my travelling companions are 20 years younger than me!
I found the hardest part being the hamster wheel. As the first part of the cable is slightly up hill it requires some manual assistance. Two people were harnessed onto the line whilst another two people ran on the hamster wheel which winched them and the line to the first platform. I was bit perplexed when I turned around to find we were the last two. Who was going to run the hamster wheel for us???
In total there were 7 platforms ranging from 7m to 16m above the ground. From one of the platforms you could see all the way out to the Coral Sea which was beautiful.
The cables span from 37m - 97 m in length. The entire time we were deafened by the sounds of various bird calls and cicadas. The Adrenalin was already flowing, but increased with the stories of different snakes, spiders and other creepy crawlies the guides regularly see.
The best part in my option was the last cable. Not necessarily the longest but was the most steepest which allowed you to gain more speed.
Overall it was a lot of fun and not at one time did we feel unsafe. I have tried zip lining in other destinations (mostly Asia) and didn’t feel quite so safe. The staff were very professional and we felt very safe at every stage.
NB. Nearly a year later there was as fatal accident resulting in the closure of this business. I did withhold posting this for some time in respect but I now feel for me it was a positive experience worth sharing.