What Happens When You Jump Off a Cliff

Upon approaching the cliff and working up the considerable amount of courage necessary, a moment of euphoria will come across your entire being. You’ll monetarily forget about your fear of heights. You’ll even think, “what better way to break that fear than jumping off this 40-foot Bahamian cliff?” This will seem like a perfectly rational and sane decision. Feeling elated and free, you will start running toward the rocky edge.

As soon as your feet leave the ground your eyes see there is nothing below but 40-feet of air and a blanket of ocean. It is at this point that your body will be taken over by pure adrenaline. Your mind will race back to the cheesy movie Point Break when Bodhi yells out, “100% pure adrenaline! Other guys snort for it, jab a vein for it. All you gotta do is jump!” The adrenaline will course through your veins as you start to fall. You’ll be excited! You’re conquering that fear! Then you will remember the other line from Point Break, “Via con dios!,” and start to wonder if you’ve made a huge mistake.

As you fall through the seemingly endless sky, panic will set in. You’ll try to force your body into the proper water-entry position. No one has trained you how to properly enter the ocean from 40-feet in the air, but you’ve seen enough action movies to know that your legs should be straight and your arms should be across your chest—just like those giant water slides that you avoid because they terrify you. Your mind, now focusing on those sides and your refusal to ride them, will start yelling out, “Why did you do this?!”

You will eventually force your limbs into place as your mind tries to calculate your distance from the water. You’ll start to wonder why this isn’t yet over, why you’re still in the air. Another wave of panic will engulf you because at any moment you’ll crash into the water…

You’ll wake up and have no idea where you are. You’ll imagine you’re dreaming but won’t be completely sure. As your eyes try to adjust, you will vaguely make out two figures very high up and staring at you. You’ll start to wonder, “why are there two people staring at me and not saying anything?” Everything will have a very dark blue tint which will add to your confusion.

You won’t hear anything.