Nik Wallenda completes Niagara Falls wire walk

cbc.ca ^ | Jun 15, 2012 | staff reporter

[Daffynition]

Nik Wallenda has successfully crossed Niagara Falls on a highwire strung high above the raging waters, a historic achievement for the American aerialist.

Wallenda, who hails from a long line of high-wire artists — several of whom have died during performances — started from the U.S. side at around 10:15 p.m. ET and completed it about 25 minutes after he started.

He took steady steps for most of his journey but ran the last few paces, CBC's Adrienne Arsenault said.

[Talisker]

Where is the danger if he’s attached to the wire by tethers?

Well, he still has to walk a highwire across the top of Niagra Falls. To most of us, that's pretty impressive.

Of course, it doesn't measure up to what you can do after a few beers, but very few things do.

[Daffynition]

Chuck Yeager....Steve Fossett...is that you? :P

[Kirkwood]

What skill is there in that? He steps off and a drogue chute opens automatically and later a main chute opens automatically. No skill at all.

[Viking2002]

Well, just to put it into perspective........on the left here, we have one Mr. Nik Wallenda. On the right, Mr. Felix Baumgartner. Neither of whom obviously suffer from vertigo, inner ear dysfunctions, or low T. Now ask yourself - and be honest - which one of these guys could actually fail at their individual attempts and still live to tell about it if they had to do so naked? Hmmmmm?

The defense rests.

"As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their hearts desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

--H.L. Mencken, The Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920

[Daffynition]

Neekid gets you tazed, gramps. :P

[Viking2002]

OK, wiseass, you climb into a modified NASA capsule swinging under a gas-filled balloon and jump out at 103,000 feet. And in white briefs, so you can show me your lack of skid marks left from the reentry. Personally, they'd need a backhoe to clean mine out, and I've done crazy shit in my time that defied the odds of human survival. Would have made for one hell of an obit, though.

Easy as walking on a tightrope, eh?

"As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their hearts desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

--H.L. Mencken, The Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920

[Viking2002]

I'll take the taser. I don't think I'd wanna be in that state of nature at that age and doing a Mach 1+ free-fall in -90 F conditions. My itty-bitty widdle pee-weiner might get frostbitten. 'Course, I've been married long enough to the missus now that I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference. *rimshot*

"As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their hearts desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

--H.L. Mencken, The Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920

[Daffynition]

Yves “Jetman” Rossy

[Amberdawn]

I remember that fatal fall as a child and was hoping this guy wouldn’t do the same. Glad he made it.

[Viking2002]

Oh, yeah - I've heard of this guy. He packs a brass pair, too. And pretty unique hook with the jet-powered wing. I remember the broadcast video from a few years ago when he attempted to cross the English Channel - didn't he have a malfunction recently that caused him to ditch in the water? Pretty cool stuff, regardless. He's another one who could leave a smoking hole in the ground if a piece of hardware hiccuped. I love these over-caffeinated, edge-dweller types. LOL

"As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their hearts desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

--H.L. Mencken, The Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920

[Kirkwood]

Sure I’ll do it. It is extremely easy. Close your eyes and take ONE STEP OFF and gravity does the rest. It takes ZERO SKILL.

Walking a wet slippery wire in gusting wind in the dark for nearly half an hour and fighting gravity the entire time is a hell of a lot more difficult than taking one lousy step, and you know I’m right. It takes YEARS to learn the skills to walk a tightrope.

[real saxophonist]

I saw him at a Braves game in the old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Same kind of show.

[Uncle Chip]

It looked like the wire cable was about 6” thick.

[SamAdams76]

No comparison to what this guy did a few weeks ago.

[JoeProBono]

[Future Snake Eater]

I Believe I Can Fly: Flight of the Frenchies

This'll get your vertigoing. These guys are nuts.

[WorkingClassFilth]

I don’t how many people watching hope he falls but I believe 100% of people watching watch because he runs a good risk of being killed. If not, why watch? Would anyone watch a man tightrope walk 12” above the ground? Of course not. So, why then do they watch a spectacle like this? To hope he survives? Rubbish. They know that their good hope does nothing for him and the anxiety people feel watching is the thrill of vicarious fear that sells the event. Voyuerism pure and simple. Personally, I find it very close to pornography in that death (the ultimate private act) is remanufactured as entertainment for those that have depraved needs.

[animal172]

“Of course, it doesn’t measure up to what you can do after a few beers, but very few things do.”

Now had he walked across the Falls while drinking beer I would have been really impressed.

[Wordkraft]

I recall reading about a French guy who did this feat back in the 19th century - without any safety harness.

[RansomOttawa]

I recall reading about a French guy who did this feat back in the 19th century - without any safety harness.

Charles Blondin. He actually crossed the gorge a considerable distance downstream; Wallenda was the first to cross right at the falls. However, Blondin was notable also for crossing while pushing a wheelbarrow, balancing on a chair that was itself balancing on the rope, cooking and eating an omelet at the halfway point, and carrying another man across on his back.

Wallenda wore the tether to satisfy ABC's requirements, but he had said repeatedly that he preferred to have done the walk without the harness, and he proved he could have. Even so, it was just cool to watch. My TV is a tiny little 13-incher, and even so some of the camera work was vertiginous.