Jesse
Flying High!
This cliff jump, in Malibu Creek State Park, is for those with intestinal fortitude. People had stood under this cliff uncountable times and said "That would be a great cliff jump if the water was only deeper!". I myself had even been amoung those who thought it couldn't be done safely. The Rindge Family had so convienantly placed a steel rung 30 feet above the water about 12 feet under a nice looking ledge. I decided that what some skilled rock climber had to do was find a way up the jumping rock and then hang a rope for easy access. The cliff above the swimming hole is about 4 feet over-vertical which is outta my league so I decided to climb the vertical cliff just downstream of the jump and just work my way over. The Murf & Rabbit were trying to make their way up behind me but they decided on Route B. I soon found myself 80 feet over 3 feet of water.
I started to make my way over and suddenly I hear The Murf "Help! I'm stuck" I yell back "What do you want me to do? I'm not doing so well either" Rabbit's voice is suddenly right under Murph "I need help too!" We finally rejoined in a small cave for a farewell smoke. The view was tremondous and the feeling of awe was nearly overpowering as you peered over the cave floor to the rocks so far below and then up at the majestic cloud-draped peaks of the coastal mountains. It's moments like this when I truly savor being a cliff jumper, the majesty of nature sprawls out before your eyes and you never want to leave.
The topic of conversation was now revolving on how we were going to get down and climbing down was not an option for any of us, the climb up had been sketchy enough but to climb down would be an act of suicide. We started to make our way over to the nearest jumping ledge, which was 60 feet of air into a sparkling, shallow pool. We had Jesse swim over and do a boulder check and quick depth check. There was one boulder, under a overhanging rock thingy so there were no worries there. The depth check came in at just over the tips of his fingers so being a "good" cliff jumper yelled up "8 or 9 feet". I looked at my friends clinging to the walls like people terrified of falling to their deaths while climbing on loose crumbling precipices. My last words before dropping into the shallow pool "Stop throwing rocks down there you dumbasses! We're landing there." and Rappeller's Rock was born. I hit bottom hard enough to slam me off my feet and onto my back. I have since been back and have hung a rope from the top of the hill down to the 60 foot ledge and this jump has been enjoyed by a few of the more daring members of The S.C.K. If lowering yourself down a cliff backwards on a rope sounds scary there is always Rabbit's Rock, it's 10 feet taller and there is no crazy climb to get to the ledge. This jump requires a little more finesse to hit the sweet spot and is feared by all and only conquered by a few. Both of these jumps are what I would call step-offs. What that means is when you leave the cliff you want as little forward momentum as possible and in most cases if you have forward momentum you will land on the rocks under the tip of the pennisula you are facing or if your aim isn't the greatest you will only get 5 feet of water.
Look up in the Sky
It's A Murph
Skorch 72 Feet
View all of the
Cliff Jumping Spots!
Tar Creek | The Shallow Side