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Take the plunge...backwards
Scad diving
The Orlando Towers, Gauteng's premiere adventure activity centre.
© Darling Lama Productions
Did you know?
The Orlando Towers in Soweto are over 100 metres high.
Scad diving, the latest addition to the thrilling list of Orlando Towers adventure activities, is sure to become massively popular with adrenalin junkies looking for new ways to get their fix.
Scad stands for 'suspended catch air device' and scad diving does not involve any ropes or elastic ties. The only equipment participants need to wear is a CFF (controlled free fall) harness, which ensures that their body remains in the correct position throughout the fall.
Scad diving offers adventurers the opportunity to experience falling backwards at high-speed while watching the drop-off point rapidly recede further and further away.
Research has found that the average person reaches speeds in excess of 100km/h during a 50m scad dive. However, because air tubes border the net used to break one’s fall in scad diving, participants barely even feel the landing.
Nico Myburg, the adventure sports entrepreneur responsible for bringing scad diving to South Africa, is very excited about the concept.
'We are planning to launch scad diving at the Orlando Towers by Easter,' he says. 'We will be open 4 days a week, from Thursday to Sunday. There is no age limit for those who want to try scad diving. There is, however, a minimum weight – participants must weigh more than 35 kilograms.'
Those who decide to take the plunge will get a superb panoramic view of the Fourways area from the drop site. There will then be a countdown before they are released on their rapid descent.
Myburg is hoping that scad diving will also be on offer at various festivals, expos and fairs around South Africa in the near future.
Orlando Towers, fast becoming the premiere adventure activity venue in Gauteng, also offers bungee jumping, rap jumping, base jumping and a power swing fore those who need more than a solitary adrenalin fix.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
How to get here
The Orlando Towers can be found in Dynamo Street, Soweto. The GPS co-ordinates are 26? 15’ 12” S, 27? 55’ 30” E.
Tours to do
Take a educational and fun township tour of Soweto.
What to pack
All equipment is provided. If you have a video camera, bring that along and the operators will film your fall.