BASE is an acronym formed with the initials of the words Building, Antenna, Span, Earth, the four types of places from which this modality of jumps is practiced. The German Dominik Loyen and the Swedish David Thomasson, shared the passion for the BASE jump and fate wanted both to die trying to jump in the same place, on the cliffs of Nazaré, one in 2018 and the other in 2013.
Dominik is number 359 and David is number 207 in the BASE fatality list published by the specialized magazine Blinc. The list collects data from the year 1981 as a reminder and warning that BASE jump is a high risk activity, which must be done responsibly and with solid previous experience in jumps with parachutes from airplanes.
In fact, every time there is a death of this kind, the debate on whether these high-risk sports should be banned reopens. In Portugal, as in most European countries, it is not considered in itself an illegal activity although those who surreptitiously access some of the enclosures closed to the public from which the jumps try to be executed can face fines and penalties. The basic rights and freedoms of every individual to dispose of their life take priority as long as they do not jeopardize the property or rights of others.
And the truth is that for many it is a risk worth it. Most of those who practice it admit that they feel fear before jumping but that it pays off when they land and they feel the tremendous outburst of joy that comes when they see that the jump has gone well. Others say that the feeling of freedom that these jumps produce is something difficult to equal.
For those who want to know more about skydiving and the different ways of jumping, one hour North of Lisbon, in the Leiria area, operates the company Get High, initiated by one of the best-known Portuguese jumpers, Mario Pardo, who has jumped from emblematic places such as the bridge 25 de Abril or the Padrão dos Descobrimentos in Lisbon. Also, in Lisbon and in Porto there is a growing offer of indoor skydiving, where you can experience in a wind tunnel what to expect in the air.
Finally, for those who prefer to follow this topic a bit more from the sidelines, the documentary Sunshine Superman is very interesting, about the life of Carl Boenish, one of the founders of the BASE jumping movement. The BASE jump has also been very present in action movies, such as Drop Zone, with Wesley Snipes, or the impossible missions 2 and 3, with Tom Cruise. And for those who prefer reading, The Great Book of Base, by Matt Gerdes, is a good option to learn more about this subject and The Moment of Letting Go, by Jessica Redmerski, would be the alternative for those who prefer romantic literature.