UK’s Most Remote BASE Jump – Nebbifield, Foula Island, Shetland
Sometimes, a BASE jump is well worth waiting for. In this case, planning started in 2012. It took a lot of research from climbers and locals to prove there was a landing area and find an available charter boat. The population of the island is 34!
On 17th April 2015 this amazing, massive, remote cliff was finally jumped, by Simon Brentford and Darren Strafford. It is the most remote BASE jump in the UK, on Foula, an island 20 miles west of Shetland. Finding the right combination of jumpers, weather, available boat to charter and support crew are what made this jump possible.
The travel involved a last-minute decision to leave Sheffield for Aberdeen, with the prospect of a rare high pressure window over the Shetlands. Then Aberdeen overnight ferry to Lerwick (14hrs), then 1.5 hours on a charted fishing boat to Foula from Skeld. It took just under an hour to climb the back of the mountain. Simon landed in a small beach area at the base of the cliff, and Darren landed in the rear deck of the boat!
“Usually on such difficult technical jumps, I would experience feelings of nervousness and apprehension. After all, the sea had a swell of 2 meters, the landing area was very tricky, the water was only 6° and we were far from rescue should something happen. However, both Darren and I felt calm and in-the-zone.”
“For me a great BASE jump is so much more than just the jump itself, it’s about the journey, the place, the people who help, the skills required and the experience. Thank you to Richard & Jim Scott – RS Boat Charters, Mark Duncan & Cally Mair, and all the others who gave advice and assistance.”
Simon Brentford
Try skydiving at Simon’s favourite DZs; Skydive Hibaldstow where he made his first jump, or sister DZs Skydive Algarve & Skydive Spain
