NORTH PORT, FL — Florida photographer Chris Gursky begins his hang gliding video with a disclaimer: “Warning, content may be disturbing to some, including my wife!”
Click Here: brisbane lions guernsey 2019
But even without the video, Gursky still has a titanium plate, seven screws in his wrist and a torn left bicep tendon to remember his European adventure he now refers to as the “Swiss Mishap.”
Sign up for our free Sarasota daily newsletter and news alerts
What began as a bucket list item, ended in a horrific ordeal.
“My first time hang gliding turned into a near death experience as my safety harness was never hooked to the glider,” Gursky acknowledged in posting his video on YouTube.
“For 2 minutes 14 seconds I had to hang on for my life,” he shared. “The landing was a rough one, but I lived to tell the story.”
That was an understatement.
After a running launch off the side of a Swiss mountain in Interlaken, Gursky was left holding on for dear life while his instructor scrambled to find a safe place to land.
Even so, Gursky said he doesn’t hold a grudge.
“While the pilot made a critical error in our pre-flight setup by not attaching me to the glider, he did all he could to get me down to the ground as quickly as possible, while grabbing onto my harness and flying with one hand.”
Despite his inauspicious beginning, Gursky said he hasn’t given up on the sport.
“I will go hang gliding again as I did not get to enjoy my first flight,” he said.
Video by Chris Gursky