Daredevil Breaks High Wire Record at Atlantis, Bahamas

Nik Wallenda, self-professed "King of the High Wire," broke his own world record in a stunt at Atlantis, Paradise Island in the Bahamas, as thousands of resort guests looked on.

More than 26 stories above the Caribbean Sea, on wire stretched 100 feet between the resort's East and West Royal Towers, Wallenda broke the Guinness World Record for highest bicycle ride, the resort says.

A seventh generation member of the Flying Wallendas circus family, Wallenda far exceeded his previous "highest" record, achieved cycling 135 feet above the Prudential Building in Newark.

Wallenda also holds the world record for longest bicycle ride on a wire – 235 feet – for the New Jersey stunt.

A second feat at Atlantis had Wallenda setting a personal record by walking on a wire a distance of about 2,000 feet from the West Tower to The Cove Atlantis, at a height of 250 feet.

Below, in the resort's open-air marine habitat, were creatures including piranha, barracuda and sharks. And the stunt was performed in deteriorating weather that included rain, wind and a threat of lightening.

Wallenda says it was the "longest walk" of his life.

The high wire star's father, a former tight rope walker himself, suffered from heat exhaustion while helping his son rig the wire for the second stunt, and was not able to witness the feat.

"I did this for my dad," says Wallenda. "The show must go on."

Discovery Channel filmed the stunt, to air in a special on Wallenda in 2011.



Photos courtesy of Atlantis, Paradise Island