News Digest

Without net or pole: Daredevil Wallenda to walk 400-foot-high Ferris wheel

Nik Wallenda will today walk untethered atop the 400-foot-high Orlando Eye, the city’s flashy new observation Ferris wheel – while it spins. He won’t use a balancing pole and won’t have a safety net. Wallenda, 36, has traversed cables spanning the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls and two Chicago skyscrapers, but this will be his first public walk without the use of a balancing pole. Wallenda will get on the attraction like any other passenger. Once at the top, he will climb out of his capsule and down a ladder before walking along the moving 6-inch-wide wheel rim. He will not be able to pause or slow down, and will have to duck multiple times beneath protruding structural pieces on and between the four capsules he will pass.

It’s not too hard to focus when you’re 400 feet up without any safety devices. In fact there is no choice but to focus.

High-wire performer Nik Wallenda

The Orlando Eye, which allows guests to walk around and take in 360-degree views from glass capsules, is nearly identical to the 15-year-old London Eye, which is said to be the biggest paid attraction in the United Kingdom. If forecasted showers and a possible thunderstorm force a delay, Wallenda’s expected 3- to 5-minute walk will be rescheduled for Thursday.

Often it becomes peaceful when I’m in this situation because the troubles of the world go away.

Nik Wallenda