High-walker Wallenda draws huge A.C. crowd

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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., Aug. 9 (UPI) -- A huge crowd thrilled to the sight of high-wire artist Nik Wallenda walking 100 feet above the ground in Atlantic City, N.J., Thursday afternoon.

The 33-year-old daredevil pegged the crowd at 150,000 when talking to reporters after his 1,300-foot, half-hour, high-wire stroll, though city Emergency Management Director Thomas Foley said about 250,000 people had watched from the boardwalk and beaches, The Press of Atlantic City reported.

"It was outrageous. It gave me goosebumps. He's one brave man. I've never seen anything that exciting," said Georgene Winton, 58, of Rockland County, N.Y. "He's one brave man. I've never seen anything that exciting."

Winds were about 9 mph while Wallenda was up on the high wire. Temperatures were in the 80s and skies were mostly cloudy.

Wallenda's beachfront performance came less than two months after he made his way across Niagara Falls.