Leap across the lilypads

Praying your plan works you take a running leap onto the nearest lilypad. When you land it sinks and wobbles for a few dangerous moments before calming back down. Success! Elated, you continue hopping from platform to leafy platform, the journey becoming ever easier as you get to the middle of the lake and the pads grow even thicker.

You're on such a roll you almost don't stop in time when disaster strikes. Just across the center median of the lake there's a large break in the lilypads, about twice as big as the longest jump you've made so far. Your arms cartwheel for a moment as you try to find balance on the rocking pad and you catch a glimpse of the chasm below you. Your stomach turns to jelly at its immensity.

You don't want to spend any more time above this thing than you have to. The only choices you see are to advance or retreat. Now what are you going to do, daring adventurer?