The ‘Smoke that Thunders and the Devils Pool. Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls, locally named as Mosi-oa-Tunya,( The Smoke that Thunders) , sees  500 million litres of water a minute cascade over the falls in the wet season.  But for those who visit in the dry when the Zambian side of the falls is almost bereft of water there is a different kind of thrill to be experienced.   As the river levels drop, possibly the most dangerous infinity pool in the world emerges on the top edge of the falls.   The aptly named Devils Swimming Pool overlooks a 100 meter sheer drop,  the only thing that stands between bathers and a free fall plummet to the bottom of the gorge is a submerged lip of rock that forms a low rise wall.   Thrill seekers lower themselves into the water filled basin where the  fast following current shoots  them across the pool pushing them into the natural wall that prevents a fatal plunge.

For those nutters who need a further adrenalin rush and stick their heads over the wall, arms in front whilst water tumbles and churns  over the precipice less than a meter along – hopefully the guide has got a good grip on their ankles.

To get to the Devils Pool we needed  a guide, a sturdy pair of walking shoes, a good head for heights, sunscreen, drinking water, bathers and  a high tolerance for dangerous activities.  After walking across mud, stone, shallow rivers, scrambling and hopping over rocks and foot breaking holes we arrived at Livingstone Island.  At this point I chickened out .  The others swam across small river to an outcrop close to the edge, lowered themselves down and disappeared from sight.  I heard the screams though.  One of the guides walked along the precipice’s edge and took photographs – he was more of a danger freak than the the whole group put together!.   From my vantage point I could see tourists on the Zimbabwe side pointing and shouting at our group – I could hear them screaming too!!

Between the screams it  fell quiet  and whilst  I waited for the adrenalin junkies to return completely hyped I took a swim, relaxed , looked around, found a lovely arrowhead and day dream about  the past .

Leaving the pool, and the artifact where i found it, our group walked back past some amazing views of the gorge and its rock formations, we wandered around the park and saw the many different aspects of the falls including the ‘Cauldron’ where cannoning takes place, the suspension bridge linking Zambia and Zimbabwe and the bungee jumpers bouncing up and down under it  and the waterless horseshoe falls

The falls might have been dry but the day was a total success.