Local tribes call it thundering smoke. See with your own eyes the grandiose Victoria Falls and the amazing Ig Nobel Prize. How Victoria Falls came to be

“Thundering” “Thundering” is the name of several ships of the Russian Navy. The frigate, laid down on August 31, 1762 in Arkhangelsk and assembled by May 31, 1763, had 32 guns. Belonged to the navy White Sea. In 1765 he was relocated to Kronstadt. Was decommissioned in 1778.Parusnoe

What is a waterfall? When a stream or river flows over a wall of stone in the form of a cliff or cliff, it results in a waterfall. Where the wall does not break vertically, but has a gentle shape, the flowing water is called a cascade. Sometimes in a cascade, water flows down a whole series

Waterfall Waterfall is the name of a place where a river or stream falls from a steep or even sheer ledge. Thresholds are not quite correctly distinguished from V. - a series of successive, but usually insignificant V. heights, which often appear instead of one large one. V. author TSB

Victoria Falls Recently, tourists have begun to combine a trip to South Africa with a visit to Victoria Falls. This is reasonable, since flying to the ends of the world just for the sake of a waterfall is impractical. A visit to it from South Africa takes literally a few hours. Of course this is not

ROTTING SMOKE

Daoud. Moi oa Tunya. The appearance of a giant waterfall. Poetic description. In memory of the great traveler.

The streams of water that clothed her

Breaking down, they break on the stones,

And clouds of foam fly up in rings,

And thin light steam rushes upward,

Hiding the colonnades of the waterfall;

The brilliance of its colors is like a rainbow,

Half-day proud solar tiara,

And at night it is white as the Milky Way,

And dotted with little stars...

Strive, O waterfall, and sing for everyone

Future generations of Africans.

On November 17, 1855, a light canoe driven by two blacks was moving quickly along the great African Zambezi River. The third was a European. His weathered, tanned face was overshadowed by a friendly, good-natured smile, and his gaze was directed downstream of the river, in the direction of the movement of the boat. From the passenger's lips every now and then exclamations of genuine surprise and admiration escaped. Sometimes he sat up impatiently, trying to see something ahead.

Be careful, Daoud! So you can turn over! And if this happens, disaster will inevitably follow: My oa Tunya will swallow everyone up. Yes Yes! She doesn’t like to joke... - the eldest of the blacks said, respectfully addressing the European.

Don't worry, old man, don't worry, it won't come to that. Everything will be OK. Land at that island over there. From there, everything will probably be clearly visible. Press, Takeleng, press!

It's dangerous, Daoud, very dangerous! What if we can’t cope with the current, what then? We'll disappear for nothing. - the Negro grumbled restlessly, and meanwhile he pressed the oar, shouting at his comrade to steer more precisely to the island.

The traveler did not hear his concerns. All his attention was focused on what was ahead. Let's take a look with him down the river.

The wide, majestic Zambezi quickly rolled its waters among the green high walls of the forest. A few hundred meters below, its current was broken into streams by black basalt islands. And above the river and the islands, five huge columns of billowing smoke rose high into the sky, appearing here as if above a giant conflagration. And the roar was so strong that it drowned out the voices of the people sitting in the canoe.

Having safely overcome the strong current, the blacks deftly drove the canoe to the island and pulled it onto the rocky shore. Then all three went to the opposite end of the island.

Daoud, follow me. It's very dangerous here! One wrong step and you'll fly down, you won't be able to collect the bones! So good; “Look carefully at your step, don’t stumble,” the old black man told the European, as if to a small child.

Now, Daoud, let's crawl. Slowly, don't rush. This is the only way to get closer to the cliff while lying down.

And now all three slowly crawl to the edge of the cliff.

If there had been anyone else in the place of the man whom Takeleng respectfully called Daud, it is possible that he would have recoiled in horror or froze in mortal fear when he saw the terrible, deep abyss that opened up beneath them, at the bottom of which a boiling cauldron was bubbling.

But the traveler, who had been wandering through the mountains, forests and wilds of Africa for many years, was accustomed to all kinds of surprises. Dangers awaited him more than once along the way, and more than once he looked death straight in the eye.

Yes, Takeleng, what I was told about My oa Tunye exceeded all my expectations! What pristine beauty, I can’t find words! - says the traveler.

Daoud sees how streams, separated by islands on the edge of a rocky cliff, roll down and fall from a great height to the bottom of the abyss, where chaos reigns from boiling waters, splashes and foam. And a white cloud looms over the abyss, and from it a gigantic column of either steam or smoke rises up to a great height. Undoubtedly, this is one of the five pillars that he saw before. The lower part of the pillar is surrounded by two arcs of rainbows, so brightly colored, as if they were woven from shiny fibers of multi-colored silk.

The enchanted traveler cannot take his eyes off the enchanting spectacle for a long time. He is so depressed and shocked that he really couldn’t immediately find words to describe what he saw. This is evidenced by the meager lines in his diary: “...a wonderful, extraordinary sight of a majestic waterfall opened before us. Trying to describe it in words is a hopeless task. To my oa Tunya is so extraordinary that it should always seem like a miracle..."

And only in England, the following year, 1856, still under the impression of what he had seen, he described the waterfall in more detail in his book “Travels and Research of a Missionary to South Africa”, published in many countries and glorifying his name.

The reader now obviously recognizes this man. Yes it was famous traveler David Livingston. In 1841, he arrived in Africa as a missionary to preach the word of God and convert pagan blacks to the “truly correct” faith of Christ. However, fascinated by travel in Africa, he became a geographer-naturalist, and missionary affairs faded into the background.

Livingston did many important things in Africa geographical discoveries. He was the first European to visit many parts of the continent, to previously unknown rivers, lakes, and unfamiliar areas. One day he learned from local black residents that a large river flowed in the southern part of the continent. “From that time on, the hope of opening a waterway to a completely unexplored and densely populated area took hold of me more and more…” he wrote.

Discover previously unknown big river, so that, using it as a shipping route, to bring European culture to the dark African peoples, to eliminate the shameful trade in people, to import goods, medicines, everything necessary - these were Livingston’s noble intentions.

A tireless researcher, a true friend of black people, he naively believed in all this. But how wrong he was! The white invasion of Africa brought the peoples not culture and freedom, but enslavement, misfortune, and death.

And Livingston, with enormous energy, without sparing himself, makes great journeys into the depths of the African continent. His faithful companions on his endless campaigns were his black friends.

In search of the “big river,” Livingston walked from one river to another.

The black companions were perplexed. “What, is there not enough water in this river for you? - they asked the researcher. - We drink water from it and are happy. Are you really that greedy for water?”

So, while traveling around South Africa, Livingston came to the Zambezi River - the largest waterway in this part of the African continent.

Some of Livingston's biographers assert, and apparently not without reason, that he was partial to rivers, but disliked waterfalls; they often got in his way when traveling along rivers and often presented an insurmountable obstacle that had to be circumvented.

Contemplating the majestic falls, Livingston reflected with bitterness that his dream of discovering a large navigable river that could be used for communication with the interior of the country had not been fully realized. The waterfall was tearing her apart. He calmed down somewhat when he learned that the rest of the Zambezi was free of large rapids and waterfalls.

Livingston gave the name Victoria to the grandiose waterfall on the Zambezi. He did this in honor of the reigning Queen of England at that time. The local population does not recognize this and still calls the waterfall Moi oa Tunya, which translated means “Thundering Smoke”. Another less common name is Chongue - Rainbow. The Arabs, who obviously had a mystical fear of the amazing natural phenomenon, the waterfall is known as the "End of the World".

And now about the waterfall itself. Actually, it, like Iguaza, consists of many waterfalls, and five of them are the largest and most important. Each has its own name.

The one closest to south coast, is called "Devil's Falls", followed by "Main Falls", next to it is "Rainbow", and the outermost is "East". They fall from a height of 90–120 meters into a deep and narrow crack in earth's crust, which suddenly opens up in the path of the Zambezi River.

The waterfalls are varied: some fall in the form of a curtain, others, breaking against protruding rocks, form a series of cascades and waterfalls.

During the rainy season, in early spring, the waterfalls behave especially violently: at this time, the Zambezi River is passing great amount flood waters. From September to December there is a rainless period, there is much less water in the river, and the waterfalls are calmer.

The waterfalls are an exceptional sight in a quiet, windless time. Huge masses of tiny water dust, gathering into clouds, rise high into the sky in five pillars. They can be seen far away, 20–25 kilometers from here. And we can hear the roar of water falling into the chasm several kilometers away.

Light rain falls from the clouds above the waterfalls to the ground. It irrigates the surrounding area of ​​the waterfall, so everything here is covered with lush vegetation. The vast forest area near the waterfall is called “Rain Forest”.

It is not surprising that passengers traveling by train or in cars over a bridge built below the waterfalls through a narrow gorge sometimes receive a good dose of rain on their heads. It’s very pleasant to receive such a unique greeting from the waterfalls in the summer - it’s hot!

The air is so saturated with water dust that on clear days rainbows are sure to shine over the waterfall. They play even at night, in bright moonlight.

From the narrow chasm where the waters of the Zambezi fall, there is only one narrow exit, and the waters rush there. Below they flow along the bottom of the deep and narrow zigzag Batoka Canyon, where the flow depth reaches 20–30 meters.

Beautiful, very beautiful Victoria Falls! Perhaps the best description of it comes from the pen of the hunter and naturalist James Chapman, a contemporary of David Livingston; Here is an excerpt from it:

“We stood in front of a wonderful creation, which combined an amazing variety of such grandiose and beautiful phenomena that they inspired horror, admiration and genuine joy at the same time... A deep abyss threw up into the sky huge dense clouds of tiny splashes and water dust, and the rays of the setting sun played in two or three amazing rainbows, throwing their bright arcs first into the depths of the gorge, and then raising them higher and higher. The rainbows here are so vibrant and vibrant that you will never see in the sky. The lower one was so blinding that it was almost impossible to look at it. Rising upward, the rainbows reached the clouds above the waterfall. Contemplating the waterfalls, you see thousands of beautiful phenomena that defy description... Many jets of steam quickly rushing upward, passing through wide, living stripes of rainbows, looked so amazingly like tongues of flame that I even believed it. The stream from the rocky ridge rapidly fell into the depths of the abyss, resembling giant folds of snow-white drapery, and the water strands that suddenly appeared on the edge of the black rocks sparkled in the sun like diamond threads. The picture changed dramatically, only to repeat itself again..."

Not far from the waterfall there is a monument to Livingston. A nearby town, where there is a museum, is named after him. Many exhibits related to the life of the great traveler are stored here.

To admire the wonderful waterfall, come here from different parts a lot of tourists come around the world.

They say that on the island from which Livingston first observed the falls, the tree where he carved his initials still remains.

If, dear reader, you ever visit Victoria Falls, pay attention to the signs warning tourists not to walk near the cliff, as falling into the abyss threatens inevitable death. The waterfalls cannot be viewed from one place, so you need to walk a lot from one end to the other. So, be careful, because quite unexpectedly you can meet crocodiles. We must pay tribute to the delicacy of the latter - they prefer not to attack, but to quickly get away. They, like other animals, are not touched here, since the area of ​​the waterfalls is declared a nature reserve.

And in conclusion of our story, we must say that the mighty power of one of the world's greatest waterfalls is not used in any way. Needless to say, if you harnessed such a giant and made him work, he would illuminate a good half of the “dark” continent.

But this is still a pipe dream. For centuries, the colonialists kept the African peoples in darkness and ignorance, predatorily used the natural resources of the countries, and when they left, they left behind collapse and devastation.

Therefore, the conquest of My oa Tunya is a matter of the future.

Worldwide famous waterfall Victoria, which locals call “Mosi-oa-Tunya” (“thundering smoke”), is one of the most picturesque and enchanting sights on the African continent.

Victoria Falls is a legendary landmark that attracts tourists from all over the world. Here the mighty Zambezi River falls down, forming a curtain of water almost 2 kilometers long. Such a spectacle greets tourists who come here in the spring, when the river is filled with water to its maximum, so that every second 5 million liters of water fall down 100 meters and 30 km from the waterfall you can see clouds of steam rising above the water.

The waterfall is only the beginning of a picturesque stretch of the river bed, for the river, shrouded in a cloud of spray, immediately rushes with a roar into a narrow gorge, along which it zigzags for almost 70 km. These intricate twists and dizzying turns are caused by cracks in the rock, widened over millennia by the sheer force of water. The Zambezi River meanders across a plateau formed from layers of sandstone and basalt; Where these two different rocks meet, cracks form.

Indeed, the water spray rising from the waterfall forms a cloud that looks like smoke from afar. The waterfall owes its name to David Livingston, the discoverer and first white man, who saw it in 1885 and decided to name it in honor of the English Queen Victoria. When local natives took him to the waterfall and showed him 546 million liters of water, which every minute crashes into a 100-meter abyss, David Livingston was so shocked by what he saw that he immediately christened it with the name of the queen.

At the waterfall, the width of the Zambezi River reaches 1.6 km. The water falls with a roar into the 106-meter opening formed in its path.

In 1857, David Livingstone wrote that in England no one could even imagine the beauty of this spectacle: “No one can imagine the beauty of the spectacle in comparison with anything seen in England. The eyes of a European had never seen such a thing before, but the angels must have admired such a beautiful sight in their flight!”

Professor Livingstone described the falls as the most beautiful sight he had seen in Africa: “Crawling fearfully to the precipice, I looked down into the great fissure that stretched from bank to bank of the broad Zambezi, and saw a stream thousands of yards wide tumbling down the hundred feet and then suddenly contracted into a space of fifteen to twenty yards... I witnessed the most wonderful spectacle in Africa!”

The waterfall is extremely wide, approximately 1800 meters wide, the height of the waterfall varies from 80 meters at the right bank of the waterfall to 108 meters in the center. Victoria Falls is about twice as tall Niagara Falls and more than twice as wide as its main part (“Horseshoe”). Falling water creates spray and mist that can rise to a height of 400 meters and above. The fog created by the waterfall is visible at a distance of up to 50 kilometers. During the rainy season, more than 500 million liters of water per minute flow through the falls, and due to the enormous force of the falling water, the spray rises hundreds of meters into the air. In 1958, during the Zambezi flood, a record level of flow was recorded - more than 770 million liters per minute.

Access to the waterfall From Zimbabwe, entrance to Victoria Falls National Park is paid (25 USD). The hotels are located in the town of Victoria Falls. The closest ones to the waterfall are Victoria Falls Hotel 5*, The Kingdom at Victoria Falls 4* and Ilala Lodge 5*. From the Zambian side everything is much more interesting. If you live in one of the hotels of the Sun International group (Zambezi Sun 3* or The Royal Livingstone 5*, then entrance to the waterfall is free and unlimited directly from the hotel premises. For those who live in other hotels and lodges, entrance is paid - 30 USD In addition, you will have to travel each time, since the rest of the hotels are located upstream of the Zambezi.

The waterfall, according to some parameters, is the largest waterfall in the world, and is also one of the most unusual in shape (the waterfall is an extraordinary spectacle - a narrow abyss into which water falls), and has perhaps the most diverse and easily observed wildlife any section of the waterfall.

Although Victoria Falls is neither the tallest nor the widest waterfall in the world, its status as the largest is based on its width of 1708 and height of 108 meters, forming the largest sheet of falling water in the world. Numerous islands on the ridge of the waterfall divide the water flow into several branches. The dense fog and thunderous roar produced by the waterfall can be perceived from a distance of approximately 40 km.

A few meters ahead and you fall down along with the waterfall.

Victoria is located in South Africa on the Zambezi River. Its width is 1708 meters and its height is 108 meters. This is 2 times higher than Niagara Falls. His rivals are only Angel da Iguazu from South America.
The water falls across the entire width of the river into the abyss formed in the plateau.


The width of this particular abyss is 1708 meters. But its depth varies from 80 meters to 108 meters. There are 2 on the crest of falling water big islands. They are not flooded even when the river is in full flood. These are Boaruca Island and Livingston Island.

Victoria Falls during the rainy season.

Rainy season on the river. The Zambezi begins in November and ends in April. The rest of the year is the dry season. The peak of the flood occurs in April. At this time, the spray from the waterfall rises to a height of 400 meters and is visible for almost 50 km.

During the dry season, the islands become numerous. And from September to January a dry bottom is generally visible.

Discovery of the waterfall

Victoria Falls was discovered by Europeans and received its name from the discoverer.
The first European to see this natural wonder on the Zambezi was Scottish explorer David Livingston in 1855, standing on what is now Livingston Island. He named the waterfall in honor of the English Queen - Victoria.


In the language of local tribes, the name of the waterfall sounds like Mosi-oa-Tunia, which translates as “Thundering Smoke”. In 2013, UNESCO recognized both names as official. Therefore, both “Victoria Falls” and “Thundering Smoke” are correct names for the waterfall.

Bridge next to the waterfall

A bridge was built next to the waterfall. It is turned to the water at an angle of 45 degrees. The length of the bridge is 250 meters. The bridge is located at an altitude of 125 meters above the river. Vehicles can cross the bridge.

Tourists

Since the late 90s of the last century, 300 thousand tourists visit Victoria every year. And the number of people wanting to see the falling water on the Zambezi continues to grow.

Devil's Pool

The most interesting place is the Devil's Pool. It is located on Livingston Island. The water flow in this place is at the same level from September to December. This allows desperate daredevils to swim next to the abyss.

We recommend reading

Bridges

Aircraft wing mechanization

Estate museums

Montego Bay, a city in Jamaica: description, attractions

Interesting

Where did the Kremlin towers get their name from?

Blog

Alaska in literature What seas is Alaska washed by?

Answers

Map of France with surrounding countries

Attractions

Saturn holiday home. Recreation center Saturn. We guarantee the best prices