Eastern Cataract

I had another very early start at 5am to get ready for an adrenaline filled morning with a swim to the 'Devil's Pool' which is right on the edge of the Victoria Falls with a 100 metre drop below you. We all congregated at the camp reception for 5.45am and got a taxi to the Zambian border where we walked through the border post and across the Victoria Falls bridge to the Zambian immigration. As we walked it started to rain and we all got a bit of a soaking - the rain continues to follow us everywhere we go. After quite a long walk we got to where a taxi could take us to the starting point for our Devil's Pool experience. We were given a debrief of what we would be doing including saying we would need to be strong swimmers which I am not. We paid and were given life jackets before boarding a small motor launch. We were soon speeding across the river Zambezi and towards a small river island on the edge of the falls called Livingstone Island. We disembarked and were given towels, got changed into our swimwear and put our things in a locked box. A few of our mobile phones were were put in a dry bag to take photos of us all in the pool. We the gave our preferences for the breakfast we would receive after going in the pool.
All too soon, having passed and read a sign that we accepted the risk of injury or even death, we were walking hand in hand for safety out onto the rocks by the edge of the falls. Immediately I could feel the strong current of the river around my lower legs. We then had to swim out to points in the river crossing the strong current. This was quite frightening as I battled against the current with a poor attempt at front crawl to get to the guide waiting on the other side. There were two ropes across the river before the edge of the falls to save ourselves if we didn't make it over to the guide, but I didn't fancy having to rely on catching a rope to save myself. Our group of myself and fellow travellers Lauren, the two Brians, Tigger and Kim all managed to swim across bit most of us found it pretty challenging. Then we had to swim across the current downstream, another scary experience, where we crawled along.rocks under the water until we could climb out over rocks to where 'Devil's Pool' was right on the edge of falls where the water poured over into the abyss. Some of our fellow travellers, Ian, Vincent, Kristin and Ri, had gone in the boat ahead of us and were already in the pool where they, one by one, went to the edge, had photos taken, formed a group on one of the ledges and then climbed out. Watching the others increased our own trepidation especially as they were being gently bitten by large fish while they were in the water. It was then our turn. One by one we climbed down into the pool and held onto rocks. Then one by one we swam out to the two guides on the edge of the falls. We all lined up on the ledge for a group photo on the edge of the falls. Then one by one we crossed the current to be dangled over the edge of the falls. When it was my turn, I pushed off the rock into the fast flowing current and was caught by the guides who then took my ankles as I laid out on a rock ledge right on the edge of the falls. My life was temporarily in their hands as if they let go I would be swept over the edge by the current to my certain death. I then took up 'superman' poses as if flying off the edge of the falls while one of the guides took photos and videos of my. I couldn't believe it as o watched this guide walk out confidently on the ledge right where the water tumbled down 100 metres as if he was taking a Sumday stroll. I felt quite exhilarated as I dangled on the edge of the falls, but then a little queasy as I looked down over the falls below me. I then had to swim back to my fellow travellers who were clinging to rocks and grasped me. We were all very happy that we'd managed to do 'Devil's Pool' but still had the anxiety of the long swim back through the strong river currents. The anxiety wasn't misplaced . We clambered back over the rocks and waded out into the river over rocks. Then we had to swim against the current to a large rock on the surface with a guide waiting. I was getting tired and am hopeless at the front crawl so only just made it having swallowed a fair amount of river water. Then we had to swim downstream across a strong current to the guide. Everyone struggled as soon as they his the strong current and I was no exception. I got swept downstream by the current and only just managed to swim back up to the guide. Then we had to swim further across the current. I had to rely on the rope to save me from being swept further downstream and I hauled myself along the rope to the guide. We then reached the edge of Livingstone island and held hands again as we clambered over the rocks and water. It was a big relief to get to the other side. We then walked across the island and took some photos of the view across the Zambia side of the falls. It felt cold outside the relatively warm river water. We then were treated to a nice breakfast of croissants, salad and very welcome warm, sugary tea. We got changed back into our clothes, retrieved our things and returned to the boat for the ride back to our starting point. This bog adventure had come to a satisfying conclusion
We were then driven back to the border in a taxi.
I then visited the Zambian side of the Victoria Falls. With my fellow traveller, Kim, and her mother, Monica, who was waiting for Kim at the falls. We paid our $20 entry fee and walked to the falls. Monica had organised for a guide to show us the falls. The guide was very informative and showed us the East side of the falls where we were above the river Zambezi and could see it flowing down to the edge of the falls. As we walked along the viewing points of the Eastern falls, I was immediately impressed by how much water was now coming over the previously reported dry falls and the incredible long view down this longest side of the falls. The waters thundered down to the bottom of the falls creating a maelstrom of foam and spray as the river continued wildly on its course. As we made our way west across the falls the views became even more spectacular and widescreen. We crossed a high bridge across a gorge and continued on to an immense view looking down through to the Zimbabwe falls and all the way back towards the Eastern falls. Far below the waters raged from both directions and through an immense gorge to continue their way to the sea. The guide informed us that there had been 8 sequential falls previous to the current one which itself was 200 million years old. These giant cleats in the rock had been caused by volcanic action over great epochs of time. I left Kim and the guide at this point to spend time at the falls on my own and really soak up the atmosphere and the river water spray. I found my favourite spot with views back up to the Zimbabwe falls and down to the great gorge and more deeply connected with this great natural wonder of the world that is known by the native peoples as Mosi-oa-Tunya or 'The Smoke That Thunders'.
After several hours at the falls, I returned to the border with Zimbabwe, passed through immigration and crossed the Victoria Bridge where I viewed the great gorge through which the Zambezi exits having tumbled so far, from the other side. It was a long walk back to the town where I had lunch. On returning to the campsite, I found a warthog happily feeding on his knees near our tents - this truly is a wild place. I then visited the dentist about my broken molar. We agreed that the tooth should last until I returned to England at the end of February as long as I was careful about not biting on anything hard with it. I also learned that it was an old filling that had come off rather than a new break which was good news of sorts. I was grateful to Joy, the organiser of our activities, for taking me to find the dentist and generally looking after me. As I no longer needed further dental treatment, I was able to book onto doing a canoeing trip on the Zambezi the following day which should be rich in wildlife encounters including the possibility of seeing hippos and crocodiles but hopefully.not too close up. I went.for a meal with Lauren where other fellow travellers joined us and then returned to complete writing my travel blog and get an early night ahead of another busy day in Victoria Falls.Read more