Do You Know, That? The Highest Waterfall In The World

Do you know that such highest waterfall of the world was discovered even in 1935?

Our trip regarding world excentricities leads us to South American Venezuela, and we describe now the highest waterfall of the world - i.e. monumental Salto del Angel.

The story about discovery of this waterfall is joined with a figure of pilot, adventurer and discoverer (in such case), American Jimmy Crowford Angel.

On 16th November 1933, he set out his journey into non-discovered territories of Venezuelan  jungle, with a target to look up, first of all, finding places of precious minerals. So, he hardly could expect that he would find in jungle something more impressive…

During flight above one of table-mountains, he saw from his biplane big number of torrents, falling, across an edge of rugged table land into endless depth of virgin forest. And during one flight, he was fascinated with astonishment. From upper edge of sharp rocky steep hill, a water - mass tumbled down, with powerful storming, drowning even a a roar of investigation plane. Anyway, at that time, Angel did not know, that he discovered the highest waterfall of the world.

When he returned to Caracas, he presented to all such news. Within couple of years, he returned into this non-investigated area of Devil Mountain. However, this excursion could be terminated in catastrophical way, as his plane sticked in soak and soften earth, during landing manoeuvre. This area seemed to be as the only one hardened surface, inside compact virgin forest of plainland, suitable for landing. A pilot, his wife and his two friends survived. However, a grievous way towards one of aborigin villages waited for them, and from there, they could return to civilization. The plane remained tightened with wedges in swampy terrain till 1970, when the machine managed to be released, by means of army helicopter. This plane - Flamingo G-2-W - was placed finally in front of the hall of Ciudad Bolivar Airport in the town of the same name, as a symbol of waterfall discovery. The town of Ciudad Bolivar is the best starting point for actual excursions to the highest waterfall of the world. Outlook-view plane will transfer the travellers, nearly touching an edge of rocky massif. Exact copy of Angel´s plane was  additionaly exposed even on place of this memorable landing (wreckage).

Nevertheless, this famous waterfall history was not started with 1933! This finding must be confirmed even with an expedition, led by Ruth Robertson. This expedition set out in 1949 in motor canoes, throughout canyon of Churun-river. They discovered something what the aborigin inhabitants knew just since old times, under name of „Kerepakupai meru“.

Salto Angel is situated in the territory if Canaima National Park, at Rio Churun-river, which is a tributary of Caroni-river, Orinoco water basin. The area is spreaded not far from Venezuela border with Brasil and Guyana.

According to all effected tests and measurements, this waterfall makes the height of respectable 979 metres. It is 18 times more that famous Niagara Falls. The water is dropping, with undisturbed fall, 807 metres! Nevertheless, its stream power is not constant (steady). Within rain time periods, the whole area is submerged into moisture. On the other hand, during warm summer saison, most of weak stream will be vaporized sooner, as it falls downstairs the valley. At that time, the gigantic rocky amphitheatre at waterfall foot is accessible. This formation was deepened ther by the river falling  down in the course of millions of years. The water mass, throwing downstairs from perpendicular rocky wall, could. be heard up to the distance of 50 kilometres! The nearest road (way), distant from waterfall, is approx. 200 kilometres. Despite of this fact, this disadvantage would not deprive you of really unforgettable experience, enabled to you by means of local travel agencies.

Text: Jan Chaloupka

Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Poco , Guillermo Ramos Flamerich , Jlazovskis