Most Dangerous Natural Infinity Pool on Earth
Attracting daredevils and water babies who love to live on the edge and will go to any depth to experience the ultimate life’s thrill, Devil’s Swimming Pool has to be the world’s most dangerous naturally formed pool, located mere inches from the lip of the Victoria Falls rim at a height of 360 feet (108 meters), before the raging waters spill into the vast gorges below in deafening sound.
Photo Fritz da Kat
She wants to jump! Photo Fritz da Kat
Photo Afric Photos
During rainy season, some are swept instantly over the falls — including the occasional hippo and foolish humans — to their death and oftentimes found swirling about and washed up at the north-east end of the Second Gorge, about 820 feet (250 meters) south of the falls.
But generally from September through December when water levels are lower, daring individuals can jump in to be carried away within inches of the chasm without continuing over the edge and falling into the gorge.
Photo Griffin.kb
Frizt jumps into the pool. Photo Fritz da Kat
Photo Fritz da Kat
A natural but slippery rock wall just below the water’s surface at the very edge of the falls forms a barrier that stops them from crashing over despite the current, with thrill-seekers exhilarated from the dangers nearby as the swimmers get within inches of their deaths.
Devil’s Pool is definitely one of the most surreal locations on Earth.
Looking down may make you dizzy! Photo Fritz da Kat
Photo Fritz da Kat
Edge of the pool. Photo Fritz da Kat
Photo Afric Photos
Photo Afric Photos
Photo Fritz da Kat
Other end of Devil’s Pool. Photo Fritz da Kat
Forming the largest single sheet of falling water in the world, the Victoria Falls — originally called Mosi-oa-Tunya, or Smoke That Thunders by locals — are situated on the Zambezi River, on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe in southern Africa, accessed via Livingstone Island.
The falls are by some measures, the largest waterfall in the world, as well as being among the most unusual in form, and having arguably the most diverse and easily seen wildlife of any major waterfall.
Up to 500 million liters (132,275 gallons) of water cascade per minute over the mile-wide (1.7 kilometer) falls, creating a spectacular explosion of rainbow colored spray that rises over 1,300 feet (400 meters) — and sometimes even twice as high — which can be seen as far as 30 miles (50 kilometers) away.
At full moon, a ‘moonbow’ can be seen in the spray instead of the usual daylight rainbow.
Lone tree living on the edge. Photo Fritz da Kat
Photo Fritz da Kat
View from Livingstone Island. Photo Fritz da Kat
During the flood season from February to May, it’s impossible to see the foot of the falls and most of its face, and the walks along the cliff opposite it are in a constant shower and shrouded in mist. Close to the edge of the cliff, spray shoots upward like inverted rain, especially at Zambia’s Knife-Edge Bridge.
Victoria Falls — later named as such by Europeans — are one of Africa’s major tourist attractions, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where many of Africa’s animals and birds can be seen in the immediate vicinity.
Thousands of thrill-seekers descend on the falls annually, scuttling across rocks and wading through shallows across the precipice to reach the pool from the town of Victoria Falls in Nature’s most exhilarating theme park.
Crossing the river against the current, hand in hand. Photo Fritz da Kat
Photo Fritz da Kat
The unusual form of Victoria Falls virtually enables the entire width of the falls to be viewed face-on at the same level as the top, from as close as 200 feet (60 meters). Few other waterfalls allow such a close approach on foot.
The whole Zambezi River drops into a deep, narrow slot-like chasm, connected to a long series of gorges.
For a long distance leading to the falls, the Zambezi river flows over a level sheet of basalt, in a shallow valley bounded by low and distant sandstone hills. The river’s course is speckled with numerous tree covered islands, increasing in number as it approaches the falls.
pic 41 Photo Crafty1tutu
Photo Crafty1tutu
Photo Fritz da Kat
No mountains, escarpments, or deep valleys are present which might be expected to create a waterfall — only a flat plateau extending hundreds of miles in all directions.
The falls are formed as the full width of the river plummets in a single vertical drop into a chasm 200 to 400 feet (60 to120 meters) wide, carved by its waters along a fracture zone in the basalt plateau.
The depth of the chasm — called the First Gorge — varies from 262 feet (80 meters) on the western end to 360 feet (108 meters) in the center. The only outlet to the First Gorge is a 360 foot (110 meter) wide gap about two-thirds of the way across the width of the falls from the western end, through which the entire river pours into the Victoria Falls gorges.
View of Victoria Falls from the island. Photo Fritz da Kat
Photo Joan Sabate
Victoria Falls’ Second Gorge (with bridge) and Third Gorge (right). The peninsular
cliffs are in Zambia, the outer cliffs in Zimbabwe.
Two islands on the crest of the falls — Boaruka Island (or Cataract Island) near the western bank, and Livingstone Island near the middle — are large enough to divide the curtain of water even at full flood. At less than full flood, additional islets divide the curtain of water into separate parallel streams.
The main streams are named Leaping Water — called Devil’s Cataract by some — Main Falls, Rainbow Falls (the highest) and the Eastern Cataract.
The gorge below the Songwe called the Batoka Gorge — also used as an umbrella name for all the gorges — is about 75 miles (120 kilometers) long. The straight line distance to its end is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of the falls and takes the river through the basalt plateau to the valley in which Lake Kariba now lies.
Photo Griffin.kb
Photo St.Jai4us
Photo St.Jai4us
For more than 100,000 years, the falls have been receding upstream through the Batoka Gorges, eroding the sandstone-filled cracks to form the gorges. The river has fallen in different eras into different chasms which now form a series of sharply zig-zagging gorges downstream from the falls.
Zambia and Zimbabwe each share the falls, and both have national parks to protect them and towns serving as tourism centers — Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and Livingstone in Zambia, and Victoria Falls National Park and the town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
Photo Nandminafrica
In 2006, hotel occupancy on the Zimbabwean side was about 30%, while the Zambian side was at near-capacity, with rates reaching $630 US per night. The rapid development has prompted the United Nations to consider revoking the fall’s status as a World Heritage Site. Problems of waste disposal and a lack of effective management of the falls’ environment are also a concern.
Victoria Falls by air. Photo Zinnie
Victoria Falls by air. Photo Vanmurrin
Photo Wing of Kaz
Swimming In Victoria Falls Devil’s Pool
Source: Wikipedia
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Some of these people are nuts, especially having children so close to the edge with them. I know that I don’t have the stomach for this sort of activity, yet the photographs are beautiful.
I agree, Matt, I certainly wouldn’t bring small kids into the pool, you never know what could happen if you turned your back on them for a few minutes.
I’d actually love to experience it myself, but I wouldn’t be one of the wild ones jumping into it
I don’t know how to swim. I doubt that there’s any other falls in the world where you could safely peer over the edge into the chasm like that.
Amazing photos. We lived right on the beach when my daughter was small and she became too confident with water I got plenty of exercise on the beach in those days, chasing after her – I would not have taken her within a mile of this place
Definitely Sue, some have really captured some amazing photos. That’s the whole thing, you can’t keep your eyes on a small child every minute, it’s far too risky to take a child to.
As a Norwegian, of course I love this – it really shows where you find the native and natural a adventures: not in the instant surroundings made by man, but in the nature! To make it short: It gives a thrill money can’t buy!
Thanks for sharing this and I wish you a lovely weekend
As much as man can create incredible attractions and structures, nothing ever comes close to beating Mother Nature, Renny
Thanks, you have a great weekend as well!
Wow beautiful pictures. I like them all
But one more thing it is very dangerous place.
Well it definitely is dangerous during flood season, Kostenlose.
Is the water in the pool warm? How is the current? I think I would be too scared to look over the edge?
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The wonders of nature, simply amazing!
I can’t believe those parents allow the kids to be so close to the edge of the fall.
Cohnsey, I didn’t find anything stating if the waters were warm or not, but based on being such a rapid flow of water, I wouldn’t imagine it’s all that warm. But I could also be wrong
And during the rainy season, the currents are extremely excessive. You wouldn’t be able to swim in this pool during those months.
That’s the scariest part of it all, Cheewee, bringing kids into the pool.
i would love to do that but bringing your kids comon are you nuts!!! what if you let go for 1 seccond and the water brought them down how would you feel? i do not think children should be allowed there i think that there little bodies could be brought down and your lifes could be changed forever!
think about what i said and next time you go DONOT bring your kids
i would love to do that but bringing your kids comon are you nuts!!! what if you let go for 1 seccond and the water brought them down how would you feel? i do not think children should be allowed there i think that there little bodies could be brought down and your lifes could be changed forever!
think about what i said and next time you go DONOT bring your kids
Thats Auwsome!!!
Hey guys. I really admire you. It looks scary but amazing. Well done. I wish I could do somthing like that
HEY! LIFEINTHEFASTLANE.CA!! DARK BLUE DOES NTO READ WELL ON DARK GRAY! Jesus.. I have to highlight all of the text to read comments.