Salto Ángel, or just Angel - the highest waterfall in the world.Despite its name (which can be translated as "leap Angel") nothing to do with the heavenly creatures have this phenomenon of nature there.The waterfall is named after its discoverer - not the first, by the way, but more famous: the pilot of the US, whose name was James Crawford Angel.The English name of Angel in Spanish reads like Angel.In honor of the pilot who in 1933 flew over the waterfall, and named this natural site included in the list of the famous UNESCO World Heritage sites containing.This begs the question: how could not notice earlier this glittering strip of water as high as a three Eiffel Tower?Below we tell the story of the discovery of hidden miracle of nature and find its parameters.
What is the height of the Angel Falls
This water stream is located in Venezuela, Canaima National Park.It coordinates: 5 ° 58'03 "north latitude and 62 ° 32'08" west longitude.Park Canaima is interesting because here are the amazing mountain tepuis.They have a very steep edges and flat tops.With such a high mountain called Auyantepuy and Angel Falls is overthrown.Kerepakupay River itself is not extended.It starts here, on the plateau of Devil Mountain (as translated Auyantepuy).But the equatorial rain saturated with a stream rushes down a steep edge quite steeply, from a height of nine hundred seventy-nine meters.If you look below, it seems that the waterfall starts directly from the plateau.However, a closer look shows that Kerepakupay waters cut through layers of light-red sandstone.So what's the height of the free fall of water in Angel Falls?Only eight hundred and seven meters.But this figure is very impressive.For comparison: the Victoria Falls in South Africa, has a height of 107 meters.
beautiful sight
View Salto Ángel simply mesmerizing.River Flowing down a hundred meters.Free drop of water in the Angel Falls is such that the droplets are dispersed in the air turned into mist.Sometimes it can feel a few kilometers.Dense fog slurry carries a breeze, and only some of the water enters the bowl of a small lake, from which it then follows the river Churun.Flow width hundred and seven meters, and the water flow rate - three hundred cubic meters per second.Not far from the Canaima Lagoon Angel there where water collects from the surrounding waterfalls.Behind the wall of one of them, Salto El Sapo, hides a large grotto, which starred particularly tense footage movie "The Last of the Mohicans."
sightseeing tours Venezuela
considerable height of free fall of water in Angel Falls attracts many travelers.And despite the fact that all the approaches to the tepuis cover virgin jungle, the flow of tourists who want to see the "most-most", continues unabated.It's easier and faster just to make aerial tour: after the American pilot to fly over the waterfall and admire the view from the top.The only thing that can stop you - cloudy.Therefore, many tourists get to the bottom of the tepuis in the air.Canaima equipped airfield nearby - many hotels and restaurants.Get to the Angel and the river.First - on motor boats to the village of Canaima, and then about three kilometers on foot through the jungle.
Opening Angel
Pemon Indians had in the past, many centuries ago, it is known that there is such a wonderful waterfall.They called him Churun-Meru.After the height of the free fall of water in Angel Falls is such that it is hard to miss, even in the dense jungle!It is fifteen times higher than the famous Niagara Falls.The whole world admired the Empire State Building in New York.But Angel was in the two and a half times higher than that of the once-majestic skyscraper.Interestingly, the European pioneer-turned not an American pilot and a scientist from Spain.His name - Ernesto Sanchos La Cruz.In nineteen hundred and tenth year he got to the waterfall, and reported his discovery in a specialized journal.For the general public needed a tearjerker damage aircraft "Flamingo".James watched Angel Falls in 1933, and in 1937 decided to make a landing near him.Aircraft damaged chassis and got stuck in the swampy ground.Unlucky pilot, his wife Mary and two companions were not injured.But they had to leave the broken plane on top of tepuis, go down the steep slopes and in the continuation of eleven days to reach civilization.
further history Angel
In 1949, through the jungle to the waterfall selected a National Geographic expedition of community in the US.The researchers carefully measured the parameters of this miracle of nature.At the same time it has been determined and the height of the free fall of water in Angel Falls.It is interesting that the plane "Flamingo" has stood on the site of the accident thirty-three years, until he was taken by helicopter to the city of Maracay.There it was restored and is now decorated with an airport of Ciudad Bolivar.
In 1993, UNESCO declared World Heritage Falls.In December 2009, the President of Venezuela has decided to return this natural attractions of its national historic name.In his speech, Chavez said that the waterfall known under the name Kerepakupay-Meru before any American pilots.But maps and atlases he is still listed as Angel.
