Africa A continent of endless skies, incredible sights, exotic sounds and conflicting emotions. Awesome Zambezi River

The Smoke that Thunders

Africans have known the power for ages – from 20 miles away the towering spray rising a thousand feet in the sky over the Zambezi plain. They called the falls The Smoke that Thunders

In this satellite photo the Zambezi River spreads out into an island-studded channel that extends more than a mile wide and drops abruptly into a rift 328 feet deep.

The Zambezi River's gentle roll through Africa is interrupted abruptly and spectacularly when the flat basalt basin that forms the river's bed suddenly gives way.

It is the widest curtain of falling water in the world from February to April which is right after the African rainy season.

One of the world's mightiest waterfalls is in east-central Africa, on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia).

The normally placid Zambezi plunges over a cliff into a 100-meter (328-foot) deep gash between Victoria Falls and a matching cliff across the way.

The churning waters -- two kilometers (1 1/4 miles) wide at the point of the falls -- rumble and roar and tumble through a narrow exit into the Batoka Gorge on its way to the Mozambique Channel of Eastern Africa.

The Victoria Falls Bridge across the Zambezi River, connecting Zambia and Zimbabwe.

As you stand this close to such raw, natural beauty, you can barely hear yourself screaming above the sound of the water

The low water season is from September to December

From September to December, due to low water levels, it is possible to swim at the edge of the falls in a naturally formed safe pool, accessed via Livingstone Island.

Wikitravel says: You will have the opportunity to stand in shallow water, 2 inches (literally) from where the water gushes over the edge of the falls, and swim in Devil's Pool, a reasonable current-free pool a couple of feet from the top of the falls, close enough to lean over the edge. This makes fantastic photo opportunities with a permanent rainbow from the mist of the falls behind you".

Many of you may think it is a trick. Well, another Flickr user took pictures from the other side, and this is the result ("Putting the maniacs into context):

It may look insane, but the guy in the picture is not a silhouette placed over a fake landscape. He's swimming at the Devils Pool, a natural rock pool at the very top of the Victoria Falls

Livingston Island has an attraction that very few knew of called The Devils Pool Livingston Island The Devils Pool

Im just a tad nervous as we board the little boat over to Livingston Island above one of the largest waterfalls in the world!

Livingston Island The Devils Pool

As you can see, pictures taken by Flickr users show smiling families and groups swimming at the pool. No one of them seem to be scared, they're just having a good time

A 328 (100m) drop !...I'm starting to think my acrophobia is an evolutionary advantage.