Looking Into The Devil's Throat

Today was the day to get up-close and personal with these monster falls. And as you'll see, we found a few other things along the way. Our primary mission today was to see the Devil's Throat (La Garganta del Diablo). Over 50% of the fall's water rushes through this narrow opening. It's the side of the falls nearest the Brazil border. The only way to see the base of the falls is by boat.   So we headed down the trail to catch the earliest boat out that morning; the 10:50.  Along the way we saw lots of these guys.

They are a form of raccoon native to this area. They're called Coaties. They eat nuts, fruits and generally anything the tourists will hand them. But they have also been known to bite the hand that feeds them. This is one of about 50 pictures Patrice took of the Coaties.

From the Coaties we made our way to the boat concession. Patrice opted not to get totally soaked and stayed behind. I brought my bathing suit and was happy to get totally immersed. The heat index was to be near 100 degrees today.

 The boats made two passes at each falls; one to get close enough for pictures without getting your camera wet and a second pass for total immersion.

 

Here's a shot Patrice got of our boat heading toward one of the falls.

Here's a shot showing how the boats get close to the base of the falls.

 The boats basically disappear into the mist at this point.  Although the boat had enough horsepower for the driver to keep it stable, at one point water was pouring directly on me and into the boat.

 Patrice was kind enough to wait for me while I took that wild ride.  So after that we made our way uphill to the train station. This train takes you a mile or two to the big walkway to the top of the falls. It's not obvious, but at this point my shirt is completely soaked and I am glad of it.

The park has built miles of raised metal walkways to keep visitors from damaging the ecosystem in this rainforest. 

 But the walkway out to the Devil's throat is over the broad and relatively shallow Iguazu River feeding the falls. It is almost a mile long.

There are lots of these Urraca birds in the trees of the small islands that the walkway crosses.

 

Finally, after a long hot walk you come to the Devil's Throat. 

The mist is so thick you can't see the bottom.

After this moving, thunderous experience we make the long trek back to the train and the black path back to our hotel:

  We are still amused by this sticker we find on our patio door:

We have been here over a day and still haven't seen any monkeys.  And my Spanish might not be good enough to ask where I could find them.  Well, I could probably ask the question, but not understand a word of the answer.

Tomorrow we fly back to BA and take the afternoon ferry to Uruguay.