Semonkong Falls Abseil
Guiness Book of World Records - Largest Commerical Abseil in the World
("Semonkong", literally translates to the, "Place of Smoke" - depicting the base of the Falls)
Guiness Book of World Records - Largest Commerical Abseil in the World
("Semonkong", literally translates to the, "Place of Smoke" - depicting the base of the Falls)
The morning had finally arrived. The morning I would risk it all. Nearly twice the size of Victoria Falls and four times the size of Niagara Falls, I would repel alongside all 670-feet of Lesotho's famed, Semonkong Falls!
Gathering with the Semonkong Lodge Abseil Crew, Johnathan, the lodge owner and abseil instructor, opened his briefing with one word. A word that would come to define my time in Semonkong. "YES".
Already waiting 3 days for the waterfall levels to drop, this was my final day in Semonkong and my final chance for the abseil. Hearing these three letters sent my probability anxiety into certainty suspense and the bittersweet taste of fear rose in my throat. Piling into Johnathan's long serving 4X4 myself, another abseil client and 4 crew members sped off into the hills. To my surprise, the drive was far bumpier then my previous days horseback ride. Uneven, washed out, and broken, Lesotho roads are not for the weak of heart, or stomach. 45-spine rattling minutes later, Johnathan crunched to a halt on wide, exposed plateau. I recognized the plateau from the previous days ride and knew exactly what lay on the other side. |
Hiking down a rocky embankment, the entire gorge spread before us. A giant chasm in the earths crust revealing one of natures Lost Worlds - magically lush and refreshingly untouched. Glistening far below, the Maletsunyane River snaked its way through the gorge. Effortless and serene, one would never think it had just taken a gigantic fall.
Continuing along the rugged, bouldered path, we soon came upon the Maletsunyane River above the falls. Just like the river far, far below, it would seem the water had no inclination of what had happened, or in this case, what would happen. Blissfully unaware the river flowed towards the end of the world. And then, it fell out of sight. Butterflies filled my already knotted stomach and thoughts of a lofty abseil malfunction plagued my mind. I couldn't believe I was about to trust my safety to a thin rope, handful of carabiners, hard hat and unpredictable waterfall crashing immediately to my right.
Continuing along the rugged, bouldered path, we soon came upon the Maletsunyane River above the falls. Just like the river far, far below, it would seem the water had no inclination of what had happened, or in this case, what would happen. Blissfully unaware the river flowed towards the end of the world. And then, it fell out of sight. Butterflies filled my already knotted stomach and thoughts of a lofty abseil malfunction plagued my mind. I couldn't believe I was about to trust my safety to a thin rope, handful of carabiners, hard hat and unpredictable waterfall crashing immediately to my right.
One of the four crew members offered a final briefing before making the descent. I was in charge. If I wanted to go faster, I could. Slower, I could. I had control. Clip, Clip. "Ready?" "YES!"
Slowly walking backwards, I relished my last few steps on solid ground. Laughing with the crew and offering a few jovial adieu's, I knew what lay behind but I was no longer scared. A strange confidence settles in. Trust yourself. Trust your knowledge. Trust your instincts. You can do this Reg. You can do this. One step more and I reached the moment of truth. Will the rope hold? Without over thinking, I leaned back over the abyss and offered my life to fate. The rope caught and with it, the first, of many adrenaline rushes! Looking down the waterfall face I felt more alive then ever before! 670-feet down to a misty, uncertain bottom, I stared death in the face. If today were my day to go, I would go out in style! |
Shifting my right foot, I deserted the relative comfort of flat land and stepped perpendicular to the slick cliff wall. My left foot soon followed and with it, the most epic descent of my life.
Looking over my shoulder, I embraced the invincible feeling accompanying my lofty suspension. Hanging so far above the earth, everything below was tangible yet surreal. It wasn't until moving down the face, that reality sunk in, or should I say, soaked in. Drenching me from head to toe, the falls confirmed the need for bright yellow rain suits and hard hats. The waterfall was so powerful, in fact, it soared out and over the cliff, opening a gap to the other side of the gorge. Staring under the rushing cascade, a parallel universe opened before me. One where dinosaurs still roamed, talking ferries fluttered and rainbows colored every inch of scenery. But just as quickly as the portal opened, it closed. The falls soon crashed against the cliff continuing into the magical mist below. The sound was deafening!! The gorge furnishing the perfect acoustics for one of Mother Nature's symphonies, or in this case, heavy rock concerts!
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From here on out, every step down was accompanied by more water! Slippery would be an understatement. Challenging my every move, the water which once tickled my face amplified into an incessant spray. Dancing all around, the heavy mist welcomed me to another dimension. The spray from the falls base coalesced with that of the falls on side, creating the largest rainbow I'd ever seen! The bright colors appeared just inches below my feet but no matter how fast I descended, I couldn't pass through the wall of color. It followed me down like a friendly net, ready to catch me if troubles loomed. This perfect prism carried me from excitement to euphoria. I couldn't help but scream! Not out of fear, but joy. Tears trickled down my cheeks and I found myself verbally thanking Mother Nature for such an awe-inspiring experience. Fear was the furthest emotion from my mind. I was exhilarated!
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Kicking off the sandstone wall, I soared out over the void. Sprawling my legs and arms out to the sky, I allowed gravity to bring me back. Bracing for impact, I propelled myself out over and over, resembling nothing short of a deranged leap frog. And although speed has always been my friend, on this adventure, I wanted to absorb every moment. The only rush here would be that of my heart racing.
The, "Place of Smoke", was now upon me. The place for which Semonkong Falls was named. Destroying the beautiful rainbow that had comforted my descent, the base of the falls surged with fury! Gushing over top, the water felt more like a torrent now. Slipping with every step, I struggling to keep my body parallel to the ground. All I could see was blurred sandstone, all I could hear were the falls thundering above and all I could feel was the smoke rising all around me. Then, another sound. A muted yell. Looking over my shoulder, a bright orange jump suit came into view. Only a few more feet now, I thought. Enjoy your final moments. Tilting my head towards the sky and letting out one final yelp, I jumped into the smoke. For a moment, I was flying. Into the unknown where emotion stood still and life stopped, I welcomed whatever was to come. Hands. Grasping my legs, I was pulled from the mist and into a hidden cave just below the falls. Greeting me with a huge grin and congratulations, the guide unclipped my harness and ushered me quickly away from the base. He applauded my descent, raving about a 7-minute time. 7-minutes, I thought? Wow, I went slow. No, no, he joked, that is one of the best times! Something I found hard to believe until the other abseilers attempt.
Waiting for her to descend allowed me time for reflection. Staring up the falls, I felt the heart of Lesotho move within me. A heart bursting with beauty, hospitality and rugged flare. The abseil was by far the most exhilarating adventure I've had in Africa and my top 3 EVER! So many emotions accompanied those special post abseil moments but none more so then, PRIDE. Pride in myself for not only completing the descent, but more so the journey to this incredible land.
The, "Place of Smoke", was now upon me. The place for which Semonkong Falls was named. Destroying the beautiful rainbow that had comforted my descent, the base of the falls surged with fury! Gushing over top, the water felt more like a torrent now. Slipping with every step, I struggling to keep my body parallel to the ground. All I could see was blurred sandstone, all I could hear were the falls thundering above and all I could feel was the smoke rising all around me. Then, another sound. A muted yell. Looking over my shoulder, a bright orange jump suit came into view. Only a few more feet now, I thought. Enjoy your final moments. Tilting my head towards the sky and letting out one final yelp, I jumped into the smoke. For a moment, I was flying. Into the unknown where emotion stood still and life stopped, I welcomed whatever was to come. Hands. Grasping my legs, I was pulled from the mist and into a hidden cave just below the falls. Greeting me with a huge grin and congratulations, the guide unclipped my harness and ushered me quickly away from the base. He applauded my descent, raving about a 7-minute time. 7-minutes, I thought? Wow, I went slow. No, no, he joked, that is one of the best times! Something I found hard to believe until the other abseilers attempt.
Waiting for her to descend allowed me time for reflection. Staring up the falls, I felt the heart of Lesotho move within me. A heart bursting with beauty, hospitality and rugged flare. The abseil was by far the most exhilarating adventure I've had in Africa and my top 3 EVER! So many emotions accompanied those special post abseil moments but none more so then, PRIDE. Pride in myself for not only completing the descent, but more so the journey to this incredible land.