Crazy High Water Level at Iguazú!

We arrived at Iguazú in one piece around 5:00 pm on a Friday, when we pulled into the Sheraton, which we selected because it is right smack dab in the middle of the park (you can see the top of the falls and walk the trails from the lobby). No doubt the hotel is an architectural eyesore, but the interior is fine and its smallish size makes it very easy to negotiate.

After checking in, the power blinked out just as we made our way to the elevator with our bags. The poor folks stuck in the ascensor began banging away from the inside since they couldn’t leave their box-like confines. We figure the electricity goes out fairly frequently, because no hotel staff members felt the need to comfort their trapped guests.

I finally couldn’t take it anymore and marched to the lift to explain through the metal doors, in Spanish, that the power was kaput and that the hotel was attempting to get them out as soon as possible (although there was really no evidence to support that statement). Then, I practically forced a Sheraton employee to go talk to them.

We made a mental note to ourselves at that point to avoid the elevator!

By 5:45 pm, we were ensconced in our room. We looked out from our balcony, but could hardly see the falls through all the rain and mist. That’s when I declared, “screw it, we’re here…let’s go.”

We set out on the trails, even though there were signs posted everywhere saying the park was closed from 6:00 pm to 8:00 am. So there we were, just before closing on a rainy Friday, in one of the most majestic spots on the globe…and we had the park to ourselves!! It was exhilarating to run solo along the steel walkways that are perched atop the lips of the falls with the raging waters crashing all around us.

In fact, it was so intense, Zoe was a little shaken after our first pass through the park.

Later, we found out why. The normal flow rate is about 1,500 cubic meters per second, but while we were there, the chocolate brown water was moving at a clip of about 11,000 cubic meters per second. Intense is right.

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6 Responses to “Crazy High Water Level at Iguazú!”

  1. Buenos Aires Expats - Online Community of Expatriates and guide to living in Buenos Aires, Argentina October 29th, 2009 at 3:24 pm

    [...] in Buenos Aires in 1944, his father was Scottish and his mother English. He… Monday, 26 October Crazy High Water Level at Iguazú![micheleandtom.com] We arrived at Iguazú in one piece around 5:00 pm on a Friday, when we [...]

  2. Delfina October 29th, 2009 at 7:38 pm

    Thanks for making me feel like I`ve never been in the Falls. Now I`ll have to go back! Ufa! :)

  3. futbol October 29th, 2009 at 10:36 pm

    Keep an eye out for the guy who plays the harp at the Sheraton restaurant. My family decided he’s the Eric Clapton of harp. Except his entire repertoire consists of one song.

  4. Michele October 30th, 2009 at 3:29 am

    Delfina — Don’t say that!! Now I feel horrible.

    We really weren’t expecting the water to be high. As a matter of fact, we had read somewhere that sometimes the falls reduce to a mere trickle, and we were really concerned about it…unnecessarily so it turns out.

  5. Michele October 30th, 2009 at 3:29 am

    Futbol,

    As a matter of fact, I am going to mention the harpist in my post today. As usual, you are ahead of your time!

  6. TJ November 30th, 2009 at 10:41 pm

    Thanks for the info. We will be staying at the Sheraton. You mentioned the closing time of the park. When staying at the Sheraton, can one walk the trails in the evening under the moon, or is there a gate of fence to stop you?

    Thanks TJ

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