Heat Stroke at Augrabies Falls National Park

When Bob and I set off from Springbok, South Africa, I never expected to succumb to heat stroke at Augrabies Falls National Park.  The temperature soared from 28° Celsius at 8:30 a.m. to 42° Celsius by the time we did our walkabout.

En route to Augrabies Falls National Park, we were noticing a change in the topography.  Half way to Upington, on the semi-arid desert plain, the mountains change to either flat-topped mesas or symmetrical cone shapes.

Near Kakamas, the sudden appearance of vineyards and orchards betrayed our proximity to the Orange River that provides water for cultivation of these crops.  More on the wine and raisin industry in a separate blog post.

Soon enough, we arrived at Augrabies Falls National Park, the location of the world’s sixth-tallest waterfall.  The nature reserve covers an area of 820 km² with the Orange River forming the northern border for the full distance of its boundary.

The National Park is set in a rocky mosaic around an 18-kilometer ravine through which the Orange River flows.  The presence of the river makes the reserve no less arid.

The main falls drops 56 meters into the ravine over a sheer granite cliff, while the Bridal Veil Falls on the northern side drops 75 meters.  The gorge below the Falls is 240 metres deep.

We spent about 40 minutes walking the boardwalk trails throughout the massive rocks and boulders that line the sides of the gorge.

Even as we enjoyed the views, I could feel the heat starting to get to me.  I have had heat stroke before and am vulnerable to it.

During the rainy season, much of the area we walked would be flooded with raging waters.  It was the ancient indigenous people that named the Falls after the deafening noise created as the powerful flow of water is unleashed from its rocky surroundings.

The Khoikhoi people called it Aukoerebis, a word that means “place of great noise”.

In our short video, you get some sense of what we mean by great noise.

Evidence of massive whirlpools could be seen where boulders have carved and polished huge cylindrical bowls in the rock.  The gorge itself is an excellent example of erosion into a granite base.

On the day that we visited Augrabies Falls National Park, about one-third of the lookouts or observation areas were inaccessible having been damaged by the torrential seasonal waters.  As a consequence, the entrance fee had been reduced to 200 Rand instead of the usual 185 Rand each.

The temperature during our walkabout was a searing 42° Celsius.  The intense heat, not only from the sun but also reflecting from the sand and rock surfaces, doubled the effect that it had on us.

Within about 20 minutes, I was feeling light-headed even though I wore a hat.  Another 20 minutes bearing up under the staggering heat had me feeling nauseous.  I knew that I was verging on heat stroke.

Succumbing to heat stroke at Augrabies Falls would not be ideal given the secluded location.  Thankfully, quick action back in the air-conditioned restaurant brought my core temperature back to normal.

While we ate a light picnic under the shade of a tree, Bob and I could hear the water thundering through the gorge in the Augrabies Falls National Park.  As always, the sheer power of nature left Bob and me breathless!

Frame to Frame – Bob and Jean