Today we went to Iguazu Falls to see the waterfalls. Did you know, Iguazu Falls is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World?
The name Iguazu comes from the indigenous words for ‘water’ and, ‘big’ or ‘great’. There are anywhere between 150 and 300 waterfalls at any given time based on water level and the waterfalls vary between 197 and 269 feet. Approximately half of the river’s flow falls into a long and narrow chasm called the Devil’s Throat. 
The junction of the water flows marks the border between Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. Iguazu currently has the greatest average annual flow of any waterfall in the world. The water falling over Iguazu in peak flow has a surface area of about 1.3 million ft². On the right bank is the Brazilian territory, which has just over 20% of the falls, and the left side is Argentine, which make up almost 80% of the falls. We were on the Brazilian side at the start of the day but at one point we were on the Argentinean side.
That day was about the wettest one yet! We arrived at the rainforest in pouring rain. We got to our hotel and quickly settled into our rooms. Our hotel was the only one that was inside the Iguazu National Park on the Brazil side. Let’s go! We left our hotel and drove through the rainforest to the Macuco Boat launch area. During our ride to the boats, we went through the rainforest and learned about some trees and a vine called a water vine which stores water and brings it from one tree to another. We took a short walk in the pouring rain, (Rain makes everything so much more fun!) to where the boats were waiting for us. The suspense was awesome!
Then, we arrived at the boats, no turning back.
”I don’t want to turn back you not-knowing-anything narrator Brooke.”
“So what, talkative Brooke?”
“Never mind narrator Brooke, but readers, remember I do not want to turn back!!”
We got our life vests on and boarded the boat. This going to be fun, I thought.
“You thought it was going to be fun? I thought you just said no turning back and I was so amazingly scared, you crazy narrator Brooke!”
“I did think it was going to be fun, but I thought we were just going to get a little bit of mist from the waterfall, talkative Brooke!”
“Just let ME do the talking for the rest of the time, narrator Brooke!”
“Fine, you can do the talking although, that is pretty much all I’m-“
“Just let me, narrator Brooke!”
“Okay! Okay! But do it well, talkative Brooke.”
So, we got on the boat and started driving towards the falls. This is the best view of a waterfall we’ve had yet! From below! I don’t think too many people have gotten to do this I thought.
“Shhhhhh I’m talking, narrator Brooke!”
“Sorry I just can’t help it, talkative Brooke.”
“Then, just do it in your head, narrator Brooke!”
Then, the scariest part happened… We went under the waterfalls mist and our boat was only about three feet from being pushed and pummeled at the part of the waterfall that goes under and into the large muddy river at the bottom.
Mom kept shouting, “THIS CANNOT BE SAFE!” I was squeezing mom’s hand so tight that it was probably numb after two seconds. Our screams of amazement and our laughter echoed in our ears and then new ones came in. We went in to the waterfall then came back out then went back in and on our third try the current was so strong that we couldn’t get back into the humid shower of water hitting water and rising up into the air again. When we were heading back to land, we would do these things that I like to call twirls. This is where the boat would go in a circle one side of the boat would be so close that you think maybe it will submerge into the water. Then, the other side of the boat was so high that even if you had really long arms you still wouldn’t be able to touch the water.
Goodness gracious, the day couldn’t of been any better (now helicopters seem boring). Mom and Dad kept saying, “you asked for rainforest and you definitely got it,” because I was the one who wanted to go to the rainforest. They were right! Rainforest, Iguazu, boat under Iguazu…best day ever!!
Loving your updates! My parents took me to Iguazu Falls when I was ten years old and I still remember it vividly. I’ve seen most of the big waterfalls: Niagara, Victoria, Yosemite, but the thundering red-brown Iguazu beats them all. When I was there the butterflies were tame and would land on your clothes. Do they still do that?
Drew
(Yaya’s dad)