These tourists to Venezuela get their first view of Angel Falls from a
dugout canoe on the Churun River.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU’LL FIND
A little over fifty years ago, an aviator named Jimmy Angel flew over
the rain forests of eastern Venezuela. He was there looking for gold.
But on this day he spotted a great waterfall located on Auyan-Tepui, or
Devils Mountain. And, because he was the first known person to see the
waterfall, it is now known as Angel Falls.
As it turns out, Jimmy Angel discovered the highest waterfall in the
world. Angel Falls has a total height of 3,212 feet (979 meters). Its
longest unbroken drop is 2,648 feet (807 meters). An unbroken drop means
that nothing is in the way of the water as it falls.
Today, tourists visit Angel Falls and its beautiful surroundings by
flying over it in an airplane or by riding in a boat.
