La Cascada Pulhapanzak

 On our first weekend after starting school Nick, knowing we sorely needed some stress relief, brought us to the Pulhapanzak waterfall, one of the 30 natural wonders of Honduras, at least according to the sign. He had told us to wear bathing suits and good walking shoes, and asked if everyone was all right jumping into the river from a ledge, but not much else about what we were going to be doing. After we had all clambered out of the back of his pick-up truck, we walked along the river above the falls and watched some zip liners soar over our heads. We waded across a shallow dam, killing time before the guide for our waterfall tour showed up. It was a perfectly idyllic place, with campsites and cabins for rent, smack dab in the middle of the jungle. We didn't have any idea what was in store for us, but I at least was excited.


We slowly made our way down to the falls themselves, and once there it was absolutely stupendous. The falls are about 140 meters high and because we're in the middle of the rainy season right now, they were thundering over the rocks and spraying water high into the air. I basked in the mist; despite living near a lake, the amount of water I encounter on a daily basis is not enough for my taste. Soon, out guide came to get us. He unlocked a gate at the end of the observation platform and we filed through.
      Edging along the bank, with the river rushing by about 10 feet below us, anticipation was running high. Soon we had to jump into a pool. I had expected to be at least a little nervous, but when it came time for me to take the leap, I was completely fine. Not a nerve in sight. The pool was deep and the current stronger than I was expecting, but everyone made it across ok. Slowly, in single file, we made our way to the foot of the waterfall, ducking under ledges and paddling across pools.
     Our final destination was a cave a little ways up the waterfall itself. Lord knows how anyone found this hollowed out rock under the rushing water, but they did, and getting there was an exhilarating experience. The last little leg involved a relatively steep slope, a single cable with a rubber grip, and lots and lots of water. Climbing up this incline, you could literally see nothing but water, and it was so hard to keep your eyes open that it was even hard to see that. With pounds of water crashing down on your head, and your only hand hold the narrow cable on the left, you had to put blind faith in your feet and trust that they were going to find solid places to stand.
     I have no idea how far up the waterfall we went. It probably wasn't that high. We rested in an alcove before shimmying down one last ledge then squirming through a narrow opening into the cave. Honestly, it was a little underwhelming. It was just a cave, and a small one at that. The attraction of this tour is definitely the journey, not the destination.
     Climbing back down the waterfall was only slightly easier for knowing what was in store. The inability to see was more nerve-wracking going down than up, and the leap into the pool even higher. It was so much fun. No company in the entire United States would allow you to do what we did that day, but it was absolutely incredible.