- Carbet Falls
Carbet Falls ( _fr. Les chutes du Carbet) is a series of
waterfall s on the Carbet River inGuadeloupe , anoverseas department ofFrance located in theLeeward Islands of the easternCaribbean region. Its three cascades are set amid thetropical rainforest s on the lower slopes of thevolcano La Soufrière. The falls are one of the most popular visitor sites in Guadeloupe, with approximately 400,000 visitors annually.In 1493,
Christopher Columbus noted Carbet Falls in his log. Appropriately, he named Guadeloupe "Karukera", which translates as "the island of beautiful waters".Fact|date=February 2008Description
The falls' first and highest cascade comprises a drop of more thanconvert|125|m|ft|abbr=on|lk=on. Visitors reach the cascade by a long, steep trail. The source of the Carbet River is located another convert|2|km|mi|abbr=on|lk=on upstream from the first cascade, at an elevation of convert|1300|m|ft|-2|abbr=on.
The second cascade receives the most visitors of the three, due to its convenient accessibility. This fall of convert|110|m|ft|abbr=on is reached by a paved and very well designed path.
The third and last cascade measures convert|20|m|ft|abbr=on in height, and has the greatest water volume of any waterfall in Guadeloupe. It is only accessible on foot, and only to experienced hikers.
Recent events
Following an
earthquake in 2004, several cubic meters of rock split from the cliff face behind the second cascade. The safety hazard thus created led park authorities to limit access to the cascade to no closer than a bridge just downstream. Heavy rains in 2005 only exacerbated the problem by leaving the terrain yet more unstable.ee also
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Guadeloupe National Park External links
* [http://www.azureva.com/guadeloupe/magazine/chutes_carbet.php3 More images and advice for visitors]
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