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She has travelled a thousand miles to see me.

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Her journey has made her tired and weak.

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As she nears Victoria Falls, she becomes shallow and wide

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and she brings life to this place.

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Her name is Zambezi

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and this is my home.

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Victoria wakes her up. Together they fall into the abyss.

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They dance and shout,

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throwing rainbows high into the air.

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We call this place Mosi-o-Tunya -

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"the smoke that thunders".

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As Zambezi emerges into the Batoka Gorge,

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she is alive again,

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carving through the rocks, dark and sleek.

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Here, she's not so easy to live with

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and few animals choose to make a life here,

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but Zambezi brings me everything I need.

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She is my greatest friend.

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She holds a million secrets beneath her waters,

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revealing a few to each of us, so we may survive here.

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Today, she is quiet.

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But this story begins many months ago.

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It had rained every day for nine weeks.

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Zambezi was full and Victoria became a monster.

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She breathed clouds of spray a mile high above the gorge.

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This is where our story begins.

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My name is Mr White

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and I am a fisherman.

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I live in the village of Songwe.

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It is a small village on the edge of the Batoka Gorge.

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This year will be hard. Ah, it is too wet!

32
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All of my crops have drowned and died.

33
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With so much rain,

34
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fishing is tough.

35
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But I try every day.

36
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I need to catch many fish to feed my family.

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I have seven daughters, eight sons and three wives.

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People use many fancy words and numbers

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when they talk about Victoria.

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But words mean nothing when you are near her.

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She grabs you and shakes you to your bones.

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Nothing in your life can prepare you for this experience.

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It is like you are standing

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on the edge of the world.

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When she is angry like this,

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many animals leave this place.

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Those that remain live secret lives,

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hidden in her mists.

49
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But for some, life could not be better.

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Ah, the old snaggle-toothed male -

51
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King Baboon!

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His troop lives in the valley next to the falls.

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Like me, he has a big family, but they don't have empty bellies.

54
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The mists from Victoria keep many trees in fruit

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and the troop well fed.

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So, unlike most baboons, they don't have to travel far to find food.

57
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At this time of the year, life is good if you are a baboon.

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Some say that baboons are just like people.

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Too much time on their hands makes them bored.

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BABOONS SCREECH

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In such a big family, there are always disagreements.

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In the months to come,

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when the dry season arrives, it will be tough for the baboons.

64
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But for now it is a time to play,

65
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or just sit and watch the world go by.

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By March, the rains have finally stopped.

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Zambezi is still ferocious,

68
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but soon she will begin to relax and life will return.

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Maybe she looks smaller here,

70
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cramped between the walls of the gorge,

71
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but she is deep - oh, so, so deep!

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They say that above Victoria the crocodiles have teeth,

73
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but down here,

74
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it is Zambezi who has the teeth.

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If I fell in,

76
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she would swallow me and I would be gone.

77
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She is still too angry to give me many fish.

78
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The rain has made the water cold

79
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and the fish are hiding.

80
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But I have learned to read her waters.

81
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I know all of her pools and eddies.

82
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I know where she hides her fish.

83
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This is my favourite spot -

84
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below rapid number nine.

85
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I have fished here since 1947.

86
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I am happy when I am with Zambezi.

87
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I know she will give me something

88
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and my belly will soon be full.

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Above the falls, elephants return to Zambezi,

90
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as the land around begins to dry out.

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With little food to eat away from the river,

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the elephants come to Zambezi

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to feed on the lush grasses that grow on the emerging islands.

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They remember where to cross the shallow rapids.

95
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They always cross here.

96
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But the heavy rains have made Zambezi stronger than they have known.

97
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They cannot read her waters like a fisherman

98
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and she is too powerful for their little ones.

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The adults try to protect the baby from the full flow of the water.

100
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But it is too strong

101
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and they are forced to turn back.

102
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They must wait for Zambezi to let them cross.

103
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Ah, my friend Edwin!

104
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Like the elephants, he too seeks fresh grasses from the islands

105
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above the falls.

106
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He chooses thick stalks -

107
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firm and bendy -

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perfect for catching fish.

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He is a craftsman.

110
00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:31,440
Using skills he learned from his father,

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he makes fine traps to catch fish.

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It is how his family has survived for generations.

113
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Edwin knows that when Zambezi is ready,

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she will bring him a feast.

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But for now,

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he must wait.

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In May, Zambezi's power grows weaker

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as the clouds are burned from the skies.

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Victoria's voice grows quiet

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as mighty Zambezi begins to feel the power of the sun.

121
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We have all been waiting for this moment -

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all who fish, all who are ruled by the mood of Zambezi.

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Even the greatest fisherman of all...

124
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..the fish eagle must wait for her to calm down.

125
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But now, she is singing again

126
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and soon the fish will be coming to us all.

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Now the nights are cold, so, so cold.

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The river above the falls is lost in mists every morning.

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Ah, the skimmers have come home.

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Each day, I see more life returning to Zambezi.

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The receding waters reveal sandbanks and islands,

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safe from danger.

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They are perfect places to nest.

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The bull hippos are displaying now.

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Every morning their calls echo across the river,

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letting other males know who's boss.

137
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There are many hippos above the falls.

138
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They are so, so dangerous.

139
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I prefer to fish the gorge.

140
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But I like to visit Zambezi up here.

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Every day she shows me something new.

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Split by her many islands,

143
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Zambezi has the banks of a dozen small rivers.

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As the water drops, these tiny sand-cliffs appear

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and bee-eaters arrive to dig their homes.

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But they must dig fast,

147
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before the sun dries the mud as hard as stone.

148
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For such tiny birds,

149
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living together must make them feel safe.

150
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So many eyes to see and beaks to defend!

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A pair of pied kingfishers are also trying to find a space here,

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safe among the bee-eaters,

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but they are not welcome.

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I think they came too late.

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Ah, they will have to look elsewhere.

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The largest of all kingfishers,

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the giant kingfisher,

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is also busy now.

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I like hearing them shouting to each other.

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Wherever they choose to raise a family, there must be plenty of fish.

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They are wise fishermen,

162
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but I think he could be more gentle.

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Starting a family can be exhausting.

164
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Ah, they won't bother you.

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They are searching for fruits.

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They know that this is the time

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Zambezi gives them palm fruits above the falls.

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While one young male sits in the crown of the tree,

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others wait below for the fruits he drops.

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Baboons like the soft outer layer,

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but they don't like the tough nut inside.

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There is not much of a meal in each one, but there are many trees.

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Life on the river is all about timing.

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Understanding Zambezi's mood

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so she doesn't catch you out.

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The fish eagles are here early this year.

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Maybe Zambezi tells them something I cannot read in her waters.

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It takes them many months to raise their family,

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so they have to get their timing just right.

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Their chicks must learn to fish while Zambezi is shallow and calm

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before the rains return.

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They hunt the open water above the falls

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and tell anyone who will listen that this is their patch.

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They are proud fishermen.

185
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While the mists are still rising,

186
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my friend Edwin sets his traps.

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This is the time he has been waiting for.

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He is fishing for daninga.

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He sets his traps at night and collects them in the morning.

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It is cold, hard work

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and he must be careful in the rapids.

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The whole village has been waiting for the daninga.

193
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Now, everyone comes to fish where their fathers

194
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and grandfathers fished before them.

195
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Edwin can catch a makoro full in one night.

196
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Sometimes I am waiting one month to catch so much fish.

197
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Edwin can't fish for long,

198
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just a few short weeks,

199
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when the moon is shrinking

200
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and the daninga will have gone again.

201
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Ah, this has been a good year for daninga.

202
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So it seems the heavy rains were not bad for everyone.

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Baked dry in the sun, they stay fresh

204
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and will be good to eat for over a month.

205
00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:35,200
The pied kingfishers are working hard now.

206
00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:39,720
All day long, they pull fish from Zambezi's pools

207
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and carry them to a single hole in the river bank.

208
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They have a growing family to feed.

209
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Perhaps they will be OK without the protection of the bee-eaters.

210
00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:07,840
In September, the sun burns hard on the land.

211
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Every day, he drinks Zambezi dry.

212
00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:15,160
Victoria is forced to retreat along the rocks,

213
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her thunderous song now just a whisper.

214
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All around, the land is dry.

215
00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:37,480
Only the stubborn mopane trees hold onto their leaves.

216
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Zambezi is now just a snake in the desert.

217
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Now that she has been tamed by the sun,

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they arrive.

219
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From all over the world, men come here in their rubber boats,

220
00:26:12,120 --> 00:26:16,040
and for a few months, the gorge is full of life.

221
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They say it is fun, ha-ha!

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Above the falls,

223
00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:23,840
Zambezi is slow and lazy once again.

224
00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:27,960
A meandering oasis in a sun-baked savannah,

225
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her islands the only fresh vegetation for miles around.

226
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Now it is safe for the young ones.

227
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The family can finally swim to the islands to feast on the grasses.

228
00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:08,560
But they are not alone.

229
00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:11,600
Now, the river is alive with elephants.

230
00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:13,800
Hundreds arrive,

231
00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:17,760
drawn to Zambezi by her fresh food and cool waters.

232
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Ah, they are normally so serious.

233
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But here they play like children,

234
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swimming and splashing while the sun is so hot.

235
00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:25,680
Life isn't so easy for everyone.

236
00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:30,920
Now Zambezi is too weak to bring fish to them,

237
00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:34,960
the pied kingfishers must search her shallow pools.

238
00:29:45,280 --> 00:29:48,920
They are spending a long time away from the nest,

239
00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:51,880
and it seems someone else has noticed too.

240
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They arrive home a second too late.

241
00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:08,560
The mongoose is a sneaky character

242
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and a great danger to all who nest on the riverbank.

243
00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:36,960
Despite their daring acrobatics and sharp beaks,

244
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they can do nothing.

245
00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:43,360
They are no match for him

246
00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:46,120
and cannot save their chicks.

247
00:31:11,920 --> 00:31:15,120
Perhaps if they had found a place with the bee-eaters,

248
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with so many eyes to see

249
00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:18,280
and beaks to defend,

250
00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:23,120
maybe then the sneaky mongoose would not have made it to their nest.

251
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It is too late for them to nest again.

252
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I hope they will have more luck next year.

253
00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:54,080
Far out on the islands,

254
00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:57,160
the skimmers' chicks are safe from the sneaky mongoose.

255
00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:00,400
They hide in the dunes,

256
00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:04,120
while their parents hunt the waters above the falls.

257
00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:09,000
Despite their strange looks, skimmers are excellent fishermen.

258
00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:11,960
They hunt by dragging their beaks along the water,

259
00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:13,960
snapping up any fish they hit.

260
00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:18,240
But even these skilled fishermen make mistakes.

261
00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:30,720
When Zambezi was full and these islands under the water,

262
00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:35,080
it was the hippos who wallowed on these sand banks.

263
00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:38,600
But now, with Zambezi shrinking,

264
00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:42,400
they are forced to move into the remaining deeper channels.

265
00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:52,680
Now it seems there are hippos in every pool

266
00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:56,800
and the bulls are not happy living near to each other.

267
00:32:58,360 --> 00:33:00,120
So, they show their teeth...

268
00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:03,520
..and they fight.

269
00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:20,520
People say they are good for fish

270
00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:24,760
because men are scared to fish these hippo pools.

271
00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:26,800
I would not fish near here.

272
00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:42,600
Zambezi has dropped to her lowest level,

273
00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:46,920
so now my friend Josephat can fish his favourite spot.

274
00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:58,720
It is where his father taught him to fish.

275
00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:03,760
A place where hippos and crocodiles dare not go...

276
00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:07,520
..to the very edge of the world.

277
00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:56,880
The setting sun brings queleas home to roost.

278
00:34:56,920 --> 00:34:59,640
They fill the sky, singing and dancing

279
00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:02,920
as they search for a space to settle for the night.

280
00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:28,720
As their chatter fades away,

281
00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:32,160
it is time for me to set my lines for the night.

282
00:35:41,720 --> 00:35:44,600
# Betcha goin' fishin' all of your time

283
00:35:44,640 --> 00:35:47,240
# Baby goin' fishin' too

284
00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:51,160
# Bet your life, your sweet wife

285
00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:53,160
# Catch more fish than you

286
00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:57,600
# Many fish bites if ya got good bait

287
00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:00,920
# Here's a little tip that I would like to relate

288
00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,960
# Big fish bite if ya got good bait

289
00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:07,080
# I'm a goin' fishin' Mama's goin' fishin'

290
00:36:07,120 --> 00:36:08,880
# Baby goin' fishin' too. #

291
00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:28,480
The gorge is a wonderful place at night -

292
00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:30,120
so quiet.

293
00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:34,320
Sometimes, I sit down here for a month,

294
00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:37,880
drinking tea and fishing every night,

295
00:36:37,920 --> 00:36:41,480
leaving when I have caught plenty of fish for my family.

296
00:37:10,240 --> 00:37:13,680
Victoria is most beautiful at night.

297
00:37:13,720 --> 00:37:17,160
The lights from Zimbabwe shine through her spray

298
00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:18,760
and set her on fire.

299
00:37:24,720 --> 00:37:28,760
Then, as the moon climbs high in the sky,

300
00:37:28,800 --> 00:37:30,960
moon rainbows appear

301
00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:35,040
and she becomes more beautiful than you can ever imagine.

302
00:38:06,680 --> 00:38:09,760
While life for a fisherman is easy,

303
00:38:09,800 --> 00:38:12,720
life becomes hard for the baboons.

304
00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:18,240
Victoria doesn't have the strength to fill their valley with mist

305
00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:21,240
and the fruits have all shrivelled and died.

306
00:38:25,800 --> 00:38:28,440
They are forced to eat insects off old leaves

307
00:38:28,480 --> 00:38:31,840
and strip seeds from dead grasses.

308
00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:37,720
Youngsters always find time to play.

309
00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:44,920
But the adults are saving their energy.

310
00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:47,680
They have other plans.

311
00:38:52,560 --> 00:38:56,520
Zambezi lies between Zambia and Zimbabwe

312
00:38:56,560 --> 00:39:00,120
and all must cross her, on a single bridge, to reach the border.

313
00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:17,040
They say there are bandits here -

314
00:39:17,080 --> 00:39:18,760
a fearless gang of thieves.

315
00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:23,360
Zimbabwe has collapsed.

316
00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:25,480
There is little food.

317
00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:29,720
So, every day, hundreds of people cross into Zambia to buy food.

318
00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:38,800
And when they return,

319
00:39:38,840 --> 00:39:41,320
the baboons are waiting.

320
00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:49,600
Ah, Mr Mugabe, it seems you help no-one but the baboons!

321
00:39:54,120 --> 00:39:55,600
So bold are the baboons

322
00:39:55,640 --> 00:39:58,760
that it seems they are now in charge of this border post.

323
00:39:58,800 --> 00:40:02,240
Every vehicle is inspected for an easy meal.

324
00:40:21,040 --> 00:40:23,400
They steal from anyone.

325
00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:27,160
Women and children are easy targets.

326
00:40:28,600 --> 00:40:30,320
Skilled thieves,

327
00:40:30,360 --> 00:40:32,120
they size up their victims,

328
00:40:32,160 --> 00:40:34,960
only snatching bags they know contain food.

329
00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:47,080
Baboons are powerful animals.

330
00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:49,720
They have big sharp teeth.

331
00:40:49,760 --> 00:40:52,880
It's not worth putting up a fight over a bag of crisps.

332
00:41:01,480 --> 00:41:04,760
Ah, it is tough for the baboons,

333
00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:06,840
but they have found a way to survive

334
00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:09,920
when Zambezi couldn't provide for them.

335
00:41:11,720 --> 00:41:14,160
If only they knew how to fish!

336
00:41:26,200 --> 00:41:28,520
Sitting high in the trees,

337
00:41:28,560 --> 00:41:33,480
the fish eagles never let their eyes off the river.

338
00:41:33,520 --> 00:41:38,840
They search for any sign that Zambezi is hiding a fish.

339
00:41:40,400 --> 00:41:42,280
And if they spot one,

340
00:41:42,320 --> 00:41:44,240
he is in trouble.

341
00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:50,200
They dive, ah, so, so fast.

342
00:41:50,240 --> 00:41:53,000
They grab him and they're gone.

343
00:42:00,640 --> 00:42:03,280
I would not like to be a fish with them around.

344
00:42:03,320 --> 00:42:06,880
To me, they are the greatest of all the fishermen.

345
00:42:10,480 --> 00:42:14,360
If I could fish like an eagle, I would be rich!

346
00:42:40,720 --> 00:42:43,240
Ah, such a big meal!

347
00:42:44,360 --> 00:42:46,160
Enough to feed a whole family,

348
00:42:46,200 --> 00:42:50,240
which is good, because they have two fat chicks.

349
00:42:54,240 --> 00:42:57,280
For now, the adults must hunt for them.

350
00:42:57,320 --> 00:43:00,640
But soon they will be able to fish for themselves.

351
00:43:25,640 --> 00:43:28,240
The eagles got their timing perfect.

352
00:43:28,280 --> 00:43:31,200
Their chicks can practise hunting

353
00:43:31,240 --> 00:43:33,200
in the shallow, clear waters

354
00:43:33,240 --> 00:43:35,560
while Zambezi is still low.

355
00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:40,080
They must learn fast, though.

356
00:43:40,120 --> 00:43:42,920
Zambezi's moods are always changing

357
00:43:42,960 --> 00:43:45,360
and it won't be long before the rains return

358
00:43:45,400 --> 00:43:47,440
and she becomes angry once again.

359
00:44:07,160 --> 00:44:09,520
The river is now so small,

360
00:44:09,560 --> 00:44:12,200
there is more land than water above the falls.

361
00:44:13,520 --> 00:44:18,480
It is hard to believe that this year started off so wet.

362
00:44:18,520 --> 00:44:21,840
Then, it seemed it would be hard for all of us

363
00:44:21,880 --> 00:44:24,280
who make a living from Zambezi.

364
00:44:25,400 --> 00:44:29,280
But now, as she slides through the shallows, half asleep,

365
00:44:29,320 --> 00:44:33,160
the world she has created is more alive than ever.

366
00:44:45,000 --> 00:44:49,560
Ah, soon the awkward skimmer chicks will be ready to fly,

367
00:44:49,640 --> 00:44:54,000
ready to fish and to leave this place when Zambezi awakes.

368
00:45:04,640 --> 00:45:08,240
Everyone must be ready when the clouds begin to gather.

369
00:45:09,600 --> 00:45:12,720
Until then, life here is good.

370
00:45:21,280 --> 00:45:25,360
These few short weeks at the end of the dry season

371
00:45:25,400 --> 00:45:27,240
are my favourite time.

372
00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:34,520
So much life has come to make a home with my friend Zambezi.

373
00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:48,280
Zambezi is calm now,

374
00:45:48,320 --> 00:45:51,440
but I can still hear her whispering to me.

375
00:45:52,440 --> 00:45:55,120
I fear I will not fish here again.

376
00:45:57,040 --> 00:46:00,880
I feel old and I am sick.

377
00:46:00,920 --> 00:46:03,360
The gorge is too steep.

378
00:46:05,240 --> 00:46:07,920
But her story will continue.

379
00:46:12,760 --> 00:46:15,400
The clouds are gathering in the sky.

380
00:46:16,640 --> 00:46:19,640
Soon the rains will return.

381
00:46:19,680 --> 00:46:24,040
Zambezi will again rule this land.

382
00:46:25,960 --> 00:46:29,440
And Victoria will again be magnificent,

383
00:46:29,480 --> 00:46:34,000
her voice rising from a whisper to thunder.

384
00:46:45,480 --> 00:46:48,880
When Zambezi carved Victoria from the rocks,

385
00:46:48,920 --> 00:46:51,880
she brought life to this place.

386
00:47:00,000 --> 00:47:04,480
For those that understand her, she will always provide.

387
00:47:06,160 --> 00:47:09,080
I have learned a few of her secrets,

388
00:47:09,120 --> 00:47:12,800
but there are still many more for others to learn,

389
00:47:12,840 --> 00:47:16,280
other stories to be told.

390
00:47:18,640 --> 00:47:22,800
She has been a good friend to me all of my life.

391
00:47:24,160 --> 00:47:27,480
But this is the end of my story

392
00:47:27,520 --> 00:47:30,680
and it is time to say goodbye.

393
00:48:25,560 --> 00:48:28,560
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