TOURISM WITH NDUBI MVULA

THE LUNAR RAINBOW

EVER heard of the lunar rainbow? Sometimes it is called the moonbow. Well then you should be able to know what I am about to bring to your attention. In this week’s Tourism Destination, NDUBI MVULA looks at a little known but vital aspect of tourism.

It comes once or twice in every month of the year from January to December but the best time to view it at the Victoria Falls is during the months of March, April, May, June and July.

 This is the period when the falls is at its peak as the light of the moon is refracted through the mists that rise up from the base of the Victoria Falls into the skies in a thunderous manner.

A nighttime moon rainbow or moonbow is created by the light of a full moon and water particles from the mist of a waterfall.

According to the National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC), the Victoria Falls has predictable, regular lunar rainbows called moonbows.

The phenomenon attracts a lot of visitors into the country who come from far places such as the far East, Americas and Europe. However, on the local scene it seems not many people have come to accustom themselves with the rare phenomenon.

 To look at the delicate Lunar Rainbow, which the light of the moon shining through the spray creates, is a natural wonder without any equal.

 When the moon is full, the sky is relatively clear and the Victoria Falls are at their peak flow, huge rainbows appear through the mist at night this unique event is visible the day before, the day of and the day after the full moon.

 During high water on the Zambian side one gets soaked with sprays as sheets of endless water thunder into the Zambezi below whose sound is deafening as over ten million litres of water per second plunge to the depth of 110 metres over the edge.

And the NHCC that protects the Victoria Falls, in order to enable a visitor, enjoy the view of the Lunar Rainbow right from the rising of the full moon the park stays open late, at times even as late as midnight depending on the number of visitors.

You see a spectacular feature above one of the world’s natural wonders, on the border of two nations, Zambia and Zimbabwe, as the shimmering spectrum of colours reflects. Yes, quite Romantic? You better believe it and get there to see for yourself.

And March being one of the months of the Lunar Rainbow, it is said to have recorded a high number of tourists who braved the nights just to have a lifetime glimpse of the rare phenomena.

Then NHCC Southwest Regional Site manager Ndiyoi Muyumbwa, now Executive Director once confirmed that the frequency of visitors fluctuates adding that each year the Commission receives numerous phone calls from enthusiastic tourists from both local and foreign enquiring on the actual dates and time of the spectacular Lunar Rainbow.

At times the Victoria Falls gates are left open for viewing up to midnight, which is a very rare scenario especially that the feature is little known to many tourists, apart from those that have taken special interest through reading various publications either on internet or library materials.

Mr. Muyumbwa further explained that his organisation decided to venture into a vigorous marketing strategy of the phenomenon so that night viewing of the falls could be enhanced through advertisements.

He said they intend to work hand-in-hand with the Zambia Tourism Agency with whom they have a lot of co-operation since most of the products they both market tend to be similar.

He qualified this by stating that the ZTA has a wider range of marketing Zambia’s tourism sector hence the need to work with them, and also through the various platforms such as lodges, hotels and guest houses that are dotted throughout the country as well as the media.

He strongly believes that there is a need to vigorously market the Lunar Rainbow by way of producing brochures, write-ups in the media, advertisement in electronic and print media as well as working closely with the ZTA.

Nevertheless, let us have a look at some experiences from other parts of the world.

On May 13, 1998 in the South Atlantic Ocean aboard the m.v. Appleby enroute from Long Beach to Port Talbot a marine observer Crofts had this to say;

“At 2225 UTC when a light rain shower was falling, a rainbow was seen on the starboard side roughly 2-3 cables from the vessel. It was very clear for about six minutes and was accompanied by a secondary bow after about half that time.

The secondary one did not make a complete bow but seemed joined to the primary bow at its highest point, in a convergence area of deep blue, as indicated in the diagram.

“The colours were very clear, with blues and purples visible in both parts. Both bows began to fade at about the same time as the moon once again passed behind another cloud.”

However, scientific comments thus; because moonlight is much weaker than sunlight, lunar rainbows are rather rare. Even so, they are not anomalous.

It is the offset bow that is difficult-to-explain. Rainbow phenomena should be symmetrical around the line containing the light source (moon, here) and the bow itself.

“In GEB3 in Rare Halos, we note that no reasonable explanation exists for rainbows offset to one side. However, extra bows offset directly above the main bow can be explained as due to reflection of moonlight or sunlight off the surface of the water,” reads the statement.

So as you have read, the Lunar Rainbow is still on. Come to Livingstone next month and be among the visitors to view this rare feature. This is a moment and experience you will never regret having spent your time and not money on.