Boat racing and waterfall riding with 'experts' on Truong Son mountain range

The source of Nhat Le River

Not only is it famous as the most beautiful suspension bridge in Quang Binh province because of its shape like a lovely hammock connecting the two banks of the Long Dai River, making it hard for anyone passing by to ignore, Cay Su Bridge is also a place from above to see a large stretch of river with a characteristic pure green color and countless rapids, large and small waterfalls splashing white foam standing out among the limestone mountains with unique shapes. Occasionally, a long, slender boat appears, its bow raised high up and down. And during that journey, under the control of the driver, it keeps jumping up and down, splashing white water, giving viewers a feeling of suspense, excitement mixed with fear.

Cay Su suspension bridge looks like a hammock connecting the two banks of the Long Dai river source.

To admire the fairy-tale-like river and try out the rapids, I sat on an aluminum-hulled boat with a 13-horsepower Kohler engine owned by Mr. Nguyen Van Ky from the ferry terminal in Hong Son village, going downstream to the arduous Tam Lu waterfall with an eager mood. Sitting on the same boat, Mr. Nguyen Van Trang, former Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Truong Son commune, said that the trip was expected to take about 2 hours by boat and would have to pass through many large and small waterfalls.

Just a hundred meters from the dock, we approached the first rapids with a deviation of more than 1 meter, a chill suddenly came, by inertia I clumsily held on tightly to the side of the boat to keep my balance in case the boat collided, swayed... but thank God, in a moment the boatman gently "landed" the whole boat on the water surface at the lower level and continued to glide.

The boat is preparing to "fly" over the rapids.

Next, there were a series of small waterfalls that seemed to stretch across the river, creating turbulent waves that pushed the boat off course, but Ky only needed to hold the steering wheel tightly to get through. At times, the water was no longer fierce but quietly meandered along the mountain, in some places the water was crystal clear, sitting on the boat you could see caves and schools of fish swimming at the bottom of the river. Then the boat passed an island full of pebbles, green forests and it was very touching to hear the cheers of children running along the riverbank to welcome visitors from afar. This is the Hoi Ray and Nuoc Dang villages of the Bru - Van Kieu people who have lived in near isolation for generations in this remote place because from the commune, to visit their relatives, the river route over 10 km long is the only way.

Mr. Nguyen Van Trang said: Originating from U Bo mountain in Truong Son range, Long Dai river, meaning Big Dragon, flows through Truong Son commune, down to the plain and joins Kien Giang river to "give birth" to Nhat Le river before flowing into the East Sea at Nhat Le estuary. Before 2004, Truong Son commune was isolated in the middle of the forest, people who wanted to go down to the lowlands to trade, exchange food, local products or seek medical treatment... had to row wooden boats downstream until past noon to reach Long Dai ferry near Dong Hoi city, then return to the upstream, facing upstream currents, clinging tightly to the boat to sleep overnight on the rocky beach by the river.

Ferry terminal in Hong Son village, Truong Son commune

Later, thanks to the motorboat, the time was shortened, the ferry trip took exactly one day. Life at that time forced most of the Bru - Van Kieu ethnic men living along the river or those in the commune center to be experienced in rowing boats across rapids and familiar with every reef, water flow, and depth of each river section because if the steering wheel was not steady or judgment and handling were not correct, the consequences would be unpredictable.

It is worth mentioning that during the rainy season, when the water rises, although there is no more scene of crossing rapids, driving a boat on a river full of fierce waves and winds is not only torture but also dangerous. Since 2005, the transport sector has opened the western branch of the Truong Son road and the fishbone road connecting it with the Eastern Truong Son road, and the road to the lowlands has become a vital artery. On the contrary, the waterway on the Long Dai river has lost its "exclusive" position, and boats and ships are now few and far between. Nowadays, there are not many "experts" who dare to cross rapids.

Crossing the rapids by motorboat

Admire Tam Lu waterfall

After a bend, the flow suddenly splits into many small streams as it passes through a series of rocky crevices, then they are shaped by the rocks from the shore that stretch out into the middle of the river, making the flow rumble. Mr. Trang reported that he had reached Tam Lu waterfall - a waterfall with 3 stone steps like 3 jars leaning down to pour water down a cliff over 200m long with a difference of 20m, confirmed to be the highest in terms of height, danger and wild beauty among about 100 large and small waterfalls, along the 77km length of Long Dai river. At that moment, Ky reminded: "Prepare to cross the waterfall, remember to squat down on the bottom of the boat, hold on tightly to the wooden frame, otherwise if you fall into the river, it will be difficult to save in time".

Somehow, I fell backwards when Ky accelerated, the engine roared loudly, sending the boat skimming over the waterfall, then plunging headfirst into the boiling water below, the boat suddenly tilted and swayed as if it was about to crash into the shore. Looking back, Ky's face looked a bit tense, but when performing the steering maneuver, from standing still, to twisting his body, holding the steering wheel to force the bow of the boat to follow the current, he was very confident.

The bow of the boat is down in the water.

Going downstream through rapids, if you steer poorly, the strong whirlpools can push the boat into rocks and break it. On the contrary, going upstream is difficult. In addition, even a slight mistake or a sudden shutdown of the Kohler engine can easily cause the boat to capsize, with unpredictable consequences.

Just look at the way Ky crossed the waterfall. First, he circled around the depression at the foot of the waterfall to gain momentum, then made a sharp turn on the water surface to avoid two rows of jagged rocks before accelerating, aiming the bow of the boat towards the waterfall's entrance, which was just wide enough for the boat to squeeze through, which was also the location where the current poured in a bottleneck shape, creating a rolling wave that helped the boat avoid hitting the reefs at the bottom, and on the other hand, pushed the bow of the boat high up to "climb" the waterfall above. At this moment, I suddenly realized that the adventure of the trip had really tested my courage through every level of tension, fear and joy of victory.

In March, I returned to Long Dai River and tried to organize a group of nearly 30 adventurous people to cross Tam Lu waterfall. To avoid risks, participants all wore life jackets and helmets, which is something that boatmen in Truong Son had never thought of before - according to Mr. Trang. The result was very satisfactory because most of the people confidently boarded the boat to cross the waterfall, even for the second or third time..., even those who were initially hesitant and scared but later wanted to go further.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/dua-thuyen-cuoi-thac-cung-cao-thu-tren-day-truong-son-185240408104658821.htm