La Quebrada (
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
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Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
for "gulch" or "
ravine
A ravine is a landform that is narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streambank erosion.[Acapulco
Acapulco de Juárez (), commonly called Acapulco ( , also , nah, Acapolco), is a city and major seaport in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, south of Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semicircular bay and has bee ...](_blank)
,
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
.
Divers entertain tourists by jumping off either of two ledges on the cliff, one that is 40 feet (12 m) high and the top one which is 80 feet (24 m) high. The divers must calculate the right moment to jump to catch an incoming wave and avoid serious injury or death. Occasionally jumpers dive with a torch. Most of the divers come from the family of Quebrada divers. Although cliff diving at La Quebrada had taken place for many years, it was not until 1934 that the La Quebrada Cliff Divers was formed.
In one of the walls of the cliff there is a path and a restaurant where tourists gather to watch the human divers and to view
pelican
Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents befor ...
s diving for fish.
History
Due to the orography of the port, intense heat was concentrated causing diseases in the population such as cholera and scurvy, so the doctor of the Spanish Crown, Francisco Javier Balmis, proposed a project to open a channel in the area that would allow air the center of the city, calling it “Abra de San Nicolás”. In 1799 the works began, but it was left unfinished due to lack of financial resources.
It was until 1876 when Colonel José María Lopetegui continued with the works to open a gap that would serve as ventilation for the port. The soldiers under his command removed several thousand cubic meters of rock, a task that is described as heroic for the purpose that was pursued in favor of the population. But again the work was suspended; the lack of resources slowed down progress in difficult terrain, the arduous work was stopped, remaining as it is known and hence the name: "La Quebrada".
[Previaje: Acapulco, días bajo el sol](_blank)
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On one of the cliff walls there is a path with a railing, and a restaurant, as well as a viewpoint, from where you can see the divers, even pelicans doing the same to catch fish.
See also
* La Quebrada Cliff Divers
The La Quebrada Cliff Divers are a group of professional high divers, based in Acapulco, Mexico. They perform daily shows for the public, which involve diving 30 meters (100 ft) or 41 meters (135 ft) from the cliffs of La Quebrada in ...
References
External links
*
Geography of Guerrero
Tourist attractions in Mexico
Tourist attractions in Guerrero
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