Modern Day Adventurer Extends An Invitation

Mystery Of The Nile

IMAX film

Oregon Museum of Science & Industry, Portland, through December 2005

Pacific Science Center, Seattle, through Labor Day

Riverfront Park, Spokane, through June 2

Reviewed by Stephanie Cartier

If tagging along on an adventure through some of the world's most perilous rapids while fighting off deadly crocodiles and weathering a nasty storm at sea sounds like your idea of a good time, there's a treasure waiting for you in the newest IMAX film, Mystery of the Nile.

The film captures the bravery and determination of modern-day adventurer Pasquale Scaturro and his team of amateur explorers in their quest to navigate the Nile River through the entire 3,250 miles from its Ethiopian source to the Mediterranean Sea.

Such a feat eluded explorers for centuries–a feat dangerous enough to take at least a dozen lives in the past 100 years alone. Scaturro's team survived militia arrests, dangerous hippos, fierce rapids, bandit gunfire, threats of deadly diseases, and the fiery Saharan heat to become the first in history to run the full length of the famous river.

For 114 days in 2004, the team faced trials normally reserved for the popular film character Indiana Jones. But the Hollywood special effects stay in Hollywood. Every minute of this IMAX film sweeps the audience along the Nile with the very real-life dangers and successes of the team.

"For me, this was not only the longest river I've ever run, but by far the most operationally difficult," says Scaturro. With the exception of three supply drops in Ethiopia, we did it without any outside support whatsoever. So we handled our own border crossings, food buys, fuel buys, everything."

The team's misfortunes keep hearts pounding and fists firmly knotted around the armrests. The stunning photography gives audience members the impression that they, too, are navigating the dangerous waters and treacherous falls in a 16-foot rubber raft. The effect is truly breathtaking.

While the Nile River gave birth to one of the most famous and well-studied ancient civilizations, the river itself has retained its mystery. In fact, even as late as the 19th century, the source of the Nile was still debated, and tracking it became "the Great Prize" for Victorian explorers.

The river has two main tributaries: the White Nile, which originates in Rwanda, and the Blue Nile. Today, it is widely recognized that the Blue Nile's source, Lake Tana, provides about 50 percent of the river's water and allows the annual flooding of the valley, but the cause of the flooding was, until recently, also a mystery.

Egypt owes its roots to the annual summer flooding of the Nile. The floods, which typically start in July and recede in September, cause the Blue Nile and the Nile to swell during monsoon season. The overflow deposits rich soil for six miles on either side of the river banks, allowing farmers in the area to prosper.

Historians estimate that as many as four million people lived in the Nile River Valley at various times throughout the history of ancient Egypt. "There is no other river in the world that can compare. And no other river in the world is as closely associated with a particular culture and society as the Nile. Without the Nile there would be no Egypt, no pharaohs, no pyramids. The history of the western world is inextricably tied to the Nile," says Scaturro.

One of the film's greatest surprises is the team's connections to people along the river, which continues to be a lifeline for millions of farmers in the region. Although being in the raft was exhilarating, the team found that everyday encounters with people along the river meant the most.

Gordon Brown, one of the team leaders, says, "The waters of the Nile are heavily congested and often manipulated by different governments with different agendas. In Sudan, we went through areas where villages will soon be flooded by the Merowe dam, threatening local cultures and heritage. It's a serious situation, but with this film, perhaps more people will become aware of how vital the flow of the Nile is to all of life on Earth."

Scaturro hopes the people who live along the river will unite in their efforts to maintain the vital waterway. "We hope that more people will come together across borders to talk about the future of the Nile and what must be done to protect the river and its ecosystems," he says. "There are many ecological threats to the river, but it doesn't belong to just one country or one people–its future must be shared by many."

While you may only dream of taking a trip like this, you can share in the twists, turns, and wonders of the Nile at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland, in addition to venues in Seattle and Spokane.

"OMSI selects films such as Mystery of the Nile not only for the breathtaking cinematography but for the educational and entertaining experience each film provides," says public relations manager Elaina Medina of OMSI. "In this particular film, they are taken on a thrilling river rafting adventure filled with abundant historical, cultural, and natural treasures."

Stephanie Cartier is pursuing a master's degree in Technical Communication at the University of Washington.

Images:

Photo, top: Among one of the many dangers were the Class V and VI rapids, which the team overcame in two 16-foot rafts. Photo: Mystery of the Nile

Map: Until recently, the source of the Nile River was a mystery.

Photo: Mystery of the Nile