Casual Forest, Piranha Creek, & the Amazon River, 4/9/2022, Delfin II
Aboard the
Delfin II
Amazon
On our last day, we went to a forest to hike. The area has a system of trails that allows visitors to feel immersed in the jungle. We found many poisonous frogs and invertebrates. Spotting a big tarantula offered many guests the opportunity to cross off an item on their bucket lists.
After lunch, we had our last outing. We began with a toast to the Amazon River. We explored Piranha Creek, where monkeys and many birds regaled us with displays of color and action.
Ramiro is Ecuadorian, born in the highlands and raised by the sea. Growing up in the Galapagos was for him an opportunity to learn from up close the importance of understanding and respecting all forms of life. He started his studies in biology and e...
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This is our last full day exploring the Pacaya Samiria Reserve in the Upper Amazon in Peru. The week has been great. It was indeed full of surprises! The jungle is a surprise even for locals; this vast land is so huge that every day you can find an animal that you have never seen before or one that you rarely see. We visited a local community of people called Amazonas, like the river, because the community is located at the foot of the majestic Amazon River. Around four hundred people live here. This was the first opportunity for our guests to experience how people live in this remote area of our planet. We enjoyed a very warm welcome. The children were happy to greet visitors, and they were very curious. Our hosts prepared some local food and invited us inside one of their rustic houses made of local materials, such as wood, palm trees, and tree trunks. Inside, the atmosphere was very pleasant. Our hosts prepared local fish and some cassava and plantain, and they offered us a very delicious beverage called chapu, which is made of ripe plantain. After learning about their way of life, we visited a handicraft market. Some of the women from the community offered for sale elaborate, beautiful elements made from a local plant called chambira, a type of straw. Artisans use plants to dye the very strong material and use it to decorate their crafts. Later, we moved to Casual, a primary, protected forest. With the guidance of local experts, we explored the site and found all kinds of small creatures that are difficult to spot with our naked eyes. Our guides knew where to find tarantulas, miniature frogs, boas, anacondas, and sloths. We enjoyed our last moments in the magnificent jungle, a place full of wildlife. At night, we enjoyed our photo slideshow, in which our guests summarized their memories of all the great moments during our wonderful week exploring the Upper Amazon in Peru. After dinner, our talented crew performed. The music and dancing made for a memorable farewell event to say goodbye to our guests and to thank them for visiting with us in this astonishing place.
We started our activities before breakfast, hoping that Mother Nature would reward us with excellent sightings. At 6:00 a.m., we boarded the skiffs and headed into the depths of the jungle. We followed the path of Yanayacu River, home to pods of pink river dolphins. These freshwater mammals have adapted to the murky conditions of the river. A good echolocation system is vital here to allow the dolphins to find food and navigate among the trees. As we started our exploration, we spotted pink dolphins in the shallow murky waters. Further up the river, we spotted black-collared hawks perched on trees near the riverbank. These raptors are the most common in the Pacaya Samiria Reserve. They are elegant and relaxed for photographers and birdwatchers. This hawk forages entirely on fish and is often seen pulling fish out of the water. This vast, green jungle is home to a number of bird species. Some are commonly seen, and others, such as the white-throated toucan, are harder to find. Today we spotted the toucans as the birds started their morning activities, which are basically courtship and foraging. Toucans are omnivorous birds that cover long ranges to gather fruits and insects. If given the opportunity, they also eat bird eggs. In the afternoon, we explored just a little of the Amazon Park on the banks of the Marañón River. As we were heading out, the vast jungle gave to us its most precious gift…rain! in vast quantities. There was so much rain that we could not make the visit planned for the day, but we got to experience the tropical rainforest with heavy rains that were much needed by the trees and creatures of the region. It was another amazing day in the heart of the rainforest!
We are getting close to the end of an amazing week exploring the Upper Amazon on board Delfin II ; it has been an astonishing trip in many ways. This morning, we went out after breakfast to explore the forest of Supay. We landed on a very small, handmade dock with some stairs to walk inland. Hiking in the jungle is quite a remarkable experience. You feel the immensity of Mother Nature, and you notice how big and tall the trees are in this emerald world where species coexist in many ways. Our expert, local naturalists know the area so well. They can identify every plant, especially medicinal ones, and it is an ancestral knowledge because these naturalists are the local pharmacy for local people. Far away from big cities, there are no hospitals or doctors so knowing all about Mother Nature’s medicine is vital to survival. After walking into the jungle, we arrived at a freshwater lagoon. We found a very unique plant that grows in the Amazonas. Lily pads, or Victoria regias, are aquatic plants that adapted to survive in this lagoon. They are very big with beautiful purple and white flowers, and birds like jacanas like to walk on the pads. Later in the afternoon, we enjoyed more exploration. Our choices were skiff rides along the creek or kayak outings. Some of our intrepid guests kayaked in silence and solitude to admire the sounds of the jungle. This experience is incredible and brings peace and joy to our souls. The sounds of birds, frogs, insects, monkeys, and many other creatures create a symphony of sound for our spirits. On the skiff ride, we found a couple of fishermen that showed us their catch of the day. One of them caught some piranhas to eat!
