Today was the last full day of this amazing week. We started with an early breakfast before setting out for the Amazon Nature Park, a large parcel of private, protected land adjacent to Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. Local guides rowed us in “catamaran” canoes across a small lake to begin our hike in the forest. We spotted many incredible creatures, mushrooms, and plants along the way, and we even got to see the remarkable sap of the rubber tree. Our hike included a section with nine suspension bridges in the mid-canopy, some up to 90 feet high. It was a wonderful way to get a new perspective on the forest. After returning to the ship and having a delicious lunch, we watched a large group of both pink and gray river dolphins fishing near our boat. Some adventurous souls went out for one last swim, this time in the Rio Pucate. Dolphins swam nearby. We went out in the late afternoon for one last skiff ride together as storm clouds filled the sky. It never rained on us, however, and we enjoyed spotting saddleback tamarins, blue-and-yellow macaws, and long-nosed bats. It’s been an incredible experience this past week!
11/18/2023
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Delfin II
Casual Rain Forest and Amazonas Community
Today we explored Pahuachiro Creek before breakfast, looking for special sightings along the Maranon River. Pahuachiro Creek is a small body of water with beautiful forest on both sides. This area is home to creatures such as yellow-headed caracaras, black-collared hawks, large-billed terns, and some species of monkeys. In the morning after breakfast we explored Casual Rain Forest on the riverbank. As the name suggests, it is a rainforest! It is a vast green jungle with an interesting trail that leads through an amazing collection of giant trees and palms where many types of animals hang out. As we explored the forest, we had an encounter with the master of the jungle! We spotted a red-tailed boa slowly moving among the bushes. Its camouflage is impressive — without the expert eyes of the local guides we would have missed such an event. These forests are so full of life; besides the abundance of trees there are the many creatures here that we saw with our own eyes. On the ground there were snails and tarantulas, and the sounds of many insects that we cannot see due to their camouflage. The Upper Amazon is not only a vast green forest but also home to many human settlements divided into small communities close to the riverbanks. Today we visited Amazonas Community to learn about the local culture and way of life. It was very interesting and exciting to spend some time with the leaders of the community, hearing their stories about education, fishing, and agriculture. It was a very enriching experience for all the visitors. Over the years we have visited different settlements along the rivers of the Upper Amazon, and we have seen how their lives have improved in terms of education, empowerment, and production of fine handicrafts. Today we had an opportunity to buy some souvenirs produced by the women of the community. Their figures and weaving are amazing, very colorful and of good quality. All these items are made from natural palm fibers found in the surrounding forest. It was another amazing day in the heart of the rainforest!
