Pilots are on the bridge at all times, since while the river is well charted, things change rapidly. There are two seasons along this equatorial river: dry and rainy. Our visit was just at the end of the dry season, and everyone was looking forward to the rains coming. Hard to understand why, when those rains raise the river level by an amazing amount, covering up everything along the shore, including the bottom floors of a lot of houses (the people just move up to the next floor and wait for the water to go down and the crocodiles to get out of the kitchen). If you have a vision of the Amazon looking like it would on a Tarzan episode (bird noises, narrow areas with trees and vines overhead), well, it's not like that. The river is often 2 1/2 miles across and it's more like being on a large, brown lake.
On the way upriver from Macapa, several things are noticeable. First, the entire area smells like wood smoke. The heavy, humid air holds the smoke from whatever everyone seems to be burning (garbage, fallen branches, etc.). Second, it's hot, hot, hot and humid. We crossed the equator and then ran along just south of it for the rest of the journey. Lastly, there are critters in the air. Mostly bug-type critters and we were roundly admonished to "kindly" keep our balcony doors closed unless we wanted to be infested, but apparently something was left open. During happy hour, there came several crew members armed with brooms and buckets and chasing a bat. The bat swooped through the bar (astonished looks all around) and was cornered near the back door. He was promptly broomed out to freedom, having luckily avoided the bucket.
Our first stop was Santarem, where we visited the jungle at Tapajos National Forest. The trip to Tapajos was interesting...local jitney-type busses with no air conditioning. The forest, however, was worth the trip:
Next stop, Boca Da Valeria. The ship had to stop, because if you blink, you'll miss Boca, even at only 10 knots. A number of people tendered ashore to have their pictures taken with the local children, decked out in costume and carrying birds and sloths. We passed on that one, and were glad we did because we saw the elusive "Boto". The local name Boto refers to the Amazon River Pink Dolphin. We heard about them from the lecturer, but never imagined we'd see any. We saw a whole bunch of them, swimming right next to the ship, and they are definitely pink. Bubble gum pink. Like all dolphins, they only pop up to breathe, so getting a picture was a lost cause, but check them out here: http://www.wildernessclassroom.com/wilderness-library/pink-river-dolphin/
The day ended with an Amazon sunset.
Our overnight stop at Manaus allowed us to have two shore experiences. First, we visited the jungle again, this time led by a real local. Most people who live along the river are Caboclos, people who have descended from the indigenous tribes mixed with Portuguese and other nationalities. Our guide, and two of his four children, were born in the jungle and are indigenous. This guy knew that forest and everything in it and he's one of only four english-speaking guides. We learned about weaving for fun and shelter, hunting, fishing, trapping, and drinking caipirinhas. Here's our intrepid leader:
And here's a view of the forest.
Next, we took a boat trip to see the "meeting of the waters". This is where the Rio Negro joins the Amazon. The two rivers, each a different color, flow side by side for 6 kilometers without mixing. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meeting_of_Waters for a little bit more information. On the way, we passed some typical riverside housing and boat works:
The houses nearest the river are on stilts, and during the rainy season, they will still often be flooded. Loved the Amazon "dry dock" (note the boats pulled up on the sand). Boat work has to be done during dry season...the beach won't be there in a couple of months.
OK! Here's the meeting of the waters. We know it looks like the beach, but it's really the two rivers flowing side by side:
No Amazon trip, apparently, is complete without a visit to the jungle, so here we go again. We walked into this area, but in the rainy season, one must go in via canoe, and the trees seen here will be underwater up to about twenty feet. Fish actually lay their eggs in the trees.
Now it was time to change pilots and head down river with a couple of beach stops at Parintins and Alter Do Chao. We chose to stay aboard since we're not really beach people. We're more like martini people. Another low pass through Macapa to drop off the pilots and pass the paperwork and we were on our way to French Guiana.
