AMAZON: Adventures on the River Sea

by Mary Jo

These days when we talk about Amazon, we're probably referring to the mega-selling online site, but I'm just back from a visit to the real Amazon, and it certainly explains why Jeff Bezos chose to name his company after the mightiest river in the world. 

The longest river in the world can be disputed--just exactly where do the headwaters begin?--but everyone accepts that the Amazon River is the largest river in the world.

 Statistics abound: the water flow is greater than the next seven rivers combined.  The world's largest drainage basin by far.  The estuary at its mouth is 150 miles wide. The Amazon Basin includes parts of nine different nations. No wonder it's sometimes called the "River Sea." 

The Amazon is a distant place of jungle and danger, myth and mystery, and Sean Connery movies.  Naturally the Mayhem Consultant and I wanted to visit. <G>  For several years, I've been eyeing an Upper Amazon cruise offered by the partnership between Lindblad Expeditions and the National Geographic Society. 

 

 

The cruise boat, DELFIN II, (delfin means dolphin) is small and specially designed for river cruising.  With only 14 passenger cabins that hold 28 passengers, the week long cruise really does feel rather like an expedition--albeit, a very comfortable one.

We explorers gathered in Lima, a very old city worthy of a blog in itself.  After a night's sleep and a brief city tour, we flew to Iquitos, a sizable jungle city where motorcycle rickshaws called motocars are the main transport.  We boarded our boat at Nauta, then sailed off into the night--and off the grid.  No wifi, no cell phones.  That was really rather relaxing. 

The Rivers 

The boat is never anchored because the river bottoms are all silt, with no rocks to hold an anchor.  So the Delfin nudges into the river bank and is tied to a tree--very low tech.  <G>  It's pretty exotic to wake up your first morning to find tropical vines and trees smack up against the wide window! (You can see our window frame on the left in the picture.)

The Amazon is generally considered to start when the rivers Marañon and Ucayli join together.  Both of these are LARGE rivers--larger than the Danube we sailed on in September.  Nauta, our embarkation port, is on the Marañon, and we sailed through the joining of the rivers into the Ucayli.  When we entered the Amazon proper, the ship's emergency horn sounded briefly.  I noticed because it was -right- outside our door. <G> 

There was regular river traffic, everything from dugout canoes to river ferries.  The Delfin carried three 10 passenger skiffs, and several times a day each ventured forth with passengers, a driver, and an amazingly knowledgeable naturalist to spot wildlife and explain the jungle around us. 

Wildlife watching

The naturalists were all local, and some had grown up in primitive riverside villages.  (Their stories of how they got the education and credentials to become naturalists were truly impressive.)   The best rides were way too early in the morning, when wildlife is most active, but we had multiple opportunities to explore the many tributaries, oxbow lakes, and lagoons. 

Wildlife watching in Africa is more dramatic because really, how can even a macaw in flight upstage a herd of zebras?  But the Amazon is justly famous for its vast array of bird life, and a sky full of nighthawks taking off all at once from a bare tree is truly striking.  As are the fishing bats, with 20" wing spans as they swooped around our skiff when we returned to the Delfin at dusk. 

We saw leaping dolphins, both pink and the smaller Amazon gray dolphins.  We learned that while piranhas do sometimes attack humans, the Hollywood image of cows being stripped to their bones in mere moments is a myth.  And when it rained on a skiff ride, very encompassing ponchos were instantly handed out to us.  <G>

One thing I particularly wanted to see was giant water lilies, and on the last day, I did.  It wasn't their blossoming season, but they're still pretty darned impressive!

The River Folk

We visited villages of ribeñeros, those who live on the riverbanks, and they were lovely, friendly folk.  They liked waving at us almost as much as we liked waving at them. <G>  We met with a local advocacy group, Minga Peru, and women told us how they were being empowered to improve their lives.  Lucho, our terrific expedition leader, encouraged us to contribute money toward building the group a meeting place, and we passengers more than exceeded the goal that was set because we were so impressed by the work being done.

Daytime temperatures were in the 80s, which wouldn't be bad if humidity wasn't in the 90%+ range.  So it was pretty sticky, though not awful, particularly if the sky was overcast, which it often was.  Definitely there were bugs, but my insect shield shirt and pants from L. L. Bean served me well, along with some repellent.  The ship itself was very comfortable, with most areas except an open lounge air conditioned, and lots of gleaming wood and pale colors. 

And we ate very, very well, with beautifully decorated tables and mixtures of familiar and unfamiliar foods, including juices and ice creams made from tropical fruits I'd never heard of such as the cocona and camu camu.  Juice pitchers at breakfast had a cut piece of fruit in front of them so we could see what we were drinking.  Sliced tropical fruits also joined pineapple and watermelon on the fruit tray.  A couple of things were served that virtually no one would touch (some sort of river snail that looked like a chewed up rubber gasket comes to mind <G>), but there were always other choices, and no one went hungry. 

Since this was our vacation, the MC and I didn't go on every skiff expedition because it was also lovely to sit in the open lounge with our e-readers and feel the breezes blow through as we admired the river and the jungle.  (I prefer print, but it's hard to beat an e-reader for vacation entertainment!) 

Monkey fun

Monkeys were the most viewing fun, and we saw five different varieties.  On the very first day, one of the skiffs rescued a wet, hungry baby squirrel monkey only about two weeks old.  He was brought back to the boat, fed and cuddled, and instantly became the darling of the cruise.  Here's a picture of him asleep in Lucho's arms.  Later in the week he was transferred to a natural farm where he would be fed and looked out for but allowed to roam free so he could return to the jungle.  We missed him.  <G>

On the last day, we visited a monkey island where several pet monkeys had been released by people who no longer wanted them.  The island was opposite an eco-lodge, and the monkeys were flourishing.  We arrived bearing gifts in the form of small bananas which the naturalists stuck onto the branches so the monkeys would zoom in.

I asked our naturalist, Rudy, if the monkeys ever jumped in the boats.  He hesitated, then said yes, which is why we backed up after he placed bananas.  At one point, the monkeys came so fast that Rudy said they regarded him as a piñata. <G>

I've already gone on too long, so I'll stop here, though I reserve the right to talk about Lima someday.  I'll just summarize that it was a great trip to a magical place in a great country, and I'm very glad I had the opportunity to visit.

Would you like to visit the Amazon, or Peru, or some other distant jungle?  Have you been to such a place?  What would your dream vacation be?  I'd love to know, because sometimes those dream vacation can true!

 Mary Jo

Comments

[Shannon]

I've never thought about going to jungles much. When I was a kid, we went to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state where the get huge amounts of rain.

I guess I have a couple of dream vacations: My current planning is a trip to the UK: London, Bath, and a castle/manor house. But I also want to go to Thailand, partly for the beaches, partly to see the temples and the dancing. And I'd love a river cruise somewhere in Europe. This weekend I may get a mini-vacation to Colonial Williamsburg.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Shannon--Even if jungles aren't on your agenda, that's a pretty good bucket list! I've seen a bit of the temperate zone rainforest of the Olympic Peninsula, and it has the same lush, overgrown quality as the tropical rainforest, but not as hot. Just sticky. *G*

I hope you get your mini-vacation at Colonial Williamsburg--one doesn't have to travel to another continent in order to have a wonderful time and learn new things.

[Nicola Cornick]

What a wonderful trip, Mary Jo. Leaping pink dolphins!

I would love to go to Peru. You have inspired me. I have been to the jungle, or the rain forest, at least, in Costa Rica and it was a stunning experience. It was so different from anywhere I had been before that I was constantly in awe of the beauty of the scenery and the wildlife. Thank you for sharing such an amazing journey.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Nicola--

I've briefly visited the Costa Rican jungle, and indeed, it's wonderful, with similarities to the Amazon. A big difference is that we visited in the high water season, when parts of the jungle were actually underwater so the skiffs could slide into the forest itself. Definitely amazing! I'm sure you and the dh would love it. *G*

[Maria M.]

Sounds like a great trip. I have been to Lima years ago, and to Canaima in Venezuela, but these days I prefer to spend my vacations in Asia, and I have just returned from forty days in the Philippines and Malaysia. There were monkeys there, too - quite aggressive, and a nuisance; in the Malaysian four star hotel I saw one come right into the lobby, and lick the orange juice from the left-over glasses on the bar. The balcony doors had signs that they had to remain closed at all times, to prevent monkeys from entering. In the Philippines, similar smallish monkeys sometimes try to snatch purses and food items from tourists.

However, the most aggressive ones I have met, and larger as well, were monkeys living not far from Cape Town. As cute as they look, living in close proximity with humans is not good either for them, or for us.

[Vicki Lewis Thompson]

As you know, I'm dying to go on this very cruise! It's been on my bulletin board for several years. I'm so glad you went, and I devoured every word of this blog. Can't wait to hear more and see more pictures!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Vicki, you'd love it! There aren't many places where one can be so far from our daily lives. Magical indeed.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Wow, Maria, those monkeys sound WAY too corrupted by human civilization! Our long tailed New World monkeys were much wilder, which sounds like a good thing.

With our rescue monkey, it was always the aim to make him healthy, then return him to the wild.

But the Asian trips do sound wonderful!

[Kathy Jund]

What an awesome article MJ! I have always wanted to go there!! It seems if life started somewhere it would be there!!! kj :)

[Maggie]

I loved every second, every word and every image in this post. I hope you'll continue. There must be so much more to share.

[patty]

I could have read on and on! I've often wondered about these cruises, so it was wonderful to read about it. The descriptions of everything from the scenery, to the boat, to the food, and the weather were really wonderful. Even the part about bugs...I have a degree in entomology, so the bug-proof clothing's usefulness was interesting!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Maggie--

You're right, I could write a book about the trip! Or at least a novella. I'm working on organizing more pictures. Very scenic is the Amazon.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Kathy--

You're right, there is an ancient, powerful energy there. And if life started in Africa in the Olduvai Gorge, I'll bet it was like the Amazon is today: lush and full of life.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Patty--one reason I went into detail about the boat and the food and the weather was so that peoplecould get a clearer view of what such a cruise is like--and maybe make the trip seem more possible. I'm no entomologist--quite the contrary!--but the mosquitoes, et al, were nowhere near the problem I thought they might be. Other companies carry the insect shield garmets as well, and they a real plus.

[Karin]

I would love to cruise the Amazon! But the other places in South America I want to see are Macchu Picchu, Patagonia, and some of the cities like Buenos Aires which I hear are great.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Karin--

You're right! There is so much richness to explore in South America. Plus, it's the gateway to Antarctica. And the Galapagos....

[Patricia Rice]

Amazing trip! I am in serious envy. Write more, we'll listen!

[HJ]

That was most interesting, and it sounds like a wonderful trip. It reminded me of a wonderful cruise on the Nile which I on a boat a little smaller, which remains one of my top holiday memories. Please tell us more about it soon.

And I've never seen a cuter monkey!!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Pat--I might post a longer account, with more pictures, on my website rather than bore on the blog. It was a lot of fun, and very different.

[Mary Jo Putney]

HJ--I've also cruised the Nile, which was wonderful, but had the sense of ancient civilizations and desert vastness. The Amazon felt distant and exotic mysterious. I do love a good cruise! Se the world from the great waterways.

[Louisa Cornell]

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful trip with us! I would love to take this cruise one day. Adding it to my bucket list.

I've spent a great deal of time in Europe and some of the forests of Romania are like stepping into another world - a world far more ancient and filled with magic than our every day world.

A place I have longed to visit is Pompeii. I cannot being to imagine stepping into a place that basically died in an instant and is forever frozen in that instant.

[KateS]

There are too many places for me to list... BUT!!! I highly recommend the National Geographic sponsored trips!!!!

[Ella Quinn]

That sounds like such a cool trip! I'm glad you had fun. I've lived in Panama, so close to the jungle that my son lost my car keys in them. But I'd love to go on a boat up the Amazon. Tweeted.

[Mary Jo PutneyM]

Yes! They have great experts and you see things most people don't. The only downside is that I tend to have the guilty-student feeling that I haven't studied hard enough. *G*

[Glenda]

What an amazing trip! I'd love to visit the Amazon! This cruise sounds like a wonderful way to do it. Maybe one day.... :-)

[Anne Gracie]

Oh, magic, Mary Jo. I loved the sound of this trip and could have had you blog on for ages more. I hope you do at least another blog to tell us about this trip. I love the idea of river cruises and I've always wanted to go to so many parts of South America and see the Amazon, preferably on a boat like yours. It sounds wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing..

[Mary Jo Putney]

Ella--I'm a big fan of river boat cruises. Easy, comfortable, and so much of life has developed along the river. Plus, the drowned rain forest of the high water season Amazon is probably somewhat different from the Panamaian jungle. (Not better. Just different. *G*)

[Mary Jo Putney]

Anne--I'm glad you enjoy the blog. I summarized the high points fairly thoroughly here, but I'd like to do a longer account to post on my website. THere is much more to say!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Louisa--

Now I want to go to Romania! Some places really are magical and different. Pompeii would be...haunting.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Glenda--

For me, this trip began several years ago when I saw it listed as an interesting getaway in a magazine article. I've been plotting to do it ever since. *G* The expedition leader said that ever single Lindblad trip this year is completely sold out, with waiting lists. I booked a year in advance (which gave us the choice of rooms, a plus.) So start planning now. *G*

[Susan King]

Thanks for sharing your fabulous travelogue - what a fantastic trip and wonderful photos, too, Mary Jo! You and the Mayhem Consultant go to the most interesting places - I always look forward to the report. And I love the monkey stories.

While I wouldn't have considered an Amazon journey (bugs?! humidity?!!)- now I'm off to look up some NG trips!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Susan--

Honestly, the humidity and bugs weren't bad. It would have been much worse if we were there in low water season, when the temperatures average 10 degrees high (with the same humidity!) and I hadn't come prepared with insect shield clothing and bug spray. But even if the Amazon is not to your taste, I can certainly recommend the Lindblad/NGS trips! We did one other, a Lewis and Clark cruise on the Columbia and Snake rivers, and it was equally well done. When you get to one, I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

[Rebecca York]

Looks like a really great trip. I've done some of those same things in other jungles. I wonder if it would be possible to unplug Norman from his computer to get him off in the wilds like that.

[Mary Jo Putney]

It's an interesting question, Rebecca. Since I knew in advance we were off the grid, I was expecting it and found it rather relaxing. But Norman is a true computer guy, and he might freak out. *G*