Off to Waterworld in the Amazon River

Wednesday 23^rd: I had to go hard one more day. I was up at 6:00. I chilled watching the sunrise looking over over the balcony. It was very nice - no one in sight. Total quiet as the sun come up over the harbor. Breakfast was not ready so I headed up to Mae Natureza to try the internet again. After all the pain yesterday I was hoping to beat the crowd. It worked. The sucker was screaming. I cleaned up the blog a little. Still impossible to add the videos. I think I have about 10 of them to add when I can find the bandwidth. As I hit the last send --the electricity died in the whole village. Seems to happen a lot around here they tell me. Great timing so I was off to the boat.

We had the same three Musketeers as before Lionel, Cuicuera, and I. We headed out to another fantastic day in the mid 70’s no clouds and flat water. Sipping coffee we headed North West. I had a bread roll for the main course. As we rounded the corner it hit the fan. Jorge warned me about some rough water but none of us were expecting 3- 4 footers this early. Poor Cuicuera was white knuckled working the swells in his 16 foot aluminum boat. I guess that is why ADC is so popular. When the wind blows the place stirs up quick.

Can Chickens Fly??

About half the way across we come past a Rust bucket freighter right out of Waterworld. It was freaky looking. It was cattle carrier taking the herd to the market. You would not think it but this is cattle country- More cattle than people.

We had 1.5 hours to go to a place called Canal Do Jari. It is not on many maps. It is where the Tapajos meets the Amazon. It is the so called “Meeting of the Waters”. Clear Tapajos and brown Amazon. For you science types this is the deal. The north has elevation drop (hills and mountains). Therefore erosion and nutrient flow to the Amazon. The Tapajos is flatter than Savannah. Its time has passed therefore no more top soil erosion just bed rock washed over time turning to sand. The ph of the water is slightly acidic. With this and the lack of the nutrients very little plankton or algae get a chance. Being the start of the food chain this leads to a relative small amount of wide life in the area. Yaa!!!--- No bugs and mosquitos!!

As we pulled into the Canal Do Jari the waves subsided. We were all soaked. I was smiling ear to ear. I really was not expecting much frankly. They had the usual “lots of wildlife” BS in the sales pitch. Ya sure sure. As we got there the first thing I noticed was this oak tree with water up twenty feet the trunk but the leaves were still going strong. We started driving by groves of them. Damn this is how my yard will look like in the Cat 5.

The birds started to come out roost about every minute. You name it all sorts of ducks, eagles, parrots, woodpeckers, on and on. I am not a bird guy but this was the real deal.

While Cuicuera was working the shore line I noticed a pair of pink dolphins goes cruising by. Hate to say it but Savannah dolphins have much better form on the exit. You know -that nice arc with a pause at the top. These guys just barely broke water. Look quick or you miss it. What the hell are they scared of ? I think I made ten photo shots and only got a sliver of the back on one.

We saw the token Iguanas hanging out in the trees. Found a bunch of monkeys running around a few trees. I will tell you folks monkey sighting in the wild is not as easy as people make it up. I have been on a bunch. This was the first one were they just chilling and not hauling ass.

This was Savannah Wildlife refuge on steroids!

The canal runs for 12 miles. At about the three mile point I started to see houses on the banks on stilts. No people just empty homes. Then a few more with people and chickens, dogs, kids, domestic ducks. All were about three feet out of the water. No car no road. Just a small canoe tied in front. These folks live here year around with no power other than small generators. We were bitching about Katrina and these people just moved upstairs and kept on getting it as if nothing happened.

We passed the church three feet above the water then the school, and finally the soccer field about 1 foot underwater.5 folks were hard “getting it“. They were up to their knees in water to get it ready for opening day. The river drops 1.5 inches per day so two weeks it is game time. They love their football here. Five teams in ADC alone.

As we head farther into the canal we found higher ground that had the most god awful cattle I had ever seen. Death was close. Here is the deal. These folks also live in the rainy season on Tapajos land that has sand with crappy grass to eat. The cattle go on Weight Watchers for the rainy season January – June. As soon as Waterworld gets some dry land in July they haul them over on life support. From the first lesson you remember the Amazon has nutrients in it soil and it finally comes to the surface as the water drops. All kind of stuff grows like no tomorrow. The cattle “put on the bag” and fatten up. Then off to market in December for the payout for Waterworld cattle boy.

We turned at the 8 mile point to catch these wild looking Pizza floating plants. They are about three feet across floating on the water like a pizza pan. They call them the Victoria Amazonia. I tried to pick one up but it bit me.

Here is a video link:

http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j6/paulbaker8/?action=view&current=victoriaamazonia.flv

We headed back and pulled into one of houses. Man it was like we were really stepping into Waterworld. Where the hell is Kevin? The family of two full timers had four in for the holidays. The dog met us at the front steps. Wonder where he goes? There were domestic ducks swimming and roaming the house everywhere. Chickens on a platform with closed off walkway.

I started to thinking. The other day chickens were running wild. Now they are in the coop. In the meantime this duck next to me is pulling stuff off the counter to help her make a nest for her egg. What gives? I had to ask the simple city boy question- Can Chickens swim? Waterworld girl set me straight – No!! She had to pull one off the bottom one time. It made it though.  Chicken CPR?  Guess that is why they chill on the platform now.

Here is a video link :

http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j6/paulbaker8/?action=view&current=waterworldhouse.flv

We went a quick tour of the back “yard “in a canoe. It was about one to two feet in water now. In two months it will be “Dry Land “! We came across three slouths. I hope I spelled that right. Frankly I do not know what the hell a slouth is. Some weird Koala Bear looking thing with big legs and claws just hanging out in the trees. Lionel reported they come down once a week to take a crap.  So much for your Slouth lesson. Here is a Wiki pic link : http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/Bradypus.jpg/180px-Bradypus.jpg

We sat down for lunch. Chicken, rice, beans, salad, water. I see a pattern with this rice and beans thing. As I was finishing I was looking for a napkin. None to be found. Cap Cuicuera sensed my panic and slyly pulled out an envelope and handed me one napkin. Damn this was right out of Waterworld. I grabbed it screaming “Paperr “!!

The 6 year old girl (You know the one with the tattoo on her neck) was fishing with a cane pole next to us during lunch and nailed an 18 inch weird fish. Dad said it wasn’t a keeper and tossed it back. This is a great life for a six year old as long as the caimans or anacondas do not join the fun. We asked about the anacondas -- they are here in a big way but mostly go for the birds.

Granddad told us about the caimans. He catches them routinely around the house. Smashes there eggs when he finds them. Guess he is not into the eco thing yet -- But then again if I had forty caimans less than 30 inch’s below my bed I might not be either.

Everyone chills after lunch. Not a whole lot of talking. Just relax. I kind of like it.

I saw mom washing the dishes afterward.  Do not ask where she was getting the water.  All I saw was a rope and a pail.

So after awhile I had to take a leak and started to look around. Ah there it is ---the old outside toilet on three feet stilts. Say whaat?? Yes sir this guy had a concrete extension under it to “Dry Land” It worked for me.

We headed back at two.  I caught a good picture of this family of four out crusing in the family "car".  We made a quick stop for RR and me to knock out a 45 minute swim. Just as nice as the last time. At the turned I paused and looked around in all directions-- no boats or people for seven miles. Clear blue water with a white sand beach 100 yards away.  Soo Sweet!  I found it hard to swim back to the boat. Overall think we got about 3 hours in down here.

Mike we tried to catch the pencil fish. As much beer as I have been drinking I must have been leaving a fifty foot trail to attract the little guys. Maybe next time.

We motored by “Gabi’s Bar” still two feet under. Think opening day Labor day.

Hit the town for some power shopping and now find myself banging out this blog.   You know I like this town.  No post cards. No tourist maps.  As a matter of fact no maps at all.

Now off to see how the internet is tonight and some dinner at 9:00.

Click on the more pictures link to see the rest. Sorry for the crappy quality they are taken using my Blackberry Curve 1 meg camera.  I was too scared to bring my Nikon on this trip.  Hind sight is 20 - 20.  I will have for the next one.

Till the next post!