This morning, we had our first pre-breakfast outing of the week, following the Amazon’s natural rhythm to increase our chances of seeing wildlife when it is most active (and to avoid the heat ourselves!). We started our exploration along the banks of the Ucayali River and watched the sunrise over the water. The beautiful early morning light helped us find all kinds of creatures, including squirrel monkeys, black capuchin monkeys, and many species of birds. From the Ucayali, we took a turn down a small inlet called Yanallpa Caño, a place where the river has gotten so low that it was an adventure just to make our way upstream. In that narrow waterway, we saw more amazing wildlife, including toucans, macaws, and an adorable yellow-crowned tree rat sleeping in his burrow in a tree. Back at the ship, we had a talk on the monkeys of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, followed by a colorful and delicious fruit exhibition from naturalist Javier. It’s safe to say we all ate some fruits we’d never tried before today! After lunch, we enjoyed a photo presentation and then hit the water for kayaking and standup paddleboarding in the mouth of the El Dorado River. We left the ship on skiffs in the early evening to look for more wildlife, but instead of coming back at sunset, we stayed out to enjoy the jungle at night. With flashlights, our guides spotted white and black caimans throughout the river and its banks, and we were able to get up close for some photos. With no moon, the stars shone bright above us. We had absolutely incredible views of the Milky Way and the Southern Cross as we made our way along the river. It was an amazing day!
5/11/2024
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Delfin II
Amazonas Natural Park and Pucate River
We are reaching the end of an amazing week exploring the Upper Amazon aboard Delfin II , and it has been an astonishing trip in many ways. This morning we explored the Marañon River. We disembarked on the riverbank of the Amazon Natural Park, a protected area where a primary forest of the jungle is full of birds and wildlife. Three small catamarans took us around the lake, paddling slowly and observing the fauna. Once in the jungle, we walked for about two hours to explore this emerald world, where trees cover the sky and the light doesn’t reach the ground. Inside it is dark; plants struggle with each other for photosynthesis, and some even strangle their neighbors to survive. In these dark areas we observed birds which by evolution are sensitive to sunlight. One such bird is the capped manakin; this small, interesting creature feeds on fruits and makes unique mechanical sounds with special modified feathers in its wings. In the afternoon we explored the Pucate River. We spotted many kinds of birds like herons, parakeets, macaws, and toucans. Then at night we enjoyed the slideshow of the week, a compilation of all the great memories and experiences from this incredible week we have had aboard Delfin II . The Pacaya Samiria reserve is a place to protect, to love, to enjoy as we did, because of its vast biodiversity, its complex net of rivers and creeks, and the flora that holds life.