|
Close up and personal …
EXPLORING THE AMAZON IN A SMALL SHIP
by
Bob Linde & Shirley Linde
Two members of a multi-generation family of writers tell how to cruise the Amazon
to see wildlife and the people close up.
Many of the days on an Amazon cruise start with a wake-up call at 5:30 a.m., and
you have a quick breakfast of fruit, melon and pastries, then board zodiacs, pangas,
or other small boats for a morning run to explore rainforest sights.
These are not casino/floor-show/dancing-till-dawn kind of cruises. They are ecotourism
voyages and carry naturalists and lecturers and go into places where big ships
can’t go. On most days there is at least one zodiac or panga trip in the morning
and one in late afternoon to check out wildlife or to visit a village.
The lifestyle aboard the ship is casual and unregimented. The only entertainment
is usually a few movies shown in the evening, lectures, and great conversation
and exchange of ideas with other passengers and the officers and staff in the
lounge or while having a pisco sour or other local drink on deck. The passengers
are mostly active travelers who are interested in wildlife and local culture and
who are ready to scramble up a muddy path or walk through a rainforest, and to
have experiences to enrich their lives.
Usually the ship has good of source books on the area and wildlife, dress is casual
except for a dressier captain’s dinner, you sit with whom you please with dining
in one seating, and usually there is an open bridge policy so you can go to observe
the activity at the helmstation.
There are motorized zodiacs or pangas or other small boats for exploration with
a naturalist on each who help spot the wildlife and share wonderful stories on
the birds and other animals. And they give tips on spotting wildlife, such as
don’t just look at the shoreline, but focus your eyes into the forest at various
depths.
There were many high points on Amazon trips we’ve taken. One day there was a boa
constrictor resting in the overhead branches as we went under it in a zodiac.
The same day we saw a really unusual bird – a potoo -- that is shaped and colored
like a broken dead tree branch so you can barely tell what it was even after it
is pointed out to you. On many trips we saw blue and gold macaws, kingfishers,
egrets, herons, and toucans. On one trip we saw a two-toed sloth millimetering
(slower than inching!) along the branch of a cecropia tree, and on another trip
on an aerial walkway there was a three-toed sloth. There were howler monkeys (very
loud creatures with more of a bark than a howl), capuchin monkeys and others.
You are also likely to see pink dolphins, called boto, believed by the river people
to be spirits. They never harm the boto or kill them.
An unforgettable moment – when we spotted a hoatzin, a bird surely put together
by a committee, with a chicken head, gangly neck, spindly legs, and a crown like
a peacock’s crown but with punk rock spikes to top it off. The body is tan and
brown, the face is blue, they have poppy little eyes, and they eat leaves. And
they smell – the locals call them "stink chickens".
Another highlight is being invited to a village on the river. These are not tourist
stops – they only have a ship stop by two or three times a year. We strolled their
board walkway, listened to two boys play guitars and ukuleles (one totally handmade),
took photos of a 112-year old elder, and visited with a woman who was proud to
show us a parrot on her shoulder. The people live in stilt houses because huge
changes in river level often brings water to their doorsteps.
At other times we go ashore and hike trails, seeing such things as leaf-cutting
ants parading in line with their leaves held aloft like flags. Some of the passengers
went piranha fishing. On one excursion we visited with a shaman, watched as he
performed healing procedures on two children, and went on a tour of his medicinal
garden.
The lectures and recaps of the day by the naturalists have us constantly saying
"Wow!" as we learned about bird songs and the camouflage techniques of rainforest
creatures and that leaf-cutting ants were important because their cutting of tree
leaves allows sun to come into the forest and allow undergrowth to occur. We learned
that little green herons fish with a lure, that there is a bird that uses a plant
to treat itself for snake bite, that butterflies come to flowers with landing
platforms and hummingbirds come to flowers that hang, and birds have dialects
according to their location and their songs have patterns with introductions and
variations of themes as in human music. And we learn of the great diversity of
the rainforest. New plants and insects and even new Indian tribes are still being
discovered.
One Amazon cruise stops at the little town of Alter de Chao. The highlight of
that town – the Center for the Preservation of Indigenous Art & Culture that contains
an excellent exhibit of native art and artifacts representing more than 75 Amazonian
tribes. Their gift shop has fantastic things and reasonable prices.
Some cruises begin or end in Manaus with its street vendors, busy market, bumper
to bumper cars and more than a million people. The two highlights: the market
and a tour of the famous Opera House, built in 1896 and recently restored to much
of its original splendor.
In addition to good memories of moments in the rainforest and with new friends
we leave with the disturbing knowledge that these vital rainforests are being
destroyed, many species of animals and plants already lost forever and others
under threat of extinction. The destruction is not just a loss to Brazil or Peru,
but to the world. Even where there are regulations, they are seldom enforced.
What is the most important animal to the Amazon? Man, said one naturalist, because
he can make decisions that control what happens to the forest.
Want to Go?
Dress during the day is usually shorts and t-shirts, however, you may want to
bring long sleeves and long pants for some of the jungle encounters as extra protection
against mosquitoes and walking through occasional grass and bushes. In the low
water season, there is more extensive jungle hiking. High water season has mostly
boat excursions. Bring a visor or hat for protection from the equatorial sun,
and lightweight raingear to carry with you for surprise squalls. We encountered
only a few mosquitoes on our expeditions, but bring insect repellant to take on
outings and use if you need it. Yellow fever protection is required (shots last
10 years). Some people take larium for malaria prevention, but many reactions
have been reported to larium and many people choose to not use it. Also bring
a sweater or jacket for the lounge where lectures are given since many vessels
seem to keep lounges too cold. Don’t forget your binoculars and your camera. A
passport and visa are required. Dress comfortably and in layers to travel because
some airplanes are cold and some airports are hot, without air-conditioning.
SMALL SHIPS THAT CRUISE THE AMAZON
These ships have 8 to 122 passengers. Rates given are per person double occupancy
and were given by the cruise companies at the time of writing. Most ships have
discounts for groups and most can be chartered for special interest groups. Most
trips have extensions available to Machu Piccu and Cusco. For more information
on the ships and activities, go to the website www.smallshipcruises.com
AMAZON CLIPPER, SELLY CLIPPER I & II
Passengers: 16
Two, three, and five-night excursions to the Rio Negro and Ariau, leaving from
Manaus. Cabins are air-conditioned at night and have private bathroom with shower.
Beds are upper/lower bunks. Two-night trip $425, three-night trip $595, five-night
trip $915 per person.
EXPLORER, DELFIN
Passenger Capacity: 16-20
Three and six-night cruises from Iquitos up the Yarapa, Pucate and Maranon tributary
rivers. The cabins on the Explorer are air-conditioned and have a private
bath with shower; the Delfin has fans and shared baths and showers. Three-night
cruise $595, six-night cruise $800 to $975. Arrangements can be made to live in
a village or small town for two to four days, or to stay in a jungle camp.
ARCA, RIO AMAZONAS
Passenger Capacity: 29, 44
Three and six-night cruises of the Amazon between Iquitos and the twin cities
of Tabatinga, Brazil and Leticia, Colombia. Cabins have air-conditioning and most
have a private bath with shower; some cabins have shared bath. Some berths are
lower beds, others are upper/ lower. Three cabins are triples. Three-night cruise
$595, six-night cruise $975-$1,095.
CLIPPER ADVENTURER
Passenger Capacity: 122
A 15-night cruise in the fall on the Orinoco and Amazon Rivers as far inland as
Manaus. All cabins are outside and have lower beds, private bath with shower and
individual temperature control. There is a physician on board. Fare ranges from
$5,930 to $8,770 per person, including air from Miami and port charges. Suites
are $9,780 and $10,280.
EXPLORER
Passenger Capacity: 100
There are 8-12 day Amazon cruises of the upper Amazon from Iquitos to Manaus and
a 16-18 day cruise that goes from Belem to Iquitos. Cabins are all outside, are
air-conditioned and have a private bath with shower. Most have twin lower berths,
and some have bunks or are triples. There are eight single cabins and several
suites. There is a physician on board. The upper Amazon fares range from $2,495
to $7,850 and the longer trips range from $4,950 to $10,150. A five-day pre-cruise
jungle camp stay is available in a Peruvian Amazon camp where there is canoeing
with a naturalist guide on the Tambopata River and trekking through the jungle
to study wildlife.
LA AMATISTA, LA ESMERALDA , LA TURMALINA
Passenger Capacity: 29 , 16, 28
Eight-day expeditions from Iquitos, go up the Amazon into the Ucayali, Maranon,
and Tapiche Rivers, then smaller and smaller rivers and lakes in remote locations
of the rainforest. A second itinerary includes Pacaya-Samiria. Cabins are outside,
are air-conditioned and have a private bath with shower. Most cabins have twin
beds, some a queen-size bed or three beds. Optional extensions are offered to
Cusco and Machu Picchu and the Inca fortress of Sacsahuaman and to the Amazon
Center for Environmental Education and Research (ACEER) on the Napo River with
aerial walks in the treetop canopy. Fare for the eight-day trip is $2,698, including
roundtrip air from Miami to Iquitos. The five-day optional Machu Picchu extension
is $1,298, the four-day optional ACEER extension is $998. An eight-day ACEER/
Machu Picchu extension is $2,188.
LA MALACHITA
Passenger Capacity: 8
This boat, built by International Expeditions in 1999, was designed to handle
the small black water tributaries in Peru. All cabins are outside and have individually
controlled air-conditioning.
MARCELITA
Passenger Capacity: 52
Ten-day cruises between Iquitos and Manaus. Built in 1999. Cabins are outside,
air-conditioned, have twin beds and have a private bath with shower. Two cabins
are wheelchair accessible. Triples are available. Six-night cruise between Leticia
and Manaus is $795 to $1,113, three-night voyage between Iquitos and Leticia is
$495 to $693, the nine-night voyage between Iquitos, Leticia and Manaus is $1,195
to $1,673. There are extension programs to Belem, Machu Picchu, Iguacu Falls and
jungle camps.
MARINE DISCOVERY
Passenger Capacity: 120 Seven or 12-night cruises between Belem, Manaus and Iquitos.
All cabins are outside and have private bath with shower. Some have two lower
berths; quad cabins have two lowers and two uppers. Trips range from $3,295 to
$5,395 including airfare from Miami.
TUCANO
Passenger Capacity: 16
Five and nine night explorations of the Amazon and the Rio Negro. Cabins have
bunk beds with queen-size or double mattress below and double mattress above.
There is a special photography trip in May with a professional wildlife photographer.
Five-night itinerary $1,725, nine-night itinerary $1,925, including a hotel night
in Manaus. Bob and Shirley are well-known travel writers of St. Petersburg FL
and editors of www.smallshipcruises.com
******
AT ACEER -- BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
We had a tour guide all to ourselves for our four day visit at the series of camps
along the Amazon and Napo Rivers in Peru called Explorama. Julio planned to tailor
our trip to our wants. "We’re hoping to spot some wild animals", said Bob, "and
don’t worry about working us too hard." What we didn’t realize is that when you
ask for adventure in the Amazon, you really get it.
We took hikes at dawn and in the afternoon, and got one that lasted for five hours
off trail through the jungle. We visited a family in the jungle and played with
their pet sloth, we visited a shaman who explained his medicinals and how he prepared
them and later saw many of the plants grown by every family’s hut, their personal
jungle medicine cabinet. One night we hiked in the jungle, literally too black
to see your hand in front of your face, to see a tree whose fallen leaves glow
in the dark, a place where the local people come to renew and energize themselves.
The high point of the trip (pun intended) was the day we toured the Amazon Center
for Environmental Education and Research (ACEER) and its quarter-mile of walkways
suspended up in the rainforest canopy. The walkway, suspended between platforms
on trees and up to 118 feet high, allows visitors to view canopy life up-close
at various levels.
As we hiked the trails to the walkway entrance point, we heard a distant rumble.
Thunder? "No", said Julio, "that’s the wind." Sure enough, after a moment the
rumble approached, and the treetops swayed. Then it got cooler.
"El Friaje", said Julio. Once a year, he said, usually in June or July, an Antarctic
wind comes to the Amazon and for a day or two it is so cold many fish in the Amazon
die. By the time we reached the ACEER canopy walkway it was already down to about
70 degrees Fahrenheit. And windy.
Being on the canopy treetop walk was terrifying, and breathtaking. Air plants
dripped their roots from their host trees down to the rainforest floor. Crimson-crested
woodpeckers flew by at eye level. We walked on planks suspended in the walkway
netting, and had a clear view of the forest floor below as well as the sky above.
At one platform we emerged above the treeline, with a panorama of the rainforest
stretching miles until the horizon.
The Friaje winds came in chilly spurts, and we waited at each platform for them
to pass by. Just our luck: our first time in the Amazon rainforest and it was
colder than our St. Petersburg, Florida hometown. As we pondered this, Julio grabbed
us. "Look! A two-toed sloth!" We inched out, carefully. About 100 feet away, a
large sloth was hanging by her feet, eating new leaf buds, cradling a nursing
baby with one arm and eating with the other. We tried to steady our cameras and
counteract our swaying perch. The scene was peaceful, quiet, majestic. Here we
were, observing it like birds in a windswept tree. For a while we forgot that
we were human as we blended with the scenery with our sloths-eye view. This definitely
was not like a typical day in the concrete jungle back home.
-- Bob Linde and Michelle Flint
*********
YOU MAY NEVER SEE THIS VILLAGE
As we stepped out of our two launches some hundred children swooped down the embankment
to greet us. They were dressed in a hodgepodge of shorts, smocks, dresses, and
T-shirts. Some rushed up immediately, waving and shouting Buenos dias. Others
hung back, excited and curious, but shy at seeing 30 Americans visit their village.
This was a small, isolated community on the Tapiche River, a visit we made as
part of an International Expeditions small ship cruise. Like other villages on
the river, there was no electricity or running water, but the village was clean
and neat. Our tour guides, Juan and Edgard, introduced us to village elders and
showed us around the village: the church, the school, the plantain trees and rows
of clean, open-air houses. The children moved with us, fascinated by the visitors.
They were obviously not accustomed to tourists, and we began to feel less like
intruders into their private lives and more like ambassadors from another culture.
This is by design at International Expeditions that specializes in global ecotourism
and rotates village visits so that each village receives visits no more than once
every month or two. This, Juan explains, is to keep the villagers from becoming
economically dependent on tourists.
The villagers farm, hunt, raise chickens and weave thatched roofs, which they
sell to other villages along the river. The roof panels are strong, leakproof
and last for years. Craftsmen showed us their work with great pride.
We gathered back at the school, which had finished classes in time for lunch and
afternoon sports such as soccer. Judy, a travel agent from California, had brought
gifts for everyone. But first, Edgard explained, they wanted to show us something
from their culture. The children sang Como esta mis amigos, (How are you my friends)
a call-and-response song which required our tour group to sing out Muy bien! (Very
good!) several times. When they asked us to sing to them, we managed a round of
Happy Birthday before they joined in, in Spanish. Soon everyone was laughing or
giggling, depending on height. After a couple of hours, we headed back to the
Turmalina , feeling we had made some friends. If you cruise the Amazon with International
Expeditions, you may not see this village or meet these children. But you will
have the pleasure of meeting people from another village somewhere along the tributaries
of the Amazon. And because they have visitors so seldom they will take pleasure
in meeting you, too.
-- Bob Linde and Michelle Flint
TO MAKE A RESERVATION:
Small
Ship Cruises
We work with several
agencies and tour operators who are experts in small ships.
For them to make a reservation for you, fill out the
Cruise Request
Form. |
|
|
