"Meeting of the Waters"
We were surprised that no one else was on the boat with us and it was then that we learned that we were in fact going to be the only passengers aboard our river boat the entire week. The river boat is equipped to host 14 passengers plus crew, so we were fully expecting to share this experience with other travellers. Our guide, Felix, told us that bookings had been slow and that in the end the other booked passengers cancelled. More on that in a later post, but for the moment we were a bit shocked, if not somewhat jazzed, that this expedition was actually going to be a private charter.
We traveled along the coastline of Manaus down the Rio Negro, under the Ponte Rio Negro
We arrived at the spot where the Rio Negro and the Amazon River meet. To be on the Amazon River was in an of itself a remarkable moment, but the main attraction is really to witness the incredible phenomenon known here as the Meeting of the Waters. This is where the dark waters of the Rio Negro meet the pale brown waters of Amazon River. These rivers run alongside each other for an incredible 6 kilometres without mixing! We spent a bit of time observing the waters at the frontier site swirl around, but never mixing together. It was mesmerising to watch.
We stopped here for lunch, a buffet full of Amazonian cuisine in a floating restaurant on the river.
Our next stop was to see the giant pirarucu, the enormous Amazonian fish. These icons of the Amazon look like some kind of science fiction sea creature. The boys loved feeding them and watching them thrash out of the water. Their strength is immense, their power felt as they vigorously tugged the line. After much decline in population, due to poaching, they are making a bit of a comeback with increased sustainability measures combining education and stricter rules governing quotas.
Doing a little shopping, blow darts and piranhas
Views of the port city of Manaus
Favela in Manaus
Water levels measured across the ages, and here is where we see just how dry things are here. The river levels are exceptionally low. More on that in later posts.
In the afternoon we disembark the longboat and board the wooden river boat, our home for the week. We're greeted by the crew, including our guide, the captain, deckhand, second deck hand and the cook. Five crew and four guests. Only our guide speaks decent English. The captain knows a little, but mostly we only communicate with the guide. We're shown to our cabins, more on that in a later post, and get on our way, north through the Rio Negro and deep into the Amazon!
Taking it all in and settling into hangout spots on the boat, this the first level (the ground level contains the engine room and storage space).
Trevon's found a reading nest up front on the second, and top, level. It's surprisingly unbreezy in this spot even with the boat in motion, and at times became unbearably hot.
The rear chill space on the second level, where the hammocks hang and the breeze (at times) is a welcome relief.
The treeline along the banks of the river begins to climb higher as we sail deeper north. It was about here that our cell signal cut out. Farewell to civilisation for the next few days, here we go!
We encounter a local farmer, and the boat slows, the crew pass off a can of petrol to him. This is how things work around here. Very few people and resources are scarce so there is a rhythm to keeping life afloat that seems second nature to the natives. He collects the container and we're off.
The farmer was the last other human we saw for a long time. We passed the cruise boat, the one with tourist class service and all the mod cons, a couple hours ago. Our guide noted as we passed that that was as far as it goes, and yet we were just beginning. We're starting to feel the remoteness of where we are. It's simultaneously unnerving and exhilarating. This is why we choose this boat.
Rugged dwellings, the only ones we saw.
Before darkness descends we're treated with a rainbow in the distance
We experience our first Amazonian rain storm, and it was magical. Pure bliss, as blessed rain cooled the air and refreshed our skin.
The storms may be intense, but they never last long. Before we know it, the dark clouds have given way to our first Amazonian sunset.
Pure magic. Not a soul around, just us gliding through the serene Amazonian waters under the glorious dusk sky.
And then the moon appeared. A perfect full moon. Surrounded by utter darkness the moon illuminated everything like a nightlight in the sky as we silently glide into the night.
Basking in the moonlight
Adventure awaits in the early morning . . .
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