Today we entered the Amazon River, the biggest river on our humble planet. Water to the left, water to the right, water everywhere! Some swallows and martins came to greet us during our morning, and we enjoyed observing as they trapped flies and other insects around the ship.
Local authorities came on board to perform duties for our official clearance into the country. While this was happening, we enjoyed a couple of presentations from the natural history staff. Thanks to Carlos Navarro, our on-board undersea specialist, we learned that the Amazon basin is home to 5,600 species of fish! That is not only a large number of fish species, but it also accounts for the impressive biodiversity of the Amazon River! Among all those species, we found the arapaima and the dangerous candirú. If the names are not familiar, it is because these species are only found in this region. They are worth some internet research, as I am sure their biology will surprise you!
After lunch, we sailed deeper into the Amazon. The sun was getting low on the horizon and promised a great spectacle, so an impromptu cocktail party was organized on the sundeck. As the sun set, parrots flew above us, and pink dolphins approached the stern of the ship. It really felt as if they were the ambassadors of this river, giving us a grand welcome to their world!
Tropical punch in one hand, a camera to photograph the pink dolphins in the other, and a beautiful sunset in the background. This was definitely a great way to end our first day cruising the Amazon River!
