Not wanting to settle into too much of a routine on this expedition, today we decided to mix it up a bit. We still went out in the skiffs, saw incredible wildlife, beautiful flowers, and took countless photos. But we also added many new experiences and discoveries today.
Taking advantage of the great weather and enjoying the cool early temperatures, we entered the lake system at Atun Poza shortly after sunrise. Here, monkeys were again abundant and exciting. A hollow tree with large bromeliads was the sleeping spot for a group of five night monkeys. Comically poking their heads out of different holes, it was a challenge to keep up with them. Many different groups of squirrel monkeys were spotted, including one group calmly having a breakfast of ripe fruit.
And speaking of breakfast, today we took breakfast with us and ate in the skiffs. Our white-gloved naturalists served a tasty meal, while a monk saki sat in front of us eating its own breakfast. Black-collared hawks were building a nest nearby while Yellow-headed Caracaras were fighting over their meal. We ended at a beautiful lake filled with water hyacinths and Horned Screamers.
In the afternoon, we went deep into the reserve on the Pacaya River. Yes, we saw more monkeys, including howler monkeys, and many birds. But our main goal was to swim in the Amazon! Yanayacu Lake is a beautiful spot with blackwater and pink river dolphins. Most everyone amongst us floated around, enjoying the warm water and cold beer.
For our return, a distant thunderstorm made for a spectacular sky. We made our way through the various shortcuts, enjoying some incredible scenery with the dramatic light. Arriving back to the Delfin II with the final glow in the sky, a flock of thousands of egrets passed overhead, signaling the end to a perfect day.
