We headed out by skiff early this morning and immediately found ourselves surrounded by pink river dolphins! Camera shutters clicked frantically as the dolphins surfaced erratically and unpredictably all around us. We had hardly left the dolphins when we encountered swarms of birds. We barely needed to move or turn our heads, as a huge variety of species passed us, from woodpeckers to seedeaters and umbrella birds. At last we tore ourselves away from the birds and made our way up a side stream, where we looked for monkeys and sloths before joining the other skiffs. The three boats pulled together and the crew arrived with a boat full of breakfast! Plates and napkins were handed around, followed by a selection of eggs, pastries, coffee, and fresh juice. A large barge carrying freshly cut logs surprised us during our meal, and gave us an opportunity to see the reality of what the Amazon is facing in terms of deforestation issues. After we finished our meal, our skiffs passed the area which had been cut down, spurring many conversations about Amazon conservation issues. The wildlife viewing continued, with the world's smallest monkey spotted high in a tree, a squirrel darting between branches, and many exciting bird species. We pressed through the foliage to a large lake, where we saw a different landscape of barren trees hosting a variety of terns and nighthawks. We returned to the ship in the late morning for lunch.
The afternoon skiff outing was just beautiful! Boiling clouds loomed all around, punctuated by brilliant blue skies and streams of sunlight. We puttered into an area with many dead and leafless trees, supplying ample material to keep photographers busy, especially as a rainbow arched across the sky. Several fishermen were setting their hooks and nets as we passed, and we briefly glimpsed a nearby village with curious children waving to us. As the sun set we kept an eye out for birds and iguanas before heading back to the ship.
The evening highlights included the final cocktail party, guest slide show, and a musical extravaganza following a BBQ dinner.
