Our first full day aboard the Delfin II starts with an early morning outing before breakfast. Dugout canoes paddle and motor by along the main channel of the Marañón River, the morning commute Amazon style. Just after sunrise, we board the skiffs to explore a small tributary winding through the tropical rain forest in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve.
Exploring the flooded forests of the Amazon is like entering another world. This time of year, heavy rains in the headwaters of the Andes floods the Amazon River Basin, the largest tropical rain forest ecosystem on Earth. In some areas, the water level rises as much 40 feet, so instead of following well-defined channels, we are much higher and closer to the forest canopy, ideal for wildlife viewing.
In the early morning hours the forest is alive with activity. Pink and gray river dolphins make brief appearances in the muddy, sediment-swollen river. Birds of many varieties flit between the treetops, including boisterous kiskadee flycatchers, colorful red-capped cardinals, silver-beaked tanagers, and on one occasion, a pair of endangered scarlet macaws. Meanwhile, squirrel monkeys leap between branches in the understory. We also see a three-toed sloth moving very slowly, and a green iguana eating leaves. Our adventure is off to a great start, and all before breakfast!
Later in the morning we go ashore on terra firma to explore a forest trail that winds past towering trees with impressive buttressed roots and splashes of color provided by heliconias, lavender morning glories, and scarlet passionflowers. Our local guides show us poisonous dart frogs and even a full-grown rainbow boa constrictor. As we make our way back to the landing we are treated to our first Amazon rain shower.
In the afternoon we take to the skiffs again to explore another black water tributary. The birds are even more exciting this time around with back-collared hawks, yellow-headed caracaras, several different egrets, and the elusive hoatzin bird, a holy grail among birders, with it’s bizarre, funky head feathers.
Back on board we enjoy a relaxing dinner as the Delfin II motors up the Marañón River. The boat stops along the riverbank just before it's time to turn in for the night. The ship is quiet as we dream of tomorrow’s adventures.
