This morning we slept in a little bit, and had our breakfast from 0730 to 0830. We then boarded the 3 skiffs for a long day of adventure and exploration in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. We motored up the Pacaya River headed for the furthest ranger station at PV2 – “Puesto de Vigilencia No. 2!” This distant section of the Pacaya River is seldom visited and that suited this group of adventuresome dames just fine!
We found howler monkeys, parrots and 4 species of macaws, 5 species of herons and a few of the very strange looking hoatzins, as we travelled upstream. The morning was sunny, then we had a short rain shower, and afterwards some welcome cloud cover. We had a lovely lunch in a solid two-story cement building that Peruvian President Fujimori had renovated and visited often in the 90’s to entertain important guests and to fish for the huge 400 lb. paiche.
As the afternoon cooled we motored down-stream, stopping to see both blue and yellow and scarlet macaws, and howler monkeys. Many of us swam in the black waters of Yanayacu Lake, surrounded by at least 7 curious dolphins. Later, as we traveled on down towards the boat, which was tied to a strong tree on the muddy Ucayali River, the light and clouds were mesmerizing. It is impossible to describe the shades of gray and white and blue, and the spectacular reflections of trees and clouds in the still black waters.
