Ucayali River, Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, Peru, 1/19/2019, Delfin II
Aboard the
Delfin II
Amazon
After a night of heavy rain and lightning, we awoke to beautiful, dry weather. In the morning, we explored two narrow, blackwater streams named Iricahua and Cedro Caño. During lunch, we made our way down the Ucayali River to our afternoon destination at the Yarapa River. Here, one final skiff ride ended our magical exploration of the upper Amazon of Peru.
Mike learned early on that the best way to escape Ohio was to become a marine biologist. During college at Wittenberg University he attended a semester at Duke University's Marine Lab — that time only confirmed his love for all things oceanic and ma...
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This morning, our guests had a truly special experience visiting the Amazonas community, a well organized village where many of the community leaders are women. They warmly welcomed us and shared a glimpse into their daily lives, showing us how they cook traditional dishes, use plant-based dyes to create beautiful handicrafts, and most importantly, their incredible efforts in leadership, sustainable fishing, and agroforestry farming. Their work is a powerful response to soil acidification and climate change, demonstrating resilience and innovation in their way of life. In the afternoon, we navigated toward the great confluence, where the Marañón and Ucayali Rivers merge to form the Amazon River. We explored a narrow creek in search of wildlife, and as our three skiffs returned to the Amazon River, we tied them together and raised a glass, celebrating the end of a fantastic expedition.
This morning, we had an early breakfast aboard Delfin II to ensure we had ample time to explore the Pacaya River for the next four hours. Our goal was to venture as deep as possible into the forest in search of the unique wildlife that inhabits this protected area. Along the way, we encountered several troops of red howler monkeys with their babies, as well as large-headed capuchin monkeys. Even yellow-spotted river turtles were seen basking on floating logs. A highlight of the morning was swimming in Yanayaku Lagoon where pink dolphins curiously approached us—a truly unforgettable experience filled with colors, sounds, and emotions. In the afternoon, we navigated downstream to Magdalena Creek, a whitewater creek enriched with nutrient-rich silt carried from the Andes Mountains. We were able to observe many great egrets perched on the treetops while several troops of squirrel monkeys moved through the shrubs. As we made our way back, we were treated to a glorious sunset, a perfect ending to an incredible day in the Amazon.
This morning was truly special on the El Dorado River. As we ventured into the vast green forest, pink dolphins surfaced beside our skiffs, birds filled the air with their songs, and a thin mist partially veiled the jungle canopy. We explored both before and after breakfast in our skiffs and kayaks. Our guests had a wonderful time taking photos of three-toed sloths, squirrel monkeys, and a dazzling array of multicolored birds. Upon our return, Delfin II continued its journey toward the farthest point on the Ucayali River that we will visit during this expedition, the Pacaya River. Later in the afternoon, we boarded our skiffs once again, entering the black waters of the Pacaya River just as night began to settle over the forest. It was a breathtaking experience watching the daylight fade, listening to the symphony of nocturnal wildlife coming to life, and gazing at the Milky Way and the moon illuminating the night sky. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
