Our Saturday started with a 6:00 a.m. boat ride up Zapote Creek off the Ucayali River. The skies were overcast and the temperature was perfect for exploring. As we entered the creek we were greeted by a pink river dolphin fishing and a snowy egret standing regally at the river’s edge. Kingfishers were already out fishing and horned screamers could be heard in the distance. A green iguana was sprawled at the top of a tree attempting to warm up. The Amazonian world was waking up too!
After breakfast, some of us headed back up Zapote Creek in the skiffs while others went kayaking. The ground along the creek is higher and so the trees are bigger than what we were in yesterday. It is a beautiful creek and paddling in our kayaks was a great way to experience it as we could move very slowly and quietly, letting it all soak in. We had a laughing falcon on an overhanging branch watching us, and a sloth dangling from a tree top. It was fun to explore in kayaks, going in and out of the nooks and crannies along the shore line to see what we could find. The lack of motors made you really aware of all the noises and it helped me feel immersed in the jungle.
The skies cleared and the morning started to heat up so we headed back to the skiff stopping along the way for some shopping with the local villagers. Most of us bought some of the lovely handicrafts and added to our memories of the trip.
After lunch our crew showed us how they make amazing Origami figures with our towels. The amount of effort they put into to making these displays everyday for us is amazing. A few of us got to try our hand at folding our own, a process which made us really appreciate the complexity of the art and how ingenious it is to do it with towels. I know I plan to go home and try it with my table napkins!
Our afternoon excursion up the Supay River started under a very hot sky and intense sun. We sped up the river until we could find the welcome relief of some shade. We moved slowly exploring the banks and the very tall beautiful trees that lined it. We encountered a group of gorgeous paradise tanagers feeding in a tree as well as many other great birds. A flock of chestnut-eared Aracari, the small toucanettes, landed in a tree above us and proceeded to mate! After turning around and heading back down river, we stopped a small riverside farm where the kids and their dog came down to greet us. The kids had a baby sloth for a pet. One of the guests had brought toys and passed them out. The kids’ faces lit up and they were obviously thrilled. It was really fun to see. What fabulous way to end our last full day in the Amazon.
