Now that we have officially entered Brazil, some facts are in order. The capital of Brazil is Brasilia, and the population of the country is 205.8 million folks that speak Portuguese. This is a country of contrasts. On one hand, you have major cities with samba, Carnaval, festivals, dazzling costumes, and all night parties. But then there are the eco-systems of the plant and animal life only found in the Amazon region. The jungle of the Amazon with winding waterways and lush rainforests are full of monkeys, sloths, and birds to name a few.
Way back in the 1990's, we took a late evening canoe excursion into the igarapes of the main river tributaries in search of alligators. The only light in the dark canopy were the torches that were lit on the bow and aft of each 12 passenger canoe. Now that we think of it, none of us wore life vests….crazy, huh? We'll never forget when those torches were snuffed, and we were suddenly surrounded with fireflies – hundreds of them. Pretty thrilling since we do not have these insects at home. Our guide used a flashlight to scan the banks of the river looking for the eyes of alligators. The size of the gator was judged by the distance between the eyes. The bigger the space, the bigger the alligator. At that time, the guides were able to capture the small ones, and bring them onboard the canoe. Taping their snout, the guide brought the alligator to each of us to see and actually touch.
All of the canoes returned to the transfer boat, and they let these alligators loose, scampering under our feet. Never saw so many people able to lift their legs onto the benches. We have never seen such a tour offered ever again, and we really do not know what the guides did with their captive alligators. At that time, there was a good price for the hides.
So today we had a service stop at Macapa from 6 to 11am, located close to the mouth of the Amazon River. It was not even mentioned in today's Daily newsletter. During our early breakfast, we watched some of the river traffic around the settlement. By the way, it was already hot with temperatures at 82 degrees with humidity at 76%. A 5 mph breeze did not help. Our Pinnacle Grill waiters had told us that there had been a Brazilian inspection in the dining room and all of the staff were required to wear hairnets. Once the officials left, the hairnets were taken off.
While stopping at the front desk to collect the mini USA Times, we saw the officials there to check and clear all of the guests and crew. Once that task was done, the group enjoyed a breakfast in the upper dining room with some of our officers. Then at 11am, the officials departed, leaving we believe, 3 experienced local pilots. Captain Frank said we had 326 nautical miles to reach the port of Alter do Chao tomorrow. But first we had to navigate a narrow channel doing a speed of 7 knots. Once we cleared the narrow part, he would pick up speed to 14 knots.
Taking a walk on the outside decks, we decided to go up to deck 10 and see what kind of insects we could find. The white paint on the ship attracted insects instantly, and we found numerous types of moths and beetles already taking a ride on the ceiling and walls. No two were alike. One of us was fortunate to have a cousin who was an entomologist and spent several years studying the Amazon insects, in particular, the mosquito that carried the diseases of yellow fever and malaria. Many strides have been made in that area, but studies will go on forever. As we have already stated, we have never seen a mosquito in this area, although they are surely here.
This afternoon around 2pm, Kimberly came on the speakers and informed us she was going to do a talk while we cruised close to the river banks. And since she was broadcasting from the navigation deck, she had to keep her talk on the quiet side. One of the facts we noted was the amount of rain annually in the Amazon area is 400 inches. The river is massive – the largest in the world. There are no bridges that span it. The river has the largest volume of freshwater in the world. Is it the world's longest river? It still has not been decided if the Amazon takes the prize, or the Nile in Africa according to Kimberly.
Did we mention that we also crossed the Equator today? The usual King Neptune Ceremony was shelved, but will happen on our way out of the river in a week's time. King Neptune gracefully pardoned each and every one of us this time. But he will return from the Briny Kingdom of Neptunus Rex. Signed…..R
Here's a hair-raising fact: bull sharks have been found 2300 miles up the river, surviving in the freshwater. Just like they do up the river in Sydney, Australia. A good reason not to swim in the river besides avoiding the piranhas. Another fact is that the true source of the river has never been discovered. Many dams have been created over the years to provide hydro-electric power. These days of "green energy sources" the dams are being re-assessed.
Wildlife includes 3000 known species of fish, and many that have not even been discovered yet. Larger animals are caiman, anacondas, capybaras, and sloths. There are 400 documented amphibians, with thousands of bird species like macaws, toucans, and the ever-present vultures. Pink river dolphins that live here are on the endangered species. Catfish can measure up to 6 feet long. Black caiman are also highly endangered and can measure up to 5 meters long. In the past, deforestation occurred due to agriculture and mining industries. Studies are being done to contain that activity. And the rubber industry that built the big cities, such as Manaus, eventually was replaced with synthetic rubber. So much to learn, thanks to Kimberly.
We ended up enjoying the scenic cruising from our veranda, ducking inside to cool down a lot. Taking photos was the high point of the day. And we were treated to a few sightings of rainbows as well as a very nice sunset, the first we have seen since leaving Florida. And with the sunset, we did notice a slight change in the temperature for the better.
Going a bit later to the dining room, we ordered shrimp cocktails, Caesar salads, and mains of tortellini and sliced pork loin. Both were very tasty and served hot the way we like it. By the time dessert arrived, we had already missed half of the Brazilian Show Night which was held in the Lido Pool area. It was dubbed "white night", a tradition where folks wear white to welcome in the new year. The Oi Brazil Cultural Ambassadors onboard put on a special performance decked out in dazzling costumes. Music , drink specials, and more food was offered for the hour.
Tomorrow we will be in the first port of Alter do Chao. It's been a while since we were there, and do not remember much of what we saw. But we are sure it will come back to us once we step off of the tender boat.
Bill & Mary Ann
