Morning Boat Ride
We woke up on the Amazon to a river full of floating tree debris — flooding season was in full swing, which explained why the Delphin tucked in each night on islands or out of the main flow. Renzo pointed out the amount of logging along the river; like the Pacific Northwest, the water is the easiest way to move timber.
The morning skiff ride was mostly birdwatching, though we spotted an iguana lounging in a tree. We also stopped to chat with some fisherman who explained what they were finding beneath the surface.
Sightings: Black-collared hawk, Great Kiskadee, Red-capped Cardinal, Yellow-billed Cacique.
Back on the Delphin, breakfast hit the spot — lots of bread for Charlie and coffee for me — and the crew, having noticed Amy’s taste, proudly served fresh-brewed iced tea. Breakfast, like the other mornings, was a buffet, but the kitchen also happily cooked to order. We had struggled to keep up the night before with updates from the College Football Championship, where Michigan won it all! The staff at breakfast told us that they had quietly watched it their quarters – we should have spoken up, maybe they would have invited us.
Jungle Walk in the Forest
After breakfast we took the skiffs for a forest walk. The guides promised a gentler route after yesterday’s downpour. Ericson and the other guides spoke with locals who then scoured the jungle with machetes to flush out small creatures that would normally hide from a big daytime group. One returned with a strawberry poison-dart frog pinned to a leaf so we could all see it up close. A pink-toed tarantula followed — they explained that it was less dangerous than it looked, but enough to make us nervous. Later we found a boa constrictor lounging near the creek; we gave it plenty of space and watched from a respectful distance, while the guides grabbed him like they had done it a thousand times.
Walking the forest floor highlighted features we hadn’t noticed from the boat. Many trees, including the walking palm, had large exposed buttress roots — an adaptation to access water in multiple ways. Back on the Delphin, towel-animal surprises waited in our cabin. After lunch and a few cocktails, a guide demonstrated common Amazon fruits and explained which parts are edible — and which to avoid.
Guide Talk — “People of the Amazon”
In the afternoon Ericson gave a talk about the river communities. Solar panels, satellite dishes, and pockets of cell service mean kids in these riverside towns are growing up connected to the wider world. At one stop we even spotted a DirecTV dish. Villages rely heavily on the river for washing, fishing, harvesting fruits, and trade; seeing chickens in some towns was a small reminder of how familiar everyday life can be.
Sunset Skiff Ride
We waited for dusk and took another skiff ride. Insects were out in force — some of our group wore head nets — but the night trip was worth it. With guide floodlights and my night-vision binoculars we hunted for a Caiman. Two bright eyes just above the waterline gave it away; we crept closer and tried for night photos. Back on the lit-up Delphin after sunset, dinner and cocktails capped the day. After dinner the boat’s headlights attracted a cloud of moths to the bow — a vivid reminder that exploring the Amazon at night has its limits.
Notable Sightings: Common Squirrel Monkey, Saki Monkey, Grasshoppers, Cocoi Heron, Black-necked Aracari, Turkeys