Paddling up the Rio Dulce.

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On the Rio dulce, 21 febrero 1990.
The landscape along the Rio Dulce is indeed magnificent. Mangrove swamps that harbour many birds, we see Belted Kingfishers diving off brances into the murky brown water, reappaering with small fish in their beaks.
We've just left Livingston and the river is entering a steep and deep walled gorge, the humid air is thick with the smell of bromelians and noicy with the sounds of tropical birds, we see green parrots watching us glide by in our cayuto, their beady and inteligent eyes observing us with keen interest from their vantage points high in the jungle trees.
We pass a hot spring that forces sulphurous water out of a cliff and decide this a great place for a swim and eating the lunch that Abuelita has made for us.
After our swim and lunch break we paddle on reaching El Golfete.
The river is widening again reaching a huge lake-like body of water, we're getting close to our destination, the Biotopo Chocon-Machacas.
There is a visitor centre at the boat dock but nobody seems to be "home" which suits us fine.
We leave our cayuto behind and follow a small trail through mahogany forest, palm trees and tropical jungle pushinging tangles of jungle foliage away that threaten to block our way.
We can hear plenty of bird life and the sound of howler monkeys.
When we return to the visitor centre we drink some of the luke warm beer we've taken along for the ocassion. We're feeling happy with this trip and joke a lot about last night's out with the local village girls.
We still have to paddle the 12 km. back to Livingston so we've to leave earlier as we would like but the thought of last night and knowing we'll take these ladies back out again tonight gives our arms the necesary strengh and stamina.
Just before reaching Livingston we see our Manitee - Sea-Cow - well, actually the only thing we see is a massive replacement of water right in front of our cayuto.
We know they're elusive but only one of these wallrus-sized aquatic animals can replace so much water.
Even though we didn't really see the Matinee we're still extremely happy with the event, maybe we didn't actually see the animal, we were sure real close to him, or her.
Reaching Livingston we can already from a-far see five familiar female forms waiting for us and waving gaily. The old dirty and always drunk negro man we've hired our cayuto from, is among them and I secretly wonder how such young and clean women can stand the man's smelly body odour.

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