Amazon 3.0 - Part 5 - Up the Cunucunama

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Amazon 3.0 - Part 5 - Up the Cunucunama

June 30

Blackwater at last. On the sixth day Iguana left the Orinoco, heading up the Cunucunuma, a blackwater river that feeds into the Orinoco about fifteen kilometers downstream from the branching of the Orinoco and Casiquiare. Blackwater rivers are slightly acidic, just enough to prevent - or at least to severely diminish - the breeding of the mosquitoes and mites that have plagued us so far.

The next morning Iguana stopped at Acanaña and became the day’s entertainment for the village children (Photos 1-4) and even for families passing by in bongos (Photo 5). Kamil plunged into the water (Photo 6) while Iguana’s crew worked to get the bongo prepared for our trip up the Cunucunama. The rapids upriver were unnavigable by Iguana - it would take a bongo with a lot of horsepower to get us to our next destination, Culebra. After trying to move most of the heavy fuel drums from Selvadentro’s bongo to another one to leave enough room for us and the crew, they decided instead to use a bongo from Acanaña and shift the outboard instead (Photos 7 and 8). Iguana would stay in Acanaña until we returned.

Twelve people in one bongo? And all that fuel, equipment, food? It fit. Barely (Photo 9). And we were headed toward rapids. The kids were certainly relaxed (Photos 10 and 11). Kai and Lucho slept part of the way (Photo 12). Nilo was even able to find various snacks and a couple thermoses of coffee and pass them around (Photo 13). And I managed to not fall out of the bongo, although trying to keep water smudges off my lens was hopeless (Photo 14).

Close to the village of Culebra the river narrowed and the rapids picked up speed. At one point most of us got out, some of the gear was removed, with hopes that the now lighter bongo could get through this difficult section (Photo 15). Was I the only one hoping that the appearance of a double rainbow was a good omen (Photo 16)? Or did we just have a good pilot? Once through the fastest part of the rapids, the bongo was reloaded with the rest of us and the cargo (Photo 17).

It was dark when we arrived at the Culebra camp, too dark to make out the tepui across the river and the large mountain on the same side of the camp. That would have to wait until dawn. We were wet from the trip, but I fell into a soggy night’s sleep easily as soon as I found the hammock, waking now and then to wonder what views the morning would bring.

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