Pantanal
Trip Start
Oct 23, 2006
1
184
228
Trip End
Apr 15, 2009
Loading Map
Porto Jofre,
Brazil
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Luckily we found a nature spot to tuck into. Near a bridge hidden behind trees beside a pond and the jungle close around we camped for the night. The experience was not so grand as the previous pond spot but we did see more smaller birds and at least 3 types of kingfishers dominated the pond and other tiny brightly colored birds hopped around the trees and the caiman moved over to the other bank to keep an eye on us.
Gillie remains quiet and probably doesn't know what to think of the different scents she is tracking. We keep her her on a close leash when we are walking and watching and she eventually causes concern to most things which reposition themselves, swim away or fly away. The sight of a little grey thing sniffing around surely arouses curiosity but always they choose to look from somewhere else, so far. We are certain we would not have seen the monkeys in the nearby trees if Dom had not taken Gillie for a walk on the road because when they stood on the bridge the monkeys made a spectacle as if saying "look at that, what is that over there?" These were the capuchin monkeys and we are happy they discovered us and made themselves known to us.
Oops, stuck in the sand
There is something special about seeing animals in their natural habitat. Porto Jofre is the end of the road and from here life goes on with boats. An hotel, a boat hotel, a campground and a few houses and a group of happy people who live here and keep the port alive. We checked in at the campground where we spent two days people watching, bird watching, cleaning and laundering.
The boat hotel left with tourists draped over the deck rails and the simple wooden house boats sit along the shore waiting for the partying crew to drum up people for fishing and touring. Well the crew weren't drumming up business as much as they were partying and playing loud music entertaining the laid back worn out Canadians. We quite enjoy most traditional music but eventually it turns to the same thumpy bump noise , the farthest thing from music.
Excitement rose when I discovered that the birds arrive to frolic in the huge trees in the late afternoon and opportunities to see toucans and parrots and what ever else still arouse wonder. The toucan especially is a wonder to us with his awkward looking beak almost bigger than his body. They are shy and sit on the top branches, fly high and never stay for long making it difficult to photograph.
There is so much more that we have not seen and may never see; jaguars, pumas and others of the cat family, maned wolves and snakes all live here. Where are the snakes? We have not seen snakes, maybe that is a good thing. Apparently anaconda, boa constrictors, cobras and others live here so as I say "maybe it is a good thing that we have not seen them or even better that they haven't seen us. Yet is pretty much a non word when in Brazil and if we manage to get out of Brazil then surely Venezuela will promise a sighting. I believe snakes prefer the remote areas away from people. They are not going to be hanging around on the tourist trail looking cute for a photos.
From Porto Jofre we have to back track to eventually meet the paved truck route north leaving the Pantanal and its wonders behind.
