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Across the river
Entry 18 of 23 | show all | print this entry |
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Wake up call at 5:30 and breakfast at 6:00. Then we started a long walk and dugout ride.
Our first stop was the tower, from which we observed the canopy. We then walked a short way to a large dugout, which, however, did not prove to have enough seats for all of us. Bill and Churi Pedro decided to walk back. By seat I mean a small wooden bench just the width of the dugout, not really comfortable for substantial behinds. Before leaving, Tchuri Pedro quickly chopped up a couple of branches, fitted them into the dugout and thus provided extra seating.
The dugout rode very low in the water. Rufus had a paddle in front and Peter at the stern. And so we started through the swamp down a narrow stream that was flowing quite fast in some places. When the Rio Napo floods, the stream runs in the opposite direction and can be impossible to navigate. The butterflies were a highpoint of this excursion. We saw an owl butterfly, which looks like an owl when it opens its wings and a blue morpho. Several kinds are partially or totally translucent. One looks completely brown when sitting on a plant and blue and brown when in flight.
We also saw the mangroves with their enormous and twisted support roots. Much of the furniture at the lodge is made from these trees: the benches in the dinning room, the beds, etc.
Suddenly we heard Bill's voice but couldn't see him anywhere. We finally looked up and there he was dangling from a pulley contraption above our heads. At that point in the stream you can cross over on this by swinging from the tower on one side to that on the other. You sit in a harness while someone else holds a rope to slow you down. As one tower is higher than the other, gravity speeds you along the cable.
We landed. Rufus was out of the boat first to secure it. We all had to step into the water to get ashore. We walked slowly, looking for "finds." Peter got very excited when André found a caterpillar on which a wasp had laid its eggs. Several wasps do this. The wasp larvae develop on the caterpillar, which then dies.
We also found a beautiful pink larva which resembled a small Portuguese man-of-war. Luckily we did not touch it. Pedro became quite animated when he saw it and stressed how dangerous it was. It has spines under its cute pink hairs which can cause great pain.
At times there were logs on the trail to help you get over particularly swampy places. Sometimes the handrails were rotten which added a bit of excitement. We began to feel like this was an Ecuadorian Outward Bound program with a "challenge" around each corner. This was certainly true when we circled back around and ended up at the cable tower once again. We climbed up through a mangrove. Pedro was at the top to help us. Peter went across first to keep us from slamming into the tree as we came across. Sam went across first yelling, "It's not as bad as it looks." I remember thinking that I couldn't do it but had to do it. There was no other way to get across the river. So I followed Sam, doubts still taking up most of my mental capacity. It turned out to be fun! The most amazing thing was that Camille, who can't stand heights, decided to try. Larry and Rufus helped her get into the sling and she crossed to great applause from everyone.
It was then time to return to the big tower and the lodge. I sped down the trail to get to the shower and wash my hair. I was beginning to feel like a swamp creature myself and frankly to look like one. After lunch, it was nap time and I slept like a log. Another walk was planned for 4:30 but it was pouring down rain and we didn't go.
Rufus kindly leant me his notes:
Speckled Chachalaca - Chachi - is often in the dinning room. She sits on the back of the chairs and likes to be fed.
Aristolochia - this is a yellow and brown flower which we first thought was an orchid. The fascinating thing about this flower is how it is fertilized. There is a fly which feeds on the rotting flesh of anything it finds. The flower has a aroma which imitates this smell. The fly is attracted by the smell and crawls into the flower. Once inside it cannot get out again because of the hairs inside the flower. Trapped the fly lays her eggs then dies. When the maggots hatch they pick up pollen inside the flower. Somehow this pollen stays with them until they are adults. When they visit another Aristolochia, they pollinate it.
As we were talking in Shannon's room, Sam came running in and told us that a supply canoe had turned over as it was coming in. There had been heavy rain and strong winds in the afternoon. A gust of wind had turned it over - everything inside fell into the water except for a pack of cigarettes! To get the water out of the dugout, someone stood on the sides and moved it back and forth until the water splashed out.
André and I had to get up at 4:00 am and go to the tower. That's only if it is not raining. He keeps hoping for rain.
Latest Comments (2)
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Night Walks (reply)
Jul 29, 2007 14:26 EST by pachi
Now the Lodge offers night activities for all visitors. Go to the Sacha Lodge website for more information but here is a quote.
For adventurous souls, the day does not necessarily end with dinner. Night walks and canoe trips, with the aid of flashlights, often reveal creatures seldom seen during daylight. Caimans (of the alligator family) and giant insects rule the jungle after sunset... ... show all
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Walking at night (reply)
Jul 29, 2007 12:10 EST by chilidog
I don't think the Lodge allows most visitors to walk in the forest at night. They allowed us researchers as a special 'deal'. When you walk through the forest using a flashlight (I used a headlamp figuring I needed both hands for other things) you can only see a very narrow path. All else is pitch black. There are jaguars in that area. I also made record time getting back to the lodge and wal... show all
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