This morning, we had our earliest start of the week, leaving the Delfin II even before sunrise. It was all worth it, as we had come to the most remote part of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve that we will visit this week: the Pacaya River, on the southwestern side of the park. It was a cloudy morning but beautiful all the same. We had some lovely bird sightings as we entered the reserve, including jabiru, festive parrots, and hoatzins. Near the hoatzins, three of our skiffs pulled alongside each other for a meal we won’t soon forget. Our naturalists donned white gloves and there, in the middle of the rainforest, we enjoyed our breakfast. Soon after we finished, we observed something incredible – a river otter making its way to the shore. After more exploration, we relocated to a more open, lake-like section of the river for our first swim in the Amazon, complete with colorful pool noodles, beers, and sodas. Pink river dolphins swam nearby as we soaked up the beauty of the moment. After lunch and a siesta on board, we got dropped off on the riverbank to walk a long section of beach that is only accessible in the low water season. At the end of our walk, we enjoyed fresh coconuts and some Amazon mud therapy. An after-dinner concert by an exceptional crew band was a wonderful way to end the day!
3/8/2025
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Delfin II
Piranha Creek and the Amazon River
This morning, our guests had a truly special experience visiting the Amazonas community, a well organized village where many of the community leaders are women. They warmly welcomed us and shared a glimpse into their daily lives, showing us how they cook traditional dishes, use plant-based dyes to create beautiful handicrafts, and most importantly, their incredible efforts in leadership, sustainable fishing, and agroforestry farming. Their work is a powerful response to soil acidification and climate change, demonstrating resilience and innovation in their way of life. In the afternoon, we navigated toward the great confluence, where the Marañón and Ucayali Rivers merge to form the Amazon River. We explored a narrow creek in search of wildlife, and as our three skiffs returned to the Amazon River, we tied them together and raised a glass, celebrating the end of a fantastic expedition.
