PADDLER 31
SAFETY TRAINING AND NAVIGATION DAY
Before heading into the water , all teams were required to complete essential safety training on the river . Our training included demonstrating self-rescue techniques and flipping a fully loaded board , carrying approximately 25 kg-30 kg of equipment packed into our waterproof Mustang bags .
A navigation session was held , providing each team member with a Garmin Inreach to load GPX files and a full set of 40-year-old paper maps . The river section we navigated was extremely remote and forever changing its course . Soon after starting our journey , we discovered that neither paper nor electronic maps gave much away ! We had to go with the flow and utilise our river skills and knowledge .
DAY ONE : 48KM RAPIDS , RESCUES AND BIG CAT PAW PRINTS
The first stage began with swift-flowing , high-volume water and within 300m of the start , we hit our first rapid . All teams faced a demanding test dealing with big boils and unforgiving eddy lines . Matt impressed everyone with his adept rescue skills , aiding fellow paddlers .
For lunch , we savoured chicken , rice , and a hard-boiled egg wrapped in a banana leaf on a sandy riverbank adorned with jaguar paw prints . This peaceful break was interrupted by the arrival of pesky sandflies , a constant pest on our whole journey downriver .
Our journey commenced from Pillcopata to Shintuya , the land of the Harakmbut people . Here , we refreshed ourselves in waterfalls , listened to stories from village elders , and even got our first Jagua fruit tattoos by the campfire .
PADDLER 31