“ The river ’ s flow decreased whilst the length of the meanders increased , temperatures never got below 30c , and the humidity was high .”
PADDLER 33
“ The river ’ s flow decreased whilst the length of the meanders increased , temperatures never got below 30c , and the humidity was high .”
by taking our Phizz tablets . Water was a constant challenge due to pollution from gold mining operations affecting the river , so we had to rely on once-daily refills from the local support crew .
On day four , we had an unforgettable wildlife encounter , observing endangered giant otters playing in a nearby back channel . Navigating the river involved choosing the right channels , as some areas split into multiple branches , including cocaine laboratories emitting a distinctive silage-sweet odour as we paddled past .
DAY FIVE : 76KM MISTY MORNINGS , ARMADILLO FAMILIES AND GOLD FEVER
The biggest and longest paddling day – nine hours on treacle-like water , which had by now turned orange due to mining activity . Today , the scenery changed quite a bit – it felt like we had left the untouched rainforest and entered an area on the frontline with man – the forest looked thinner , diesel engines chugged , and piles of waste stone heaps grew in size . We were now in the heart of gold country and nearing the wild west town of Bocu Colorado – a real hotbed of gold , poker and hookers ! A place we left as quickly as we arrived to try and make the 17:00 checkpoint cut-off – we were the only team to make it on time , with 30 seconds to spare !
As the sun set , we watched as Macaws returned to their roosts – a truly magical sight ! One of the most memorable sunsets of our trip .
PADDLER 33