Rio da Prata

South America Day 36 - Rio Da Prata

Bonito has many different water activities to participate in including where we'd been the yesterday.
Number 2 on our list was Rio da Prata. It was also the must do activity among the three we ended up doing.
The essence of the Rio da Prata activity was floating down a clear stream for 45 mins. It was so much more interesting than it sounds. I hired a dive camera and water proof case from the local Kodak shop in Bonito (the rest of the gang chipped in for it). I was designated as the camera man for the trip.

 There was a welcoming committee at the visitor centre.

We took a fairly lengthy taxi ride out to Rio da Prada. We were told not to put on any sunscreen, deodorant or perfume on before we went. The stream is pristine and with the large number of people floating down the river each day, the man made chemicals would upset the delicate ecosystem. The wet-suits weren't so much to keep us warm, but more to help us float (we weren't allowed to touch the bottom) and give us a little protection from sharp rocks.
They bundled us into the back of a decked out utility truck and took us to the head of a trail. We walked for about 10-15 minutes to the head of Rio da Prata. They have a timer to make sure that each group are separated by enough time to give allow everyone to stay apart and to give the animals a break.

We assembled in a small area next to a jetty. We were allowed to stand at this point (inside the ring of rocks you can see here), but nowhere else. They made sure everyone knew how to snorkel and we were ready to go.

We were sent off around this large pool which is the head of the river. It was full of fish & really clear.

Bonito is on the edge of the Pantanal area and is influenced by the huge amount of rainfall. Rio da Prata exists because the pressure created by the water table in the area is pushing water from underground into this river. This sink hole is one of a few points where the water comes gushing out from underground. The ground not only filters the water, but the minerals give it a blue tint before it appears through these vents.

After the lap around the pond, we re-assembled at the jetty and set of one by one. It was a narrow stream and the less other people around, the more fish we would see.

The scenery above and below the water was brilliant. The green jungle above the water and the tinted turquoise water below.

 

As you can see, Rio da Prata is absolutely teeming with fish and they're mostly species you see in your local pet store. It was like swimming in a giant aquarium! The yellow and red fish (Piraputanga) were the main species that were at the pools yesterday.

 

 

 

 

This is what I mean about swimming in your home aquarium. The tetras (fish) in this photo can be purchased at your local pet store for a few dollars.

 These Dourado are the apex predators in the river. They look a lot like the Piraputanga but have a big mouth with rows of sharp teeth.

 We continued to float along for quite some time. The stream would widen out for a bit then narrow again.

At one point the stream became very shallow so we had to get out and walk a little. We crossed the path that we had walked along initially. To get back into the river we had to jump into a rapids section. It was quite shallow and the rocks were very jagged & nearly bought me unstuck while I was taking some video footage (above).

Not far from the rapids the stream opened out into a fairly wide and deep pool. The springs pictured were probably responsible for the widening.

After the pool, the stream opened up and joined with another. I didn't want it to end and continued to float along until I was dragged out of the water. Special K, on the other hand, was done. She decided again that she hadn't signed up for this and jumped in the boat so she would be back on land as soon as possible. She's a strange one.

This is the point where I was made to get out of the water. This was what I saw when I looked back into the water. If you look close enough you can see a few Piraputanga right at the edge. I just wanted to go around again. I recommend the Rio da Prata trip to anyone who has even a slight chance of getting to Bonito.

Even the taxi trip back to Bonito had some interest. These burrowing owls had their nest between the dirt road and the barbed wire fence. I guess it's safe for them. The barbed wire keeps the cattle out and they were far enough off the road to avoid the cars.
This evening we had to go to a two story office where we had to do some climbing training for the activity we are going to do tomorrow.

Balneário Municipal

South America Day 35 - Travel to Bonito & Balneário Municipal

It was time to leave the lodge and head to Bonito. We re-traced our steps back to the highway. We saw the otters again in the same small pool we'd seen them a couple of days previous. We also crossed the Rio Paraguay (above). Being that it was the dry season there wasn't much water in this river, but you can imagine what it's like in the wet season.

It was quite a long drive to Bonito along a rough dirt road for the most part.

Balneário Municipal

We arrived at our hotel, got settled in and set off fairly soon after for Balneário Municipal.
Balneário Municipal is a 7 km taxi ride from the town of Bonito. It's a natural stream with three little waterfalls that absolutely teems with fish.

There is some shoreline development including a lifeguard tower, diving board and a flying fox. There is also small restaurant, and a couple of play areas, one for kids (playground) and one for adults (giant chess set and pool table).

It was a great place to kick back & relax in the water. It was a welcome respite after a couple of hot sticky days in the Pantanal. You can even hide in behind the waterfall below.
We did have to vacate the water at one point thanks to a nasty thunderstorm. After a couple more goes on the flying fox & a couple more jumps off the diving board, we reluctantly headed back to town.

For dinner we went to a pizza place that Suellen had recommended. Bad choice! They were probably the worst pizzas I've ever had.

The Pantanal

South America Day 34 

Explore the Pantanal

The noisy locals woke us up early this morning. As soon as the sun was peaking over the horizon, the racket started. The Parakeets (above) were the noisiest by far. I grabbed the camera before breakfast & went out taking photos of every different bird I could find. Before today, I had no concept how diverse the wildlife was in the Amazon. Here are just a few of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 Horse Riding

After breakfast most of the gang went horse riding around the local area. Me & horses aren't on good terms (nor have we been for decades) so I opted out. Kerri has a similar mistrust for these animals and also opted out. Nora & Vincent also didn't go. They set off & left us to our own devices. Apparently they didn't see much wildlife (more than likely because of the horses & noisy people scaring them off). I don't regret sitting out at all.

Wildlife spotting.

While to tribe were off horse riding, we the remaining four, went for a wander. It was already hot and muggy but we took it nice & easy.
It was a worthwhile exercise as we saw so many animals and birds that the riders did not. Pictured above & below are coatis. Their closest relative is the raccoon and are just as good at scavenging. They cruise around in troops of about 10. The one above was with about six others from his troop but he was the only one I got a chance to photograph. They're so funny scuttling around with their long stripy tails in the air.

Coatis come in different variants. The one below was probably from the same troop as the other one but was more orange instead of black and white.

Marsh Deer

The biggest animal we saw was this marsh deer. It was similar to a couple of the deer species in North America. They were just as skittish as their northern cousins.
Just after we saw the deer some sort of wasp or hornet came out of nowhere and stung Kerri on the finger. We were a long way from the lodge and it would take us at least half an hour to get back. Within minutes her whole finger had swollen up to twice normal size (needless to say it was quite painful). She was very brave about it particularly because it is her birthday today.

Kingfisher

This kingfisher wasn't as skittish as the deer. I watched it darting from his perch to a small pond picking of choice snacks which seemed to be insects more than anything else.

These odd birds look like turkeys to some extent. The one above is called a Blue-throated Piping-guan. The one below is a Black Fronted Piping Guan (or locally known as a Chuchalaca). They make the most bazaar screech/cackle. I can't even describe it because it was so foreign to me.

Raptors

The Jungle has no shortage of raptors. The bird above is a black collared hawk. It's one of four species of hawk we saw today.

 Roadside Hawk

Black Collared Hawk

Afternoon Safari

We spent a lot of time during the day in hammocks under a pergola. It was too hot and muggy to do anything else. Besides, most of the animals were in hiding as well.
Later in the afternoon we got back on the safari truck and headed out into the surrounding area. It was what we were supposed to do the afternoon before but the four hour train delay put a stop to it. We were forced to take this trip earlier in the day than we should have. Unfortunately it meant that many of the animals were still hiding in the shade. We did see a few, but we had done better during our morning walk. This marsh deer and her fawn hung around to have their photos taken, but not for long. We saw a few birds but nothing like first thing in the morning.

Ferruginous Pygmy Owl

Southern Lapling (one of the Plover family).

These are odd little creatures. Armadillos eat ants but have a seemingly over the top defence against predators. I guess with an abundance of predators like jabiru storks, hawks and jaguars, it pays to take out insurance. This little guy scarpered as soon as he saw our truck.

We left the truck for a little while to head into a stand of trees to look for monkeys. We didn't see any monkeys, but we did see evidence of the big cat. Jaguars are not exactly rare in the Pantanal, but like all cats are secretive nocturnal creatures. These ones in particular are cats that you really would like to see, but not really because unless you have some sort of protection, it will probably be the last thing you do. Of all the big cats, Jaguars being primate hunters, are more likely to hunt and kill you than any of the other big cats (& that includes lions).

Swamp Fishing

South America had done a job on me again that afternoon and, (not to be too graphic) I had to stay close to the "facilities". Kerri went with most of the group to a nearby swamp and went fishing. Above, our local guide is up to his waist in a similar pond to the one we'd walked around the day before.

Here's what they were fishing for. Piranhas!
So apparently it's quite safe to stand up to your waist in Cayman and Piranha infested water, throw bait in to catch one of the piscatorial owners of the pond. Sounds a bit crazy to me, but I guess taylor fishermen on the east and west coasts of Australia stand in a similar depth of water throwing burly into the water with sharks circling them.

Apparently the fishing trip was successful. Dinner was in the bag (or on the stick). The problem now is that Kerri wants to come along on the next fishing trip I go on.

Hyacinth Macaws

While the rest were off fishing, I was around the lodge with my camera chasing wildlife.
There were a few Hyacinth Macaws (pictured) that roosted near the lodge at night. They're noisy critters particularly when there's more than one (and there normally is).

I caught this pair doing a hot lap around our lodge. It was wonderful to see these great birds flying free. It reminded me why I don't like seeing birds caged.

 Lizards

We saw one of these in the bunk house last night (above). The one below was on a tree. They're a bit like a small version of our water dragons back on the east coast of Australia but with nicer colours. They aren't quite as angry either.

Dinner that night included the piranha that were caught that afternoon. The guides did a rubbish job of preparing the fish which ended up dry and over cooked. I couldn't even tell you whether they taste any good. I know one thing for sure, you want to avoid those teeth! It was the first time I'd seen them up close and I can tell you that they are razor sharp even after being fried.
The Birthday Girl

Being that it was Kerri's birthday, a few members of the group (who wish to remain nameless) baked a cake and set out some candles. Everyone was there for the big event with the birthday girl at the head of the table.

Nocturnal Visitors

The fly screens and inside lights made the lodge very attractive to the local frog population. The light attracts the bugs to the building but can only go as far as the screens. The frogs think it's a great idea and earn a very easy living as a result. I've seen geckos in Queensland fight for the best position for the same reason.

What an eventful day. Brazil has come up with some great wildlife today. I can't wait to find out what it has for us tomorrow.