Peruvian island in the Amazon River where we officially entered Perú.
Another view of the Peruvian island on the Amazon River.
A sad reminder that the loggers are doing their best to obliterate the forest.
Oncoming boat in a narrow shotcut.
Our boat zooming through a narrow shortcut.
Sunset in the Javari River.
Sunset in the Javari River.
Sunset in the Javari River.
Ants’ nest in a tree near our cabin. Ca. 1 m long.
Mystery hole near our cabin.
Ants’ nest, ca. 75 cm diameter.
View from our bathroom (no walls.)
Our guide (Jimmy) showing us how the locals make roofs.
Thin vines hanging from a tree. The average canopy depth where we stayed was ca. 45 m (150 ft)
Sap from the Para tree. This useful juice is also known as latex.
Jimmy showing us how to make a backpack with a leaf and some bark.
Jimmy showing us how to make a backpack with a leaf and some bark.
Jimmy showing us how to make a backpack with a leaf and some bark.
Jimmy showing us how to make a backpack with a leaf and some bark.
Sharon near an unfriendly palm tree.
Awesome iridescent beetle that I befriended. (Ca. 10 cm)
Jimmy warming up the “peque-peque”.
View of the flooded forest.
View of the flooded forest.
Sharon and Jimmy in the peque-peque.
The small bay near our lodge.
Army ant clenches its sharp jaws through a leaf.
Rowing the peque-peque on Cristina Lake.
Rowing the peque-peque on Cristina Lake.
Jimmy, Sharon and I at full blast in the peque-peque.
The beautiful Javari river. Brazil to the left, Peru to the right.
Community of Santa Rita on the Peruvian side of the Javari.
Roof panels in Santa Rita.
Roof panels in Santa Rita.
Roof panels in Santa Rita.
Heliconia, or perhaps a close relative.
Sharon and Jimmy in Santa Rita.
New house being built in Santa Rita.
The fruits of this tree are not edible, but when dried, cotton can be extracted from inside them.
Heading back to the lodge at the end of the day.
Heading back to the lodge at the end of the day.
Heading back to the lodge at the end of the day.
Heading back to the lodge at the end of the day.
Heading back to the lodge at the end of the day.
Heading back to the lodge at the end of the day.
Heading back to the lodge at the end of the day.
Jimmy looking for big lizards.
Jimmy found a small big lizard.
Close-up of the small big lizard.
Me checking out the lizard before releasing it back into the black waters.
Gecko in our bathroom. (ca. 18cm)
Jimmy and Sharon eating guama fruits.
These shortcuts only exist when the water level is high.
This was scary during the day and absolutely terrifying after dark in almost total darkness.
There were lots of lizards everywhere, but getting a good shot of them was nearly impossible, as this illustrates.
Possibly armadillo. At least I wanted to think that, given the alternatives.
These things were all over the place and came in all imaginable forms and sizes, as did the ants.
Notice the complete lack of quality in the picture. That camera has got to go.
The dried thorns are stiff and sharp enough that when dipped in curare, they can be used as daggers in conflicts between tribes.
In the local parlance, they refer to these dinghies with this onomatopoeia.
Its jaws can be used as butterfly stitches to close a cut or wound on your skin. You apply the ant, and break the body off. The head remains and the jaw continues to clench. Charming insects…
Don’t know which kind, but it looked like a spaceship.
We were looking for dolphins. And found them.
We were looking for dolphins. And found them.
The base was as big around as a small house. This specimen was ca. 60 m tall (200 ft) and estimated at >500 years old. The picture doesn’t show the whole base. It actually kept going to the right a good bit.
The base was as big around as a small house. This specimen was ca. 60 m tall (200 ft) and estimated at >500 years old. The picture doesn’t show the whole base. It actually kept going left and right a good bit.
The base was as big around as a small house. This specimen was ca. 60 m tall (200 ft) and estimated at >500 years old.
The base was as big around as a small house. This specimen was ca. 60 m tall (200 ft) and estimated at >500 years old.
The base was as big around as a small house. This specimen was ca. 60 m tall (200 ft) and estimated at >500 years old.
The base was as big around as a small house. This specimen was ca. 60 m tall (200 ft) and estimated at >500 years old.
The reflections were great, so I took a bunch of pix.
The reflections were great, so I took a bunch of pix.
The reflections were great, so I took a bunch of pix.
The reflections were great, so I took a bunch of pix.
The reflections were great, so I took a bunch of pix.
The reflections were great, so I took a bunch of pix.
A juvenile, ca. 2 years old.
Note that the fourth bottom tooth is inside the jaw, not outside. Thus it is a caiman, not a crocodile.
