June 26, 2006
Day 271

I try to keep control of the massive canoe.

Morale was pretty low this morning. The fact that we only had one canoe for a few days caused a separation in the group, and even though we were united physically yesterday, we still weren't acting as one big group. Several people were ready to call it quits and head off the river as soon as possible. However, we all agreed that from now on, we'd do things like cooking and eating as a group and try and have more fun. After meeting with everyone, it looks like that trip will become fun for everyone.

The pace was slowed dramatically today. Instead of trying to get as far as possible on the river, we decided to paddle for 7-10 days for only around seven hours per day so we'd have time to relax at the campsite each day. Partway through the day, we stopped paddling and took turns swimming with the large group of pink and gray river dolphins that began following us. We also stopped for a long lunch and basically did a half day.

Right after we found a great beach campsite, it looked like a storm was about to hit, so everyone hurried to get their tents set up. It became very windy, and as Patricia and I were setting up our tent (which Louise was kind enough to lend us), one of the poles broke. We tried to tape it, but it quickly broke again under the pressure of the strong wind. Then the other pole broke, and it became apparent that the tent wouldn't be usable in its current condition. We gathered some sticks from the nearby forest and constructed a tepee using a canoe paddle for internal support. It was just a temporary solution, though, so tomorrow we'll experiment with using a mosquito net instead.

The storm somehow cleared up before it hit us, so we were lucky to have a nice, sunny afternoon. I broke out the frisbee and threw around with several expedition members for awhile, and everyone else read and fished. The first two days were characterized by lots of paddling, just like we did for the entire last canoe trip. However, from here on out, I think it will be much more laid-back, which seems to be what the group wants.

July 02, 2006
Day 270

We tried to get up at dawn today, but the mosquitoes were still really bad, so we stayed put in the tents. Half an hour later, they were gone for the day and it was safe to come out. We left expecting to pass the others soon, but that didn't happen. Either we had gotten bad information as to their whereabouts, or the message we tried to give them to wait for us wasn't delivered and they had already left. Eventually, we saw a canoe in the distance, but we weren't sure if it was them. I took a picture and zoomed in to get a better look, and I thought I saw a large jewfro in the back, which would match Ax's description. We kept paddling, hoping to catch up with them eventually.

At lunchtime, the other canoe stopped on a beach and we discovered that it was indeed that of our lost cohorts. They didn't get our message and thought they were behind us, so they left early this morning in hopes of catching us. At least we were finally all together so the group's mood was brighter. We all ate lunch together and continued on our way.

We found a campsite with wind blowing in toward the forest so the mosquito situation wasn't so bad. Craig and I did a little fishing tonight, and at one point he caught something big. It didn't move like a fish or a stingray, so he thought he might have had a turtle or some other exotic river-dweller. He was using 100-pound-test line, so it was unlikely to break away, whatever it was. Eventually it got off the hook, but a few hours later, Craig caught the same thing again! This time, it looked like he might actually be able to pull it in, but all of a sudden, the hook came free and shot back at the canoe with lightning-quick speed. It sounded like a gunshot when the sinker hit the side of the boat. Luckily, nobody got hurt in the incident, but Craig never found out what type of creature he had caught. He was hoping it wasn't a turtle; that would have been a sad sight to see. Whatever it was, it must have been huge.

June 24, 2006
Day 269

We loaded up all of our gear onto a local bus early today and we all drove to the canoes together. I went with Craig, Louise, Patricia, Hugh, and Rachael in the new canoe, and the others continued to the main river to get their canoe. There was plenty of space in the canoe for all of us and our gear, but water depth became an issue right away. We slowly navigated our way through a narrow channel and got stuck a few times in our heavy boat. A little pushing was all that was needed to get us going again, though. Once we got through the channel, the river was deep enough, but there was almost no current or wind, so we moved very slowly in the tropical heat. At least the sand fly situation was nonexistent. On our last trip, they attacked us all day, but today we saw none. It was very nice not having to worry about getting bitten constantly.

After five hours in the canoe, we finally reached the confluence, but it presented a problem. The channel we went through to join the main river was so small that we figured it would appear to be nothing more than a small inlet when the other group saw it. They weren't waiting for us, so either they had gotten ahead of us or they hadn't seen it. We weren't sure what to do, so we continued for a few more hours figuring we'd meet the others somehow.

The rest of the day was much nicer than the beginning because the current was flowing, the wind was blowing, and we were able to stay cooler. Unlike the Itenez, there were no islands or oxbows to worry about because the river was much lower, so navigation was no problem. Another consequence of the low river was the plethora of beautiful beaches on the banks that were perfect for camping.

At about 3:00, we decided to camp on a beach so the others would have some daylight left to catch up to us if they were behind us. We flagged down a boat going upstream to get more info, and they said that the others were camped about half an hour downstream from us. We gave a message to a boat going downstream for them to wait for us in the morning. So we know where they are, and it looks like we'll get together tomorrow morning.

Our campsite seemed perfect when we set it up because it was a dry, sandy area near the river and away from the forest. However, as soon as dusk hit, so did the mosquitoes. They attacked by the hundreds and wouldn't let up. I think they were the worst mosquitoes I had ever experienced, even worse than at the place I nicknamed "Mosquitoville" from the last canoe trip. At least I was armed with a long-sleeved, thick shirt and plenty of repellent, so I didn't suffer too many bites. We decided that from now on, we should start looking for a campsite at 3:00 and eat dinner before 6:00 so we can get in our tents in case the mosquitoes hit hard again.

The photo album for the entire canoe trip is here.

June 23, 2006
Day 268

Desperate for a canoe, I went with the others once again today to the ports outside of town. We had one option to buy a canoe, but it wasn't a good one because the canoe for sale had a huge hole in it. The owner said that he was planning on dismantling it in order to make it bigger, but he'd sell it to us for a cheap price if we'd take it in its current condition. He claimed that the hole could be repaired, but we didn't quite believe him considering the massive amount of water that flowed in when we sat in it. We decided to keep looking and only buy that canoe if no other options surfaced today.

We went back to Los Puentes, the last in a long line of ports on the Mamore to search one last time. We attempted to find the owner of every canoe at the port to see if any of them were for sale. One owner said that his canoe was definitely not for sale, but when he saw that we had cash on hand, his opinion suddenly changed. We made him an offer and Veronica spoke to him in Spanish. She said "This is all we have, it's far more money than the canoe is worth, take it or leave it," but he wouldn't budge. Then she said "Support tourism in Bolivia," everyone had a chuckle, and he finally caved. Veronica's native Spanish skills have been a valuable asset in planning this trip.

With two large canoes, we had plenty of space for everyone. We spent the afternoon buying supplies and making our final preparations for the trip. The plan is to leave early tomorrow, but there is still some confusion because we will be leaving from different ports. Six of us will be on a tributary of the Mamore, and the others will be on the main river. We don't think we'll be able to meet until the confluence, but we're still not sure. None of the locals seem to know the river well enough to tell us, and none of the maps we have gotten have been detailed enough to pinpoint our exact location. Add to that the fact that the river is low and our maps may not be accurate anyway, and it becomes a difficult meeting to make. It seems that to the best of our knowledge, the others will be about two hours ahead of us, and we will plan to meet at the confluence tomorrow afternoon sometime.

June 22, 2006
Day 267

Several of us went to search for canoes again today. We started going door-to-door asking if anyone had an extra canoe to sell, but got no hits. Going to peoples' houses was an interesting experience in itself. One guy was busy planing wood to make a bow, and another was making an ax handle. Even though the villages on the river are near the city, going to them is like going back in time because they have no technology whatsoever. They live by fishing, hunting, and farming, and get by without electricity and running water, and with almost no money.

Rain in the afternoon made part of the road to the river impassible, and some people in our group got stuck and had to walk. We decided to search again tomorrow, and I really hope we find something. Patricia is only in Bolivia for three weeks, and Louise for four, so they will have to start the trip in two days no matter what. It we don't find another canoe tomorrow, it looks like we'll have to split the group up, which nobody wants. We're all keeping our fingers crossed.

June 21, 2006
Day 266

Several of us got together today to do a thorough search for canoes. Before we even left town, the guy at the micro bus station told us of one that was for sale. We went straight to Puerto Varador to talk to the owner. He was a local from a nearby village who had just finished making the canoe by hand and intended to sell it. It was a beautiful dugout with double-reinforced walls that looked perfect, but it would only hold six. We will almost surely purchase it tomorrow, but we will still need to buy another canoe for everyone else.

This afternoon, more people showed up to go on the trip. George and Ashley, from Alaska, and Ax (I can't even begin to pronounce his real name) from Israel, will also be on the expedition. With ten people, we could put six in the new canoe and the other four in a smaller one. The only problem is that it's very difficult to find canoes here. For our last trip, we were in a town of 500, but we were shown four canoes for sale within the first two days. For this trip, we were lucky to be shown one. Even though Trinidad is a big city, the river doesn't pass through town, so it's necessary to go to the sparsely populated villages that are on the river. Most people have canoes, but they are needed for fishing and moving goods up and down the river. Even though we are gringos who will most likely overpay for a canoe, people simply can't afford to get rid of their only canoes. We'll keep looking tomorrow.

June 20, 2006
Day 265

Craig showed up in Trinidad late this afternoon with Louise from England and Patricia from Switzerland. They had to take a bus from La Paz for twenty hours to some little town, sleep a few hours at the bus station, then take another bus for nine hours to Trinidad down the same horrible road I took last week. They were all pretty exhausted, but enthusiastic about the adventure that lie ahead. Veronica, a girl from Ecuador who was on the same bus, also showed up at the same hotel we were all staying at, and we all decided to get dinner together.

Joining us at dinner were Hugh and Rachael from England, two more of Craig's friends. It looks like Veronica will come with us too, so we will have seven for this trip, meaning that we will probably need two canoes unless we get a really big one. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that one will suddenly be for sale soon. Our trip with be in dugout canoes for 7-10 days down the Rio Mamore, which heads north for about 1000 KM before joining with the Itenez, which we navigated on our last canoe trip. It would be way too enthusiastic to get to Guayaramerin again, but there are a couple other towns on the way that we could stop at, depending on how the group feels about continuing.