We had the opportunity to swim with the dolphins. A guide attracted the dolphins, who then swam around and through our legs. The experience was really exhilarating.
We have just returned from an amazing 23-day cruise that took us through the Caribbean and up the mighty Amazon River to Manaus. The journey opened our eyes to the wonders of this truly unique destination while raising alarms about what is happening to this once-pristine rainforest. Massive growth (Manaus is now a city of over 1.5 million people) and deforestation (we endured heavy smoke for several days as we cruised) were balanced by sailing for over a week on the river, where we often could not see the far bank.
A special highlight was an excursion we took from Manaus by high-speed boat up the Rio Negro, visiting a small village in which five different Indigenous tribes live as they have for centuries. After a traditional greeting, we were shown their communal great house and offered traditional foods to sample (we enjoyed a snack of ants and unusual fruits).
From here, we returned to the river (a steep climb down a bank, as the waters were at least 55 feet below normal levels due to a drought greatly affecting the whole of the Amazon). We crossed the river to a floating platform to see the unique pink Amazonian freshwater dolphins up close. Born grey, they gradually turn pink as they age, and unlike their saltwater cousins, they have very long snouts that they use to forage for food. We had the opportunity to swim with the dolphins in groups of ten. A guide, with a bucket of small fish, attracted the dolphins, who then swam around and through our legs, surfacing for a special treat. Their bodies were smooth, over two metres in length, and their skin was like that of a baby, only much firmer. The experience was really exhilarating.
This was a return journey to the river, 20 years after our first adventure. The changes are both remarkable and disturbing. Often described as the “lungs of the world” for the rainforest’s ability to create oxygen, the heavy smoke was an obvious sign that the rainforest is being destroyed by human activity. The world must do more to preserve this precious resource and limit climate change.
