Day 63
NOVEMBER 1, 2019
SANTAREM, BRAZIL
I woke up to the smell of smoke, the same smell as I noticed as soon as we entered the Amazon River. Which is surprising since the prevailing easterly winds should have sent any smoke westward. I Sherlocked the situation and concluded that the smoke deposited on the river's surface tainted the air downstream.
Santarem is probably best known as the place where the Tapajos River joins the Amazon River resulting in this effect:
The Tapajos River is cold and clear while the Amazon is warm and heavy with silt so they remain separated for a time. The rivers eventually do mix a few miles downstream.
What we saw of Santarem on our way to the Tapajos National Forest was a tired old city with a lot of closed businesses and abandoned homes, leading us to wonder whether the city was experiencing economic difficulties. However, in the distance, toward the downtown area, there were several buildings of about 20 stories, so maybe we got the wrong impression.
In the Tapajos National Forest we were actually hiking (er, strolling) in the Amazon Rain Forest. We had been warned that the heat and humidity were so severe that we would be drenched by the time we returned from our trek. Turns out there was a heavy cloud cover and a fair breeze. Whew! We saw many wonderful trees and an ant with a lethal bite (Tucandeira), but no birds, though we did hear two different bird calls. This brought to mind the other time I visited the Amazon Rain Forest about thirty years ago north of Brasilia. I went there with visions of flights of various bright, multi-coloured macaws, toucans and parakeets, but ....... I never heard or saw a single bird. Or monkey. A Twilight Zone experience. At Tapajos National Forest this was our favourite tree, the Sama-uma tree:
For your listening pleasure I offer Bernward Koch's Immortal Thoughts :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq2HUQx8fLQ
SANTAREM, BRAZIL
I woke up to the smell of smoke, the same smell as I noticed as soon as we entered the Amazon River. Which is surprising since the prevailing easterly winds should have sent any smoke westward. I Sherlocked the situation and concluded that the smoke deposited on the river's surface tainted the air downstream.
Santarem is probably best known as the place where the Tapajos River joins the Amazon River resulting in this effect:
The Tapajos River is cold and clear while the Amazon is warm and heavy with silt so they remain separated for a time. The rivers eventually do mix a few miles downstream.
What we saw of Santarem on our way to the Tapajos National Forest was a tired old city with a lot of closed businesses and abandoned homes, leading us to wonder whether the city was experiencing economic difficulties. However, in the distance, toward the downtown area, there were several buildings of about 20 stories, so maybe we got the wrong impression.
In the Tapajos National Forest we were actually hiking (er, strolling) in the Amazon Rain Forest. We had been warned that the heat and humidity were so severe that we would be drenched by the time we returned from our trek. Turns out there was a heavy cloud cover and a fair breeze. Whew! We saw many wonderful trees and an ant with a lethal bite (Tucandeira), but no birds, though we did hear two different bird calls. This brought to mind the other time I visited the Amazon Rain Forest about thirty years ago north of Brasilia. I went there with visions of flights of various bright, multi-coloured macaws, toucans and parakeets, but ....... I never heard or saw a single bird. Or monkey. A Twilight Zone experience. At Tapajos National Forest this was our favourite tree, the Sama-uma tree:
For your listening pleasure I offer Bernward Koch's Immortal Thoughts :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq2HUQx8fLQ
Following your exploits and it seems most interesting. You present some insightful comments, thanks.
ReplyDeletePs...all well at the rig. Have settled in and tidied up most of the exterior little by little as it is hot hot hot again this November, as it was last year. Meanwhile the rest of the country is freezing.