Swimming the Amazon & Joining the dots

After scratching my head for ideas and looking at all possible options, I’ve decided to continue walking from Almeirim on the North side of the Amazon river for now because it truly is impossible to cross the land or Islands on foot between Porto de Moz and Almeirim at the present time.

I spent 4 days hiring boats, looking at maps and speaking to local residents. I even contemplated swimming the entire 70 kilometres, but I would be swimming against the flow for most of the swim and I would probably never arrive! (Actually, the Amazon river is currently flowing at roughly 2 metres a second at the moment, so I would in fact be going backwards). The seasonal floods are at their peak now, and I was told they are higher than last year because of the exceptional amount of rain across the Amazon basin.

I also contemplated possibly swimming the entire route in reverse, but it would be a huge cost to me financially to even try to attempt the 70km swim as I would have to hire a boat and driver and pay my guide for at least 7 plus days. It is money I simply can’t afford to spend, especially when it’s highly unlikely I would make it in 7 days due to conflicting currents, frequent thunderstorms, huge cargo ships, high winds and rapid flowing water pulling me in different directions. Alternatively, I could return to traverse the section of land in-between and join the dots on my tracker in 2-3 days in late August early September, when the land is not under 4 metres of water and is dry.

The islands and land between Porto de Moz and Almeirim you can see in the map below are under water (up to 4m) and there is no terra firma at all – just a few houses perched on tiny sections of land by the river, and these sit on stilts several metres above the water. The flooded land and Islands are also inhabited by lots of caiman with heads half the size of my body apparently, and formidable anacondas, whereas I was told that in the drier summer months they move into the main river banks of the Xingu and Amazon and the other rivers.

So for now I decided to swim across the Rio Xingu, and the giant of them all the Rio Amazonas, to Almeirim, and continue my walk from there. Later, I plan to return by boat to Porto de Moz and walk across the drier land and join the dots on my tracking map.

I had to do the Amazon swim in two goes – firstly from the south bank across to an island, and then from the far left side of Almeirim until I hit the point I swam to previously. Next to the Island the river is moving rapidly, hence the V-shaped track of dots on the Delorme map (header Photo). It was definitely one of the hardest swims I have done so far. I also had to re-enter the boat and wait on two occasions, on the advice of the driver, because 4 large boto (pink dolphins) were tailgating the boat.

It was another difficult decision to make, as I really didn’t want to have to go back. It means more money and time spent, my bank balance is shrinking at a frightening pace and I don’t need this extra cost. I really could do with a sponsor ASAP! I also didn’t want to travel back on the river by boat because my visa would have expired and I don’t think it can be renewed until I’ve been out of the country for six months. The federal police frequently board and search large passenger boats on the Amazon for drugs and ask to see documents, so I will also risk deportation when I return by boat.

After a lot of searching I now have a new guide (Antonio) to walk to Santarem with me. He grew up on the nearby Paru River (see map below), but now lives with his young family in Almeirim. He knows the terrain well and has worked in the forest and also was a moto-taxi driver in the city. He also builds houses and has positivity and enthusiasm and an interest in the natural world. He helped me organise the recent swim across the Xingu river.

When I first started this journey I hadn’t considered using the Delorme Inreach tracker as a method of recording my journey to show that I have truly managed to traverse the entire route on foot and swimming. It was only to be for communication purposes, but now it seems the logical thing to do – to use it as a track record and evidence along side my GPS (Global positioning system) and film record. I think technology – especially smart phones and social media and access to mass information – is bringing the world together – for better or for worse!). Most people I’ve encountered, even in remote communities, and especially the younger people, seem to have smart phones and are connecting whenever and wherever they have the opportunity.

Most of the next section I traverse will be on rough roads and tracks, with only about 35km of jungle. I have already walked the first 40km of road from Almeirim with Paulo, because we were waiting for a new guide and looking for a small boat to escort me on my swim. I thought it would be a good idea to use the spare time to make a start, we returned to Almeirim by Moto taxi.

Paulo is now on his way back to his family in Portel, where he plans to buy wood and build an extension on his house with the money he has earned.  Before he left we had a kind of passing of the backpack ceremony with a mini festa, food and drink at my new guide’s house in Almeirim. It was a good way to brief the new guide as we all chat and laugh about events of the last several weeks and go through the kit and the route ahead.

Again I have been told stories of armed robberies and murders on the roads, but I think and hope the risk is minimal especially if you’re walking with a local. On the other hand the economy isn’t doing to well here at the moment, and I have witnessed poverty, hunger and desperation in some places. There is also the ever-present problem of drugs and alcohol, where people will at times do anything to get a fix. So obviously it will play on my mind with every passing vehicle, and I am responsible for and concerned for the safety of my guide also.

I’m now just waiting for a delivery of doxycycline, anti malaria pills, and a few other replacements from my spares kit stored in Manaus, which should arrive on Friday night midnight via the Amazon Star passenger ferry. So I hope to continue walking on Sunday.

For live updates as we walk see my twitter feed in the left of this page. Unfortunately I won’t be able to see any messages until I have access to WiFi again. Also I think some messages on the blog posts have gone into my spam inbox by mistake so I will retreive them and put them up.

 

 

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 Header Photo: The tracking map showing where I walked and swam and also where I didn’t! I will return in 3 months to walk the 40km to join the dots when the Amazon floodwaters are several metres lower than now.

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Paulo waiting to catch the 3am Boat to Macapá then Breves then home to Portel: Almeirim, Pará, Brazil

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The long and winding and baking hot roads to Santarem start here.

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A frequent site at most ports, unloading and manually transporting goods on a two-wheel cart

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Antonio, my new guide with his family: Almeirim, Pará, Brazil

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Some of the cool wall paintings on the houses: Porto de Moz, Pará, Brazil

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7 comments on ‘Swimming the Amazon & Joining the dots’:

  1. Clive Maguire

    Well done Pete. I think you’re making the right decisions. Regarding sponsorship, ‘build it and they will come’. I think you are building things nicely between Belem and Manaus, and I’m sure you will be able to get someone to come on board for the second half of the journey. In the meantime, take care and enjoy the ‘easy’ walk to Manaus – ha ha! Nice photos again. Good luck!

    Reply
  2. sharon bird

    your doing great pete, the more people to follow you on twitter then you should get sponsorship, lovely pictures, good luck on your next part of this in incredible journey. love sharon.

    Reply
  3. Manaus "Heart of the Amazon" - Ascent Of The Amazon

    […] arm of things to do before moving on, I’ve had to backtrack to Pará and Porto de Moz (my previous blog explains all). It has been a logistical nightmare returning. It has proved risky, time-consuming […]

    Reply
  4. Nina and Clive

    I have reached this point in my reading. Catching up. We have nearly reached Salvador…2 more days.

    Reply

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