April 11, 2005
The Flooded Forest Lives Up To Its Name!
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When we left the ranger station in Santa Rosa and began paddling down the Samiria River, the river was near the top of the river bank, but the forest was not flooded. After a few hours I wondered if all the hype about the forest flooding was really true. During school visits we had told students that 90% of the forest would be flooded, and it would often be hard to find dry land. Were we feeding the students lies? Luckily, as we descend deeper into the reserve the forest becomes more and more flooded, and we can often take short cuts through the forest to bypass large bends in the river. As we wind our way though narrow passages of trees and under hanging vines, I find myself trying to jab my paddle into the mud to help manover the canoe. However, much to my surprise the water is often deeper than my paddle, and stabs for terra firma are useless. Large amounts of rain are causing the water levels to continue to rise, which will flood the forest even more. It has rained hard off and on for the past three days, and most of our gear is soaking wet. It often rains so hard that it feels like you are standing in the shower with all of your clothes on. The rain often starts abruptly, and in under a minute your cloths are soaking wet. Ten minutes later the sun will be out and your clothes with begin to dry, only to be soaked again a few minutes later. I have enjoyed the rain so far, but after a few more weeks of being wet, I may change my mind! Today I asked a fishmen what he thought of all the rain. He told me that the rain was good because it causes the fish to move around, which makes them easier for him to catch with his nets. He explained that when the water rises the fish move into the forest to search for food. During the highwater season many of the fish feed on fruit and insects that fall from the trees in areas where the forest is flooded. Other animals, including birds and caymans, travel into the flooded forest in search of food as well. As we paddle through the forest it is bustling with activity, and as far as I can tell a dugout canoe is the perfect way to travel here. Keep Exploring! -Dave Come join the team in the Chat Room Tomorrow! The Wilderness Classroom Team will be in the Chat Room on Tuesday, April 12 at 1:00 PM CST. Temperature: 83 -
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Warren picks some Shimbillo - beans coated in a sweet white fruit - for the team to snack on. Several rangers came to the river's edge to greet us at one of the eight check points along the Samiria River. |
