Orinoco Delta
Day 1
For the people that know me, picking up and catching Pythons and harmless snakes is a regular at home.
James and I are in the Orinoco Delta at the moment, which is explained more in the next blog. Last night we went on a night time wildlife tour looking for Snakes, Frogs, Alligators and Birds.
We never saw an Alligator but found some nice Frogs, Owls and one False Lanshead Python. I ask the guide if it was harmless and could catch it? He offered to catch it but I declined the offer so proceed with the adventure. The snake was a bit grumpier then the carpet pythons of home and as I gently grabbed him he bit me on the hand, which is the first time a snake has ever bitten me. LOL. Everyone in the boat thought it was funny, including myself. It was the first time the guide has seen a tourist catch a snake.
During the afternoon we had done a jungle cruise watching monkeys and birds. The monkeys move through the trees with such grace and at times jump from one tree to land on a branch 4 metres away and 8 metres below them.
Plenty of Toucans were spotted along with numerous Parrots and most of the bird species in the area. The afternoon was completed watching the sunset and Freshwater Grey Dolphins.
Day 2
Started with heading out for a jungle walk. On the way to the jungle walk we stopped at a resort that has 80 rooms and has not had a guest in 3 years due to the massive downturn in tourism. This resort had an electric eel in a tank that we could touch and your fingers tingled like your tongue does when you lick a 9 volt battery.
Once we started the jungle walk we tasted Termites, which have a mint flavour that lasts quite a time in your mouth. Well at least till you eat fresh Palm hearts a bit deeper in the Jungle. Fresh Palm heart is nicer then the tinned product we had eaten at Canaima.
The morning ended with a very good close up of a very co-operative Toucan, before retiring back to camp for lunch and a nap ready for the afternoon.
The afternoon boating trip was a Piranha fishing trip for our dinner. We cruised through the delta to the Celmete’s favourite canal for fishing. In no time I’d won the bet with James and had the first fish in the boat. Luckily we didn’t bet on numbers as he caught 4 to my 2. With the tide changed and the water rising the fish went of the bit so we headed home.
The homeward journey was thwarted with a major problem, the wind and the tide had filled the entrance of our canal with a massive weed mat we couldn’t push out of the way and nor could we pull it apart. After talking to the local family that lived at the entrance it was decide the only way out was to drag the boat over the top of the weed mat. So it was in the water for the guide and I and with the help of the father and 2 sons we pushed the weed back under the boat and skull dragged the boat over 30 metres of weed mat. By the time we reach open water 20 mins later we were all fairly exhausted. After rewarding our helpers it was off home as the sun had already set, and when the sunsets close to the Equator it’s dark in no time. We arrived back at camp with just enough light to find our way up the small overgrown canal.
Dinner was a very nice feed of fresh Piranha, spuds and salad before sorting photos and writing some blogs before it’s all consigned to just a memory. I’m writing this blog to a chorus of howler monkeys, numerous different frogs, and birds that keep going all night.
Day 3
This was an early start day so we rose at 5.00am to be in the boat with the birds getting out of bed and were rewarded with good siting of Macaws none of which land it the correct tree for a photo shoot. We also caught a single glimpse of the Freshwater Pink Dolphin.
After breakfast and it was a visit to a local Waro village to purchase some handicrafts and see their way of life. So much of there life revolves around a palm tree referred to as the Tree of Life because its cut down for the fruit for a juice, fibre for weaving, a starch extracted from the heart to make bread and left to get grubs in which are a food source.
On the return trip to camp for lunch before departure we spotted another snake, this one was left to keep crawling around the trees,
We found out why we haven’t see any land animals, alligators and only a couple of snakes. If it’s catchable it’s a food source because food and money are so scares in the delta.
