On a Boat

The River

Walking down a hundred stairs to get to an inlet of the Amazon River can be a bit precarious in the rain. Mud, leaves, and insects cover the wooden steps. They are hardly visible. I look from side to side, checking to make sure whatever is making noises in the ground next to me isn’t a snake. I lose my footing and decide to forget about the snakes and focus on where I’m walking. The path is not lit. I finally understand what it means to be secluded. Darkness presses in on me from every side, only the occasional flashlight gives me a sense of where I am. Finally I hit level ground and I have never been more relieved. A step up onto the slippery dock, and I can see the outline of a small motorboat only a few feet away. For a group of ten, it looks like it is going to be a tight fit. However, we all seem to squish together-whether in fear of what could be around us or from shelter from the rain. Off we go, through the drizzling rain, down the small, winding river. The trees are so close together I still can’t see anything.. We move slowly and quietly through the waters, as if in fear of disrupting what lives beneath us. The river seems to be getting wider. The trees seem to be spread farther and farther apart. Some light penetrates through the leaves and dances off the surface of the water. I can finally see some of the vegetation more clearly. We stop from time to time and pull up next to the bank for the guide to illuminate a frog or snake or bird for us to see. I find it interesting that so many animals come out at night. Finally, the tell us to hold on. Not knowing what was coming, I held onto my hat. The motor roars, and suddenly we rocket forward. Emerging from the covered forest into the open river was one of the more amazing things I have experienced in my life. The moon was brighter than I could ever remember, there were more stars than I could even describe, and never have I ever felt more in awe of my surroundings. It was such an amazing sight. Never have I ever felt more in touch with nature. The sights, sounds, and smells have stuck with me but there is no doubt in my mind that I need to go back.

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