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Experiences in
Brazil- Venezuela- Mexico
NAVIGATION AND BOATS
Navigation through the rivers in which we are going to venture are quite safe, in terms of the volume of water, necessary to keep a boat of moderate size afloat. The boats that are used daily, range from indigenous canoes, made of wood, to bongo drums and larger boats, made of wood and metal, without having a great draft.
Rivers we are going to navigate are:
- RIO ORINOCO: The giant "Río Padre", as it is called in Venezuela, is born on Mount Delgado Chalbaud at 1,050 meters above sea level, near the border with Brazil and flows into the Orinoco Delta, after having traveled 2,140 kilometers and having been fed by its tributaries, it is worth mentioning the most important:
Guaviare (1,550 km)- Colombia
Meta (1,050 km)- Colombia
Apure (800 km)~Venezuela
Arauca (800 km)- Colombia
Caroní (700 km)- Venezuela
Capanaparo (650 km)- Colombia/ Venezuela
Caura (643 km)- Venezuela
Vichada (580 km)- Colombia
Tomo (560 km)- Colombia
Ventuari (500 km)- Venezuela
- CASIQUIARE RIVER: With 326 kilometers in length, it is not really a river -in the strict sense of the concept- it is a branch, channel or arm that connects or unites the Orinoco River with the Negro River. The Casiquiare is an "Effluent" of the Orinoco because it diverts part of its flow through a branch towards a channel that will flow into another river, in this case the Río Negro.
- SIAPA RIVER: This is a long river of more than 200 km in length located in the south of the state of Amazonas; it rises near the border with Brazil and is a tributary of the Casiquiare River. The Yanomami live near the confluence with the Casiquiare and it is in one of these towns where we will arrive on this expedition.
JACIARA VI
During our expedition we will be on board this boat.
The Jaciara VI was built with Black Itaúba Tree from the Brazilian Amazon. Itaúba is a highly durable wood, as it is very resistant to xylophagous organisms, such as termites. We talk about this wood in an appendix below.
The speed of the Jaciara VI is around 35 km/h. and it is equipped with the basic comforts for the development of this expedition. It also has one or two boats (bong) to carry out incursions into communities and places that the Jaciara VI cannot access.
BONGOS
The bongos are a wonderful ancestral means of transportation, used by the indigenous people for fishing and transporting goods. Its use is extensive, both in the seas and in rivers.
Here in the Amazon they have a special meaning because they are versatile, fast and they are where nothing else can go. Originally, they were built of wood; today they are specialized: they are made of metal and can be from 10 to 18 meters long by 1.50 meters wide, using outboard motors from 45 to 70 Hp.
Many of them transport cargo for their logistics and comfort, it is worth noting: a plant that is used for refrigerators, televisions and satellite dishes. The use of technology in the wild has helped make scientific expeditions more cost-effective and accurate.
BLACK ITAUBA (Mezilaurus itauba)
The Itaúba (Mezilaurus itauba) is a tree of the Lauraceae family, native to Brazil (especially the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo). It has large, leathery leaves, pale flowers in panicles, and bacaceous fruits. The wood is used in civil and naval construction. Also called new Itaúba Wood has several uses due to its good mechanical and aesthetic properties. Therefore, it is possible to make practically an entire house with the same type of wood.