Kayak trip Guyana 1998

How did this trip come about? Was it through the stories of Henry Tschinkel about kayaking trips in Venezuela? The small trip we made together on the Demerara from Ekuk to 57 miles landing? Or was it the video of Duane de Freitas from his successful but nearly fatal trip over the Cuyuwini and Essequibo rivers? Anyway, after having ridden from Georgetown to Dadanawa by motorbike in 1991 and after several trips by car to the Rupununi, finally reaching the Cuyuwini landing with the family in 1996, exploring a large area by small boat seemed necessary. Boating the Cuyuwini or Rewa rivers would be too difficult, logistically. Thus, the idea of a kayak trip from Dadanawa to somewhere along the Essequibo was borne. There was only one colleague mad enough to join.

The final plan for the trip was made before in the end of 1997. During some stay in the autumn of 1998 it would happen.

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The trip

The trip would lead from Dadanawa Ranch, in the south Rupununi over the Rupununi river to Apoteri and then continue over the Essequibo to the landing of Omai Goldmines, some 500 kilometres.

The trip can be divided in four legs

1. Dadanawa – Karanambo (155 km): Over the Rupununi River through the South-Rupununi savannah and Kanuku Mountains,

2. Karanambo – Apoteri (160 km): Over the Rupununi River through the North-Rupununi savannah,

3. Apoteri – Kurupukari (105 km): Over the Essequibo River along the Iwokrama Forest and

4. Kurupukari – Omai (110 km): Over the Essequibo through the rain forests of central Guyana.

We should have food droppings at Karanambo Ranch and at the Iwokrama Field Station.

Hans ter Steege

October 1998

Guyana info

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The preparations

The maps

The first we did was the ordering of topo maps at Lands & Surveys covering the full route. The last part of the maps was already available at the Tropenbos Mabura Office, as this is part of the working area. A few maps were borrowed from the Iwokrama Centre. On the maps we could localise all rapids and Oscar calculated all distances and marked kilometres marks along the proposed route. The maps were reduced and copied onto 19 A4 ‘Rite-in-the-Rain’ paper, special water proof paper. We also had to think about the food.

The diet

We assembled a well balanced meal. Spaghetti with Spam. To make it a bit more digestible we added some ketchup and parmesan cheese. No fruits and vegetables, these came in pills. I had arranged some army rations through a brother in law. These are complete meals, including a heater. You only have to add a little water and some fine chemicals start to boil and there you go, one GI daily ration. These meals all carry culinary names, but all look the same and ditto taste. Poor guys in the army. Besides afterwards you’re still hungry. Breakfast consisted of cruesli with milk or crackers. While paddling we used several snacks: ovaltine cookies, hardkeks, granola bars and a variety of sweets. Some days we allowed ourselves a real treat: a Jell-O chocolate pudding. Furthermore we had coffee, tea, soup and Tang lemonade. In principle we cooked on an open camp fire, but for convenience we also carried a small gas burner. Where possible we would supplement our meals with fresh fish. Oscar had a small angling rod from the Netherlands, we bought some spoon baits and would acquire some bows and arrows in the Rupununi to shoot Paku in the falls. We would manage.

Sleeping material

We had to be very severe with ourselves where the equipment was concerned. For sleeping we would take a tent, rather than a hammock because the tent would be lighter and would not absorb large quantities of water when wet. Besides we expected dry weather and hoped to sleep in the inner tent only. A sort of mosquito-net on a sand bank. We allowed ourselves the luxury of small self inflatable mattresses, although they would prove to be not so comfortable anyway.

Logistics

Our first food dropping was arranged quickly as a vehicle from the Iwokrama Centre was departing for the fieldstation in a few days. The food was divided in three parts and a barrel was sent up to the station. The second food drooping would have to be arranged differently.

Our biggest problem was getting the boats from Mabura Hill, 240 kilometres south of Georgetown to Dadanawa, three hours south of Lethem. With a bit of luck Roderick Zagt, Programme Teamleader of the Tropenbos Guyana Programme would be heading for the Rupununi and we would hop along, boats on the roof. We would drop food of at the Iwokrama fieldstation, Karanambo Ranch and take the rest to Lethem from where we would proceed to Dadanawa Ranch. Unfortunately, the trail was too bad this year and it seemed unwise to go with one landrover over the trail, knowing it had to be back in time in town to bring someone to the airport. Two options were left, by truck or plane. Food droppings were more difficult by truck so we choose for the plane. Because this exceeded our expectations for the cost of a trip like this we thought of sponsors. Firstly I tried flight operators. This did not prove to successful. I called Colette McDermott of the Tourist Association of Guyana for advice. ‘Try a tour operator’ she said. Thus we arrived at Wilderness Explorers. Tony Thorne sounded interested and send us a press plan which sounded OK to us. He thus became our first sponsor. After a bit more calling around Jerry Goveia of Roraima Airways was willing to give us a discount on the flight and became our second sponsor. In the mean time Tony had received our concept for the Press Release and made a few small changes. Our trip was now official:

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Press Release from Wilderness Explorers

The Dadanawa – Omai Reconnaissance

Defining the possibilities for eco-tourism in kayaks on the Rupununi and Essequibo Rivers.

The Rupununi and Essequibo rivers are home of abundant and diverse wildlife, such as the Giant Otter, Black Cayman, Harpey Eagle, and a variety of Macaws. Long stretches of slow flowing water alternate with fierce rapids. This area of Guyana has unlimited possibilities for eco-tourism. Through a trip from Dadanawa Ranch to Omai landing, two scientists of the Tropenbos-Guyana Programme, Oscar van Dam and Hans ter Steege, wish to explore the possibilities for kayak trips over a stretch of 500 kilometres. During the trip they will make note of all wildlife encountered and at the same time try out the rapids for navigability with small boats.

The trip will start Thursday 1 October, when they will be boarding a Roraima Airways Islander, which will bring them to Dadanawa Ranch. The first leg of the trip will consist of a stretch of the Rupununi river to Karanambo Ranch, where they hope to arrive 6 October. In Karanambo they will restock for the second, and largest leg to Kurupukari, the Iwokrama Fieldstation, where they intend to arrive 17 October. This part of the trip, past Apoteri and along the borders of the Iwokrama Forest, has some of the most spectacular river views and rapids. In Kurupukari they will restock for the last leg to Omai. This part of the Essequibo has some of the largest rapids they will encounter, some of which may have to be portaged. They hope to arrive at Omai landing 23 October.

During the trip they will be in regular radio contact with the Tropenbos headquarters in Georgetown and our press-coordinator in Georgetown, Wilderness Explorers. Through regular press releases Wilderness Explorers will keep the press informed about the progress of the reconnaissance.

Wednesday 31 September there will be opportunity for viewing the kayaks and other equipment at the Tropenbos-Guyana Office in 12E Garnett Street, Campbellville from 14.00 – 16.00 hours (tel 62846). The loading of the equipment in the planes will be at Ogle on 1 October 5.30h A.M.

Press conference

A quarter to two the first reporter came to the Office. A lady of the ‘Voice of Guyana’, the National Broadcast. We had spread our equipment on the concrete and had put up the tent for the last check. Oscar explained on a map how the trip would be structured but she was more interested afterwards about all the work we were doing. Another lady arrived. She was from the ‘Guyana Chronicle’, later accompanied by a photographer. Thus the silliest photograph of the trip was constructed. Oscar and Hans in a boat imitating a paddle stroke on the concrete.

Some news appeared on the ‘Six O’clock News’ but we never heard it. The ‘Chronicle’ published a ¾ page article, which would be handy for us later on.

After the press had left we packed all our materials in the final boxes and stuffed the vehicle. The kayaks went on the roof and we were ready to go.

Leg 1. Dadanawa - Karanambo: Shallow waters

October 1: Georgetown - Dadanawa Ranch

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Up at four thirty after a sleepless night (afraid to miss the alarm). Around five fifteen we arrive at Ogle brought by Roderick. Roraima Airways weighs our boats, equipment and some spares and supplies for Karanambo and Dadanawa and we load the plane. A bit shocking to see all that material fill up the plane, realising at some stage it has to fit in a boat. Six o’clock we take of and after a while we fly over bit and pieces of the river we will boat in a while. Some of the rapids look quite forbidding. Cpt. Miles brings us safely to our first destination, the short strip of Karanambo, where we discharge Diane McTurck’s and our supplies. After some coffee and a bun we proceed. At Dadanawa 1500 lb. of beef are already awaiting the plane. As soon as we have taken all out, the plane is restocked with beef, destination Georgetown. Unfortunately, Sandy left just when we arrived with some German tourists for a round-trip south Rupununi past Shea and Aishalton. We use the afternoon to prepare our boats and make a long trip on horseback through the savannah, incidentally experimenting with horses as means to cross rivers now. Duane has indeed arranged for two bows, very long ones and Cyril, the Wapisiana foreman makes us a few very nice fish arrows. We also stock some tasso (dried beef). We eat with Duane and drink too much rum for a starting night. It is late when we go for our

beds. A tremendous rain shower thunders down during the night.

Dadanawa Ranch

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Duane en Sandy de Freitas are the managers of the Dadanawa ranch, owned by the ‘Rupununi Development Company’. The ranch has at present 500 heads of cattle, a workshop and a store. Eco-tourism has become more and more a speciality of the ranch in the last few years. Duane and Sandy are the owner-managers of ‘Rupununi Trails’ and organise boat en car trips. Furthermore one can fish and ride horse at the ranch. For bird watchers this is a paradise.

October 2: Dadanawa - Illiwa rapids (0 - 30 km)

Up at six. We have breakfast at Duane’s and assist a bit with the settings of the office computers but then it is time to start. Duane drops us with the little Series 3 at the landing and we are off. The brakes of the ‘Sandy Candy’ are still missing. According to Duane they could be fixed in an instant but this would ruin the special character of the vehicle. The Rupununi is low. We continuously scrape over rocks and I am afraid that the boat will puncture, being nearly ten years old and severely maltreated already. Half past one we reach Sand Creek River and pause a while. We then continue to Illima rapids our first camp along the Rupununi river. Both are tired, all muscles ache but 30 kilometres a day seems feasible. But this is only day one, there were 20 odd more to follow. We saw many Herons, Kingfishers and a few Ducks today. Making our first campfire is easy but putting a pan without a handle over it is a bit more difficult. Luckily we have a bit of mesh for the barbecuing of our fish and we can fold it to hold the pot.

October 3: Illima Rapids - Kanuku Mountains (30 - 69 km)

We depart from Illima rapids at seven thirty. We are now entering the Kanuku mountains that have been coming closer ever since. I start singing ‘the river of no return’ and scare of a Capybara. The river increases in strength. We have many small rapids in the morning but none later on. The river turns a lot and offers various splendid views of the Kanukus. We meet a few Amerindians who paddle upstream to Sand Creek Village. Most Amerindian think our boats are too small and scary but we think the dug out are more like that. When fully loaded only inches of gang board are left. Besides the wood is so heavy that the dug-out will sink when it capsizes. A farmer of Crabwood Creek paddles along with us but we are slightly faster but then we make about four times as many strokes per minute.

Both are very tired in the afternoon but we paddle till three thirty just after a rainstorm. It is difficult to light a campfire now. A group of Squirrel monkeys passes by as we bathe. Staying in the river is the nicest thing to do now as there are many Kabouras.

October 4: Kanuku Mountains - begin North Rupununi (69 - 111 km)

The morning greets us with the sound of two Howler monkey groups. For most of the day I am boating with a splitting headache. Must have had too much sun yesterday. The river is digging it self into thick layers of old sediment. Sometimes the bank are over four metres high. Where the river undermines the banks, whole trees collapse into the water. In fast running water a potential hazard as you can get stuck in them.

After a few hours of paddling we meet our first Giant otters, a family of eight. Then later we see our first Black Cayman and six Scarlet macaws. Leaving the Kanukus now we expect the triple rapids, Duane mentioned us about. Here the Rupununi rivers twist three times over a ‘dyke’, a hard volcanic rock formation pressed through the sediments. A few turn before reaching them we are warned profusely by a few Amerindians in a dug-out about these upcoming rapids but they turn out to be quite disappointing. We find a small camping site not too far below the last falls. Later a few Macushi fishermen pass by for a chat. Like most people they consider our boats a bit frail and small but two blades on one paddle might be handy. In the night it start to rain. In total over 100mm falls down. Our tent is not designed for such rain apparently and the bottom starts to leak so that in the end we sleep with our feet in ankle deep water, fortunately warm.

October 5: North Rupununi - Karanambo ranch (111 - 155 km)

It is still raining when we get up and it lasts till noon. We see that our ‘colleagues’ have made a small camp at the other side of the river, consisting of some plastic only. Due to the rain the air is cool and we make much progress. After Yupukari the river widens and slows down. There is not much to see of Yupukari itself, which is a bit of the rivers but the landings are full of dug-outs. Head-wind makes progress more difficult and the ‘man with the hammer’ passes by a few times. Saw one group of Giant otters (5) and six Black Cayman today. We reach Karanambo at two thirty. The end of our first leg. We have a nice lunch with Diane, check our supplies and go fishing and bird watching on the Simuni R. in the afternoon with the German tourists, who have also arrived here, ending the daylight with rum punch (Karanambo’s speciality) at a small creek. Finally Oscar makes his first catch: three Piranha. Peter the Giant Otter will eat those. But the catch is encouraging, maybe the fishing will work out.

The list of birds so far: Striated heron, Rufescent tiger heron, little blue heron, Capped heron, Night heron, White necked heron, Great egret, snowy egret, Anigha, Green ibis, Maguari Stork, Jabiru, Olive green Oropendolas, Yellow-rumped Cassiques, Red-capped Cardinal, King fishers (Amazon, Pigmy, Banded, Ringed), Jacamar, Pied lapwing, Southern Lapwing, Large-billed Tern, Skimmers, Osprey, Scarlet Macaw, Red-billed Toucan (and many more).

October 6: Karanambo Ranch

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We are now one day ahead of schedule, so we plan a new one to arrive in Apoteri at October 11 and Kurupukari the 15^th. We re-measure all maps and find out that Omai is at 530k. We radio back and forth and finally, through the assistance of Colin Edwards of Rockview Eco-Resort and the Amerindian Hostel in Georgetown, get to speak Tony of Wilderness Explorers for our report. Here we hear that we had a fair bit of exposure in the papers. With the schedule we have now we may be able to meet Roderick at Yukariba falls (cold beers in prospect). In the afternoon Oscar goes fishing with Ashley, while I decide to take a walk to the long airstrip to have a look over the Kanukus in the south and the Pakaraimas in the north. This is the one big advantage of a savannah over forest, the view. From the airstrip I take the short rout back, realising too late that with high water it is usually flooded and it is. Arrive in Karanambo just after dusk and wet again. Oscar and Ashley return from their fishing trip with seven Lukenani. Fish and chips for the night. For desert we have a delicious Chocolate silk pie, for which we had been looking out already. After desert Diane entertains us some great stories including one where she encounters a Puma while walking and how she tries to scare it of with all sort of noises, including the "hunting noises of a Jaguar".

Leg 2. Karanambo - Apoteri: High waters

October 7: Karanambo Ranch - Yakarinta (155 - 202 km)

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The Rupununi is still rising from the rain of a few days ago and is only a few feet under the bank. We first pack our boats and then go for breakfast. Diane insist we take some rum punch for the nights and some Swank for our regular drinking bottles, which we gladly accept. With the high water we make terrific progress and reach our planned camp in two and a half hour. We decide to continue a bit. We pass several villages Kwaimatta, Massara and Yakarinta. The river is very busy with travellers here. Finally we make camp at a nice spot at 202k. We did not see too many birds for the day but several groups of monkeys (Capuchin and Squirrel) and one Puma passing by the shore. A large Stingray lies in front of our camp and we test him a little. Better not step on such one. While I make camp and a fire and Oscar catches fish (1 Piranha of 3 inches today) a group of Howlers sounds from the Pakaraima slopes.

Jumping monkeys video

October 8: Yakarinta - Camp 7 (202 - 250 km)

A long night, I checked for Cayman but saw none. The river came up a bit more still and is wide and slow and there is much head wind and high waves. There are not much birds today, as they are all probably in the oxbow lakes now due to the high water. Only the Kingfishers are our continuous companions. We pass by Annai and see many small settlements along the banks. It is difficult to find a good campsite but we finally find a small one at 250 km. Because the river is still rising we are a bit worried we may flood out during the night. Seven Macaws for the day, one Black Cayman at our camp. A Maam calls at dusk while we are eating. An outboard engine is audible for a good while now and we are wondering who is boating this late. The boat passes and we wave. Then it returns and lands, the Bishop, who is on board, enquires whether we are stranded and in need of assistance. We assure him everything is all right and they continue to Yakarinta.

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October 9: Camp7 - past Rewa (250 - 296)

The river went down a bit last night. Good news. After breaking up camp we are looking for a shortcut. A small series of lakes connected by a small stream. We expect some interesting scenery around the lakes and more wildlife than along the river. The entrance is easily found but the creek dissolves more or less in flooded forest. After a while our fears materialise, a large takuba blocks the creek. Going half under water with the boat we are able to pass it, much to the annoyance of termites inhabiting the log. The creek picks up some speed and I get stuck in some trees, while chasing my paddle. Oscar in the mean time is hanging patiently under the log waiting for a hand. After some wriggling I release the boat and help him through. It is now again quite difficult to see how the route is supposed to be. We struggle ourselves through many spiny palms. The stretch through the lakes is indeed quite beautiful but we see not much wildlife anyway, except for a group of Capuchin Monkeys. After a few hours of struggling we are back on the river. The shortcut was nice scenery indeed but not much use as a time saver. The Rupununi river widens again offering us a beautiful view of Mt. Makarapan. We stop at Rewa village in search of a toothbrush (which I forgot at Karanambo) not to avail. The health centre, which looks very well maintained, has a radio and offers the use, so we relay a small message to Karanambo. Diane asks us whether the extra weight (rum punch) was a welcome addition after all and we definitely agree.

Where the Rewa and Rupununi rivers meet the rivers get very wide and slow. Here we see the first Mora tree. Possible the most southern along the Rupununi. After this the forest is a fairly consistent mix of Mora (Mora excelsa) and Sarebebe (Macrolobium acaciifolium) but no sign of Trysil (Pentaclethra macroloba) as yet. There are but a few camp sites and we find one in a dry creek bed, very tiredly, at 296k. We should reach Apoteri tomorrow. Few Macaws today, one Maam and Howlers at the camp. The sun sets beautifully behind the Makarapan mountain.

October 10: past Rewa - Takutu Inlet (296 - 331 km)

After a night in the forest, dark and windless we get up at our usual five thirty. Interestingly, both of us dreamt of a Jaguar peeping into the tent. It is one single stretch to Apoteri, where we arrive at nine thirty. Unfortunately, the old Government Compound is empty and offers the sight of a ‘ghost town’, so we proceed after some checking to the Village landing at the Essequibo River. The people in Apoteri are not surprised of our arrival as they heard our radio conversation the day before. Unfortunately, the shop has no tooth brush either. I proceed with the priest to the radio station (same compound) to find that the operator has gone hunting for the day (it is Saturday) but his daughter brings the key so we can relay a message to Karanambo to be forwarded to Tony at Wilderness Explorers. The walk back over the gravel and now very hot sand is punishing for my bare feet. I am glad to be back in the boat.

Leg 3. Apoteri - Kurupukari: Black waters and white

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Having reached Apoteri we are now way over the half of our trip and still gaining time on our initial schedule. The confluence of the Rupununi and Essequibo rivers is very nice. Both rivers seem to rush into each other with audible gusto but for a good while there waters remain unmixed - the brown-green water of the Rupununi along the left bank, the black water of the Essequibo along the right bank. We are now in our third part and hoping for some nice white waters in the rapids ahead. We find our camp for the night at a nice small sandbank, totally inhabited by ‘Cow-fly tigers’ and opposite the Takutu inlet. While bathing and eating, which we mostly do in the water to keep cool our camp is checked out by a Black Cayman (or Caywoman). The animal patrol the camp for a good two hours, never coming to close. While I am writing my report rain is beating the forest at the other side of the river. We seem to keep it dry tonight. As usual we are discovered by a pack of vultures. As soon as we will leave the camp site tomorrow they will ‘attack’ it to find out if we left anything for them. This will be a long night waiting for nothing again.

Video Cayman

October 11: Takutu Inlet - Akramukra Falls (331 - 365 km)

We decide to have a look in the Takutu inlet before we continue our river descend. The inlet is a nice, very large, oxbow lake with enormous quantities of (very large) fish it seems. Many Herons and Aninghas. Oscar thinks he hears a Giant Otter snorting but we cannot find it. At Rappu rapids the river is wide and high and the rapids are thus not much more than a ripple. The scenery is beautiful, however and we pause a while on the rocks. Two Yellow-blue Macaws pass by. Below the falls the river braids out into several channels. We see a tree completely loaded with Catleya violacea orchids. We choose the left channel. A nice piece of river leads us along the Iwokrama forest now and we pass Kabukalli landing. The small rapids where we pause are nice but again not too high. Fishing again not successful. We continue to Akramukra falls a little upstream now and make camp at the bottom of the falls. A boat with three men comes up. They are working on a dredge down river and had read about out trip in the paper. They invite us to pass by the camp the next day. While Oscar makes camp I empty the boat and scout Akramukra falls a bit. With an empty boat it is not too difficult to paddle up to the top of the falls, making use of the eddies and waves. The falls remind me a bit of Yukariba falls. While preparing food close to fifty Macaws pass over. This must be Macaw capital. There are fresh Capybara droppings and tracks in the sand close to the camp. No Cayman.

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October 12: Akramukra Falls - Makari Island (365 - 391 km)

Cleaned out the boats totally and stuffed al out materials under a tree. Conquered Akramukra twice up and boated down through various channels. Nice fun. We pack our boats and continue. The next falls are funny too and I dive in them but Oscar, reading the map, notes that this is not Pakku Falls. We thus have to re-ascend the falls and go a bit upstream to Pakku falls, which has even better drops. In the mean time several Red-green and Yellow-blue Macaws, Cormorants and a tiny Kingfisher pass by. Pisham-pisham the next rapids are long and wide today. We hear and after a while see the first group of Spider Monkeys on the trip. Even though we are on the water the Spiders still throw branches down into the forest to scare us of. We arrive at the camp of the dredge at Awartun Island and receive a warm welcome with coffee. After some rest we are guided through the operations on the dredge and have a go at the spinning of the battel. After this we return to the camp to see the separation of the gold catch of the last 24h. Not much compared to the cost of getting it (4 barrels of diesel per day plus 25 men) but they are mainly prospecting now. After some Potato Choka and rice we return on the river but first have to show the Eskimo roll. We continue to a small sand bar at 390k. We stay long up this evening as the weather is very nice and the evening light. Two Cayman around the camp this night.

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October 13: Makari Island - Kurupukari (391 - 418 km)

The breakfast is not so fast today. We are starting to feel the kilometres. Oat porridge also appears not to be the best fuel for the engines. The first bit is calm but scenic. The first falls are after a few hours and quite calm. Then the Essequibo braids out and we paddle along with the steam into a leftish channel. There are a fair series of rapids, Kurataka rapids, Wamapu rapids, and we finally end up at Gold Falls which, as we hear later, is rather infamous due to the high amount of people that drowned in it. The falls are fairly long with high standing waves but not such a problem for the kayaks. The falls thereafter is quite un-orderly and I get stuck against a stone. In a final attempt at my life Oscar even boats over me but I hardly realise it. With some effort with the paddle I finally manage to free myself, while Oscar is having fun at me downstream. Luckily the spraydeck held but I have made quite a bit of water.

Kurupukari Falls announces itself with a much lower noise that increases to a thunder as we approach it. We are completely on the wrong side of the river to land at Martin’s Islands and thus have to traverse the complete river before we go down. At the islands we assess the best route. Close the island is one passage between a rock and the largest drop. Just big enough for the boats. Martin tells us that the channel is at the other side but we do not feel like traversing yet another time. At the other side of the island is a nice blocked passage with some rocks and one final drop. This is the one we will take. Oscar dives in first and bounces over the first stones - a bit too much to the left still. I traverse the top of the rapid and allow myself to float down. Close to the drop it is time to take some action and I right the boat flush through and turn into the eddy. We land at the other side of the island, checking the falls from the bottom and go up to Martin’s bar. Finally I can buy a new toothbrush, a nice broad Chinese one. We stay fairly long and drink too much. We need three rolls of Maria cookies to lift us up and we float down to the Iwokrama Field station, where we will stay one night and pick up our last ration. We were already expected and a room has been made. We speak with Roderick in Georgetown and give him all the details of the last leg for Tony and the latest schedule. Roderick is audibly annoyed by our spotting of so many Yellow-blue macaws. Unfortunately, our arrival in Omai coincides with the team-weekend of the Tropenbos Programme. There will be no vehicles or people on Saturday. The only thing left is to arrive in Omai on Friday. There goes another resting day and more importantly no Roderick with cold Polar beers at Yukariba. To kill the time in the afternoon I swim across the Essequibo and back while Oscar takes a nap. Our stuff hangs to dry out in the sun but is nearly rewetted when the water tanks are being filled.

We have dinner with the staff of Iwokrama and I discuss a few things for the work I am doing for Iwokrama with the rangers. We stay up a little while chatting with the only researcher at the camp that time, Lorna Hall, working on the Non-Timber Forest Products Balata and Nibi. Always interesting to hear how much English people like to drink on their vacations, we feel like teatoters now. We go to bed late but a real bed this time.

Leg 4. Kurupukari - Omai: Fierce waters

October 14: Kurupukari - Sipa River/Falls (418 - 458 km)

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A bad night as it was hot and dark in the cabin. I must be getting used to the breezy sand banks by now. We pack the boats and have some breakfast. We thank Ken Fredericks, the caretaker of t he field station, and than continue along the shores of Iwokrama, passed Turtle Mt. towards the Tambikubo and Post Arinda Inlets.

At the inlet there is a camp of hunters/fishers from the coast lands, which is quite messy. Not a good example of ecotourism unfortunately. We pass the mouth of the Siparuni river, quite small, which is the northern boundary of the Iwokrama forest.

It starts to rain heavily and high winds make progress very slow. It is often impossible to even see the river banks through the curtains of rain. Than we hear the first falls not even present on the map but fairly high waves anyway. There are several islands behind the falls and we decide to make camp here. There seems to be more rain in the air and it is cold so we set up the full tent. Finally, the rain does not really come. We mix two army rations, after first having devoured soup and crackers. Red-fan Parrots and Toucans are whistling in the background. Our tent is on a lovely spot on sand between the rocks. The tree over it is loaded with ‘air plants’ (Tillandsia bulbosa, T. flexuosa) and Pencil Orchids (Brassavola martiana).

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October 15: Sipa River/Falls - Paiwari Falls (458 - 495 km)

The day of the Falls

This should be called the day of the falls, as we are going to have many. In sequence the are: an unnamed Falls, Akaiwanna F., Great Falls Yukaribi, Little Yukaribi F., Twasinki Cataract (locally called Yukariba Falls), Akaiwatta F., Habakuia F. And several small things in between. Most falls announce themselves from a distance with a load noise to sometimes a roar. Our first falls of the day is easy enough, as is Akaiwanna F., which stretches out over a wide area. From there it is only a small distance to Great Falls Yukaribi and Little Yukaribi Falls. Whereas the first is respectable, with a white foamy channel, the second one is barely noticeable. The river surface is at times semi-global, we see several channels ‘falling to the left, undoubtedly direction Itanime Falls. Then after a long straight stretch with breathtaking views at Twasinki Mt. we hear Twasinki Cataract, a loud thumping noise. We have boated this one before but the water level is quite different now. We stop at the top of the falls to check. Close to the right bank the small channel is quite flooded and easy to take. The main channel, however, was roaring with white foam and looked more impressive. It is a go. Oscar goes first and I make pictures from a distance as he goes down. Most of the time he is not visible in the froth but sometimes I see his helmet or paddle sticking out. At the bottom he sneaks out but it looks as if he is going under but a few seconds later he reappears in the eddy and waves. It is my turn. I traverse up and as usual allow myself to drift into the high part of the falls. For this time this is a mistake because the falls start smooth but with a drop of one and a half meter. I need to correct my angle and land in the middle of the main stream. Not exactly my intention. As I flush down I am nearing the point where the two streams meet. All of a sudden water is coming from the front, the side and the back. The waves are close to twice my height (as seated) and I have some difficulties placing the paddle over them to pull me through. No change to go to the left now as I have to brace over the wave from the right. Oscar shouts some encouragements but I do not hear anything but water. After the first stopper wave there is the second and then the third and the fourth and finally I manage to sneak to the side an get out in the eddy current. This is white water excitement. We pause at the bottom of the falls lying and eating snacks in the river.

Akaiwatta falls is again large and beautiful but not as fierce as Twasinki. Then the river divides itself into a thousand small channels with and equal amount of small islands. The map, which has shown to be painstakingly precise along the trip gets quite useless here. We boat more or less to the right and are nearly defeated as we end up in a channel almost to small to boat. After checking around on foot we decide it is the best to take any way, as the main channel comes all the way from the left. We scrape down. Just a some fifty metres away a small channel plunges down in an un-navigable drop, heavily blocked. The only falls left for the day is Habakuia, according to the captain in Kurupukari the worst but again it is not too difficult. We are very tired by now and need a camping place but this is not so easy because the river flows through a labyrinth of thousands of boulders, thrown randomly into the channel. None of them is large enough for a camp site. Finally we find a good site, with some sand for the tent and enough firewood. Again many Macaws here. They also seem to like areas with many islands. The food is extra nice and the last chocolate pudding goes down very well tonight. But again no fish tonight. We stay up long looking at the stars. Tomorrow we will reach Omai. This is already the last night.

October 16: Paiwari Falls - Omai Landing (495 -530 km)

Our first Falls is Waraputa today. We know it well as it is the nearest falls to Mabura. We have played and descended the falls often enough but never the back channel, which we decide to take now. The descend is longer than the one in the right channel and therefore less steep but there are many rocks to hide behind and surf. This channel is most certainly to rocky for an outboard. We continue to Benhori Bomuku island, which we pass left. We pass the Konawaruk mouth and Mazda’s landing. We need to paddle hard again as the river slows down. We have our last rest just at the big bend after the mouth of the Potaro. From here we have a nice view into the Potaro gorge. Somewhere there behind lies Kaieteur Falls, a drop of over 200 metres, not so boatable. The last rapids are after the Potaro mouth and close to Omai. Crab Falls and Tiger Rapids. Crab Falls is ripply but Tiger Rapids is just a bit higher and has, strange enough, large maelstroms at the bottom. Unexpectedly, one pull the whole front of my boat under but that is all of it.

The Essequibo has again regrouped itself to one channel, slower than ever. There are a great number of dredges and they have created many artificial sandbanks. The Terns and Skimmers seem to think this is OK. Finally we see Omai Goldmines on the left. We know the landing is still a good while but the distance is always disappointingly long and it is very hot too. We land at the landing, realising that we have finished 530 kilometres, which at about one stroke per metre converts to half a million strokes per person, a million in total. Fourteen days of paddling no single portage but also no single day without not meeting anyone on the river!

We pull the boats on shore and ask the security permission to pass and try to get a lift to the YaYa junction. We pull straws and Oscar wins so he will make the hike to Mabura. I stay behind and chat with the security men. Waiting turns out to be a good option because I am first treated Tropical Mist, then an egg, and finally coffee and cake. After a good while Oscar arrives with the Toyota pick-up. We load the boats, the rest of the stuff, thank the security men of Omai and head for Mabura. The things need to be unpacked and repacked somehow, as we are leaving tomorrow morning at five for Georgetown with Simmoné. Quickly we rearrange and head for Sandra’s for food and drinks or rather drinks and foods with Broads one of the filed assistants and Matthew, a Malaysian Bulldozer operator. I am amazed that I do not have a terrible hangover after so many beers. Everything must have been absorbed somehow.

October 17: Mabura Hill - Georgetown (240 km in only four hours)

Up at four thirty and a quick coffee. Oscar’s house is empty so we will have to wait till Linden for breakfast. Simmoné show up at five fifteen and we pack the vehicle. We take my boat to town in case we need to demonstrate something. We jump in the back and Simmoné tears of. We arrive dusted in Linden and have a breakfast with very greasy bakes. I wonder why I like these things. Around ten we arrive at the Tropenbos Office in Garnett Street, unload the vehicle and take a shower. Supposedly the trip is now officially at its end, except for a final press conference and write up.

THE END.......

not quite,

we are planning to boat the Rewa River this fall,

and nobody is living there !

Info: Hans ter Steege and Oscar van Dam

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