Amazon Adventure on the Seven Seas Mariner

Lectures by Jean Michel Cousteau and Terry Breen kept us entertained as we sailed up the Amazon to Alter do Chao, which was about 25 miles from Santarem. Alter do Chao is sometimes compared to the Caribbean because of its white sandy beaches on the Amazon. We opted to take a riverboat ride up a small tributary of the Amazon instead of going into town. We rode for about an hour in a traditional Amazon riverboat that picked us up directly at our ship. The ride was pleasant, although we were backtracking a part of the river we had covered before on the Seven Seas Mariner. The Amazon was about 15 miles wide at this point, so it was nice to cruise up a smaller river and get a chance to maybe see some wildlife and do a little piranha fishing. We saw many birds, a sloth, and some iguanas, which we all agreed was quite good. The small stilt houses along the river were interesting, although the life must be hard for the residents. We stopped and did a little piranha fishing, but only caught some catfish. That was better than nothing, and it made the Amazon seem a little like back home in Georgia, where catfish are also plentiful.

The highlight of the trip for me was the cruise back to the Seven Seas Mariner. We enjoyed one of the most spectacular sunsets I have ever seen, and it was the perfect topper for our afternoon on the Amazon. It was dark by the time we reached the ship, and the Seven Seas Mariner shown like a huge beacon on the river. Next stop, Parintins and the Boi Bumba.