Boat Ride and Wildlife on Lago/Lake Sandavol (Reserva Nacional),
Amazon Forest Tree Tower
Travelers Learning Lessons (a Few):
Recall that the Electricity only operates at certain hours.
We were aware of the electrical use limitations.
We managed to get the battery of one camera fully charged.
We plugged a second camera's battery into the wall, thinking that it would be charged by morning time BUT we did not know that power was terminated earlier than expected - Mistake #1.
I did NOT check the charge of the battery when I installed it - Mistake #2
I had an opportunity to bring the fully charged "good camera" (a Nikon D610) but because of the rain occurring at decision time I did not bring that camera - Mistake #3.
I brought a waterproof pocket digital camera (Olympus Tough) which in itself was a good decision but I did NOT know that there was only a partial charge on the camera's battery - Mistake #4.
We were about 2/3 complete in the Lago Sandavol Nature Reserve when suddenly the camera quit operating because the battery was dead.
Many Photo Opportunities were Lost - Mistake #5.
The other camera would have been a better camera for this experience.
20/20 Hindsight suggest that I brought the wrong camera and the camera that I brought did not service the needs of the situation.
This situation should be shared with others so that they will not make the same mistakes.
It Rained Most of the Night and It Stopped Just After First Light
We are Heading for Lago Sandavol (Reserva Nacional) This Morning
Above Left: Morning comes and it will stop raining in about 30 minutes.
Above Right: Simple breakfasts, no electrical power, and we are running on candles.
Above Left: Our view up the Amazon; it will rain heavily at Puerto Maldonado.
Above Right: Our view down the Amazon; it will clear up nicely for our morning adventure.
Above Left: Terry and the Guide are heading down to the boat.
Above Right: Our boat is ready.
Above: The Sun is rising over the Amazon.
Above Left: Terry threw me a Wink.
Above Right: The waterproof plasic is down, the air is cold.
The Trail to Lago Sandavol (Sandovol Lake)
Above Left: We arrived at the trail to Sandavol Lake, it is maybe a 2 kilometer hike to the inland lake.
Above Right: The sign demonstrates where we are in the world.
Above: About Sandavol Lake (Reserva Nacional).
Above: A learning lesson.
Above Left: Our Guide leaves no tracks.
Above Right: The Stone Step Manufacturer's Dog leaves tracks.
Above Left: Our Guide spotted the Monkey.
Above Right: Had we have kept walking the monkeys would have stayed in place.
Above Left: A Monkey Troop moved through the trees.
Above Right: A special old tree.
Above: Jungle.
Above: The Trail (well used).
Above: Leaf Cutter (Red) Ants are harvesting.
We Had Arrived at Lago Sandavol (Reserva Nacional Tambopata)
Above Left: We Had Arrived at Sandavol Lake (Reserva Nacional).
Above Right: Another group of Monkeys that are different Species from the two types previously encountered.
Above Left: A human operated pull cart. I have seen what looked like bike tire tracks but I could not figure at what I was looking. This gentleman is bringing supplies to a local establishment that can only be accessed by a River Boat, a Hike, and a self-paddled small Lake Boat.
Above Right: A pack it in / Pack it out sign.
Above: Our boats await us - Clearly the shallow and narrow water crafts are used in a kind of communal honor system where the boats end up here in the morning.
Above: Our Amazon Jungle Boat Selfie - Dennis and Terry Struck, 30 Sep 2016.
Above: Our Guide is maneuvering the craft through a water channel.
Above Left: We're still maneuvering the through a water channel.
Above Right: A Caiman is facing the meager current in ambush of an unsuspecting critter. This is about as big as I have seen a Caiman in Peru.
Above Left: We're nearing the end of the narrow water channel.
Above Right: We have arrived at the lago/lake.
Above Left: I do not remember why we were backwards in this picture..
Above Right: Nice view.
Above: We could see movement but we could not tell what we were viewing. Compare the left and right photos - They are River Otters. There are five (5) of them.
Above: The River Otters re-emerged, they are playing. We watched them play for about 10 minutes. What is amazing to me is that there are Caimans in this water.
Above Left: Native/Local hand made, all wood, relatively new lake boat.
Above Right: Retired, rotting, full of water, hand made, all wood, old lake boat.
Above Left: It looks like a boat frozen in ice but it is pollen floating on the water.
Above Right: a Hoatzin.
The Hoatzin is pheasant-sized, with a total length of 65 centimetres (26 in), and a long neck and small head. It has an unfeathered blue face with maroon eyes, and its head is topped by a spiky, rufous crest. The long, sooty-brown tail is broadly tipped buff. The upperparts are dark, sooty-brown-edged buff on the wing coverts, and streaked buff on the mantle and nape. The under parts are buff, while the crissum (the undertail coverts surrounding the cloaca), primaries, underwing coverts and flanks are rich rufous-chestnut, but this is mainly visible when it opens its wings. The hoatzin is an herbivore, eating leaves and fruit, and has an unusual digestive system with an enlarged crop used for fermentation of vegetable matter, in a manner broadly analogous to the digestive system of mammalian ruminants. The alternative name of "stinkbird" is derived from the bird's foul odour, which is caused by the fermentation of food in its digestive system.
This is a noisy species, with a variety of hoarse calls, including groans, croaks, hisses and grunts. These calls are often associated with body movements, such as wing spreading. Calls are used to maintain contact between individuals in groups, warn of threats and intruders and by chicks begging for food. - Wikipedia
Above: Lunch Location and Lunch.
Above Left: See it?
Above Right: There it is.
Above: Birds Fishing.
Back at the Corto Maltes Amazonia Ecolodge
Above Left: Looking at the Store and one person on Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi can only be picked up on the this porch
Above Right: Looking at the Bar on the front porch of the Main Building.
Above: A Poinsettia Tree.
Above Left: His.
Above Right: Hers.
We're Adventure Hiking to the Amazon Forest Tree Tower
Above Left: Hiking.
Above Right: Our Guide saw evidence of a recent dig. He stuck in a twig in hopes that the critter would vacate or grab the twig, but in this case the critter just dug in, so we left it alone.
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