{"id":3712,"date":"2012-01-21T22:12:00","date_gmt":"2012-01-21T22:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/2012\/01\/21\/an-afternoon-among-river-dolphins-an-evening-of-caimans"},"modified":"2021-09-17T04:50:31","modified_gmt":"2021-09-17T11:50:31","slug":"an-afternoon-among-river-dolphins-an-evening-of-caimans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/?p=3712","title":{"rendered":"An afternoon among river dolphins, an evening of caimans&#8230;"},"content":{"rendered":"<script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"22826\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"22827\">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<\/script><div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/52464-image252842529.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/52464-image252842529.jpeg?resize=640%2C426&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>As I was marveling in my surroundings, droplets of water spray dancing lightly on my cheeks from the skiff, a family of river dolphins simultaneously arch from the Amazon in synchronicity. Their palpable joy is infectious.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/315e8-image252892529.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/315e8-image252892529.jpeg?resize=524%2C640&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"524\" height=\"640\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>They play in the wake of the skiff, showing personality unlike anything I&#8217;ve ever seen from nature. We slow down the skiff as we come to an area were two tributaries meet, and\u00a0my eyes rest upon\u00a0new creatures, pink river dolphins, making their presence known. They rise from the black water like a Loch Ness monster, showing their unique body quickly before disappearing again.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/4bca3-image252882529.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/4bca3-image252882529.jpeg?resize=640%2C442&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"640\" height=\"442\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>A rain storm comes out of the blue sky suddenly, and knowingly the dolphins dissipate. Our guides seem unaffected by the approaching black clouds, and surprise us with a champagne toast as the sun sets behind the approaching storm.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/b36ff-image252832529.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/b36ff-image252832529.jpeg?resize=640%2C426&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>As night surrounds us and the rain falls, we are told that it is time to\u00a0look for caiman&#8217;s, the Amazonian equivalent of an alligator. With a powerful flashlight in hand, our guide pans over the Amazonian waters, searching for the bright eyes of the prehistoric creature.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/29a1d-image252872529.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/29a1d-image252872529.jpeg?resize=640%2C610&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"640\" height=\"610\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>Excitedly, he motions to the skiff driver to go closer to shore. As the boat slows, he keeps a steady hand holding the flashlight on a spot in the water, and then quickly dives his arm in the darkness, and pulls up my first view of a caiman.<\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/83c87-image252852529.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/83c87-image252852529.jpeg?resize=640%2C474&#038;ssl=1\" width=\"640\" height=\"474\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>Soaked and ecstatic, I hold the animal tightly, feeling\u00a0a rapid heartbeat through its skin. I look in its eyes and\u00a0realize it is\u00a0looking back at me with terror. I release it into the water, my own heart racing.<br \/>Just another amazing day in the jungle.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5dGYnnoH87I?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0 As I was marveling in my surroundings, droplets of water spray dancing lightly on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3887,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"googlesitekit_rrm_CAowqprcCw:productID":"","_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\n\n{excerpt}\n\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7315],"tags":[6602,200],"class_list":["post-3712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-a-day-in-the-life","tag-amazon","tag-travel"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mywalkabout.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/83c87-image252852529.jpeg?fit=635%2C472&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p99I7P-XS","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3712"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3712\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14987,"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3712\/revisions\/14987"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3887"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mywalkabout.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}