Two biology teachers from my home area of west central Indiana have been in Iquitos for the last two days. They were chosen from over 150 applicants for the grant, and are feeling honored to be participating. They take notes and photographs of everything and I know they will learn more than most visitors to the Amazon. They are being great students, one of the first steps to being a great teacher.

We have been to the Pilpintuwasi Animal Orphanage and Butterfly Farm, the Yagua village, Las Boas serpentarium, the Amazon River, and watched pink and gray dolphins. We have visited two small river villages to see how the riberiños live. This morning we are cruising up the Nanay River in Dawn on the Amazon III, into the rare white sand forest of Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve to learn about the real rainforest.

Dawn on the Amazon has one of the most comprehensive libraries of field research books on the upper Amazon Rainforest of Peru, and makes a great mobile base camp to study Rainforest ecology.

I will report back on the Captains blog in a few days about the results of our study of the Amazon rainforest.

Biology Teachers Receive Grant to Study Amazon Rainforest

Bill Grimes, President of Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises

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Monkey Island is home to nine species of primates totaling over 40 individuals. One of them speaks English, two speak Spanish, and all of them are very expressive.

Gilberto Guerra is the owner of Monkey Island. He has been operating this haven for orphaned monkeys two hours down stream from Iquitos Peru for seven years. Gilberto and his right hand man Libert Garcia raise bananas, star fruit, caimito, papaya, mamey, cacao, and other tropical fruits to feed the monkeys and the humans.

Monkey Island would be nearly self sustaining except the inhabitants have developed a special fondness for grapes which do not produce well in the Amazon Rainforest. A funny scene is watching several Woolley Monkeys separate the grape pulp from the skin. They are picky about their grapes. They don’t like skin, but they do not waste one speck of the fruit.

The species we played with on our last visit to Monkey Island were:

• Red Uacari Monkey
• Woolley Monkey
• Saddleback Tamarin
• Saki Monkey
• Dusky Titi Monkey
• Spider Monkey
• Yellow-tailed Spider Monkey
• Red Howler Monkey

You can learn a lot about monkeys at Monkey Island

I learn something new about monkeys nearly every time we visit Monkey Island. I remember the first time I took a hike across the island. The oldest Woolley was my guide. He held my hand with one of his and caught and ate spiders with his other hand the whole way. I was surprised how many spiders a Woolley eats. Of course that was several years ago before they discovered the joy of grapes.

If you choose an Amazon cruise to Monkey Island, I recommend you ask Libert to be your guide instead of the Woolley Monkey. Be sure to give him a tip. He does not eat spiders.

Monkey Island

Bill Grimes, Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises

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Julian Haynes had an ayauasca vision; a floating pyramid across the river from Iquitos Peru. Now his vision is a reality. On June 2nd 2008 three boats with 40 HP motors towed the pyramid structure floating on balsa logs, to its permanent location. There is still a lot of work to finish but in spite of some predictions of disaster his structure proved strong enough to tow. Well done Julian. To learn more about this interesting project check out the web sites http://www.pyramidperu.com/ and
http://www.pyramidperu.com/Tours_Iquitos

I took this photo from my computer chair. That is Dawn on the Amazon III to the left, and Edson is in Dawncita helping push the pyramid away from my boat.

Pyramid Project, Iquitos Peru

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Vegetarian Steamed Vegetables with Quinua

1 small onion chopped fine
3 Tbls olive oil
1 Tbls honey, or to taste
2 small carrots chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 branches of fresh cilantro chopped
3 branches fresh parsley chopped
1 piece cinnamon
1 tsp ginger chopped very fine
½ tsp paprika
1 piece of pumpkin or squash
1 zucchini
2 tomatoes peeled, seeded, and chopped
½ cup golden raisins
2 cups boiled quinua or cous cous
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup boiled garbanzo beans

Stir fry onions in olive oil on medium heat, till golden, add the honey, mix for 1 minute, add carrots, celery, cilantro, parsley, cinnamon, ginger, paprika, add salt and pepper.

Add just enough water to cover the vegetables and boil until the carrots are just tender, or use a steamer.

Add the zucchini, and pumpkin, cook and add the tomatoes, and the raisins. Cook for one minute; take off the stove.

Add the parsley and cilantro and the cinnamon.

Spoon the steamed vegetables onto the quinua and serve.

Vegetarian Steamed Vegetables with Quinua

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We had come a long way inside Pacaya Samiria National Reserve with an acoustical researcher, his team, and a cabin full of research gear to record the communication of Pink Dolphins.

In an effort to get the best recording we came to the Pacaya River, the most remote entrance into the reserve. Our plan was to enter far enough into Pacaya Samiria National Reserve that there would be no motor or even paddling noise from fishermen or other tour operators.

Our goal was Yarina Cocha, on the far side of a difficult obstacle. The river is blocked with a plant plug of aquatic vegetation, backed up several kilometers, and packed in tight. This was our second adventure through the plant plug. We brought the same researchers through here last year. I was not too worried, just a little worried. The plant plug had matured in 13 months, the roots were more entwined.

I won’t bore you with the details but hours later, we came out the other side into open water and it felt great. Several pink dolphins sounded near the boat. We were happy. We were the little boat and the crew that could, chug, chug, chug.

We discovered the most wildlife that can be in one place in a ripe fruit tree absolutely full of a mixed flock of birds, bees, and monkeys, and although it was an hour till dark we tied up nearby to watch the action while my crew and I changed the motor on our excursion boat. I had used it to help push us through the plant plug. Not a good idea. Fortunately we carried a backup motor.

The next day we arrived at Yarina Cocha and were surrounded by pink dolphins, but the wind blew strong causing small waves to lap up against our boat, rain pattered on the lake, and we could not get good recordings until the wind and rain blew over.

While we were waiting for the weather to clear we sent out the excursion boat and had the good luck to watch a herd of around a dozen capibaras, including mothers with their young.

Our best pink dolphin recordings were made in the next couple of days. It is amazing listening in the head phones to sounds like pop corn popping interspersed with lots of other tones.

We knew from previous cruises there was another pod of pink dolphins 55.5 kilometers away at the 3rd ranger station. In an effort to broaden the recorded data base, we set out the next morning.

That stretch of rainforest from Yarina Cocha to the 3rd ranger station is some of the best wild life observation I have ever experienced. The squirrel monkeys, howlers, sloths, and hawks were so plentiful that after a few hours we hardly bothered to pay much attention to them.

We did pay close attention to rare Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkeys, Saki Monkey mothers carrying their babies, Black Capuchin monkeys, falcons, and what may have been a Harpy Eagle which we heard but barely caught a glimpse of.

The bird watching was brilliant, with sightings of a Greater Poto up close, several Rufescent Tiger Herons, flocks of Hoatzins, Golden-collared Toucanets, White-headed Marsh Tyrants, Black-capped Donacobius (the most I have ever seen), and my first Troupial. This is not the place to list all of the macaws, parrots, or over 50 other species, that we identified during those two days.

We all agreed that section of the Pacaya River was one of the best stretches of river we have ever been on.

I was concerned about busting back through the plant plug, so we had to leave earlier than any of us wanted, but it proved to be a good plan as it took even longer to work our way back out.

After 10 days, our cruise totaled 989 kilometers, 307 k were inside the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve recording pink dolphin communication. We spent around 15 hours working our way through the plant plug.

That time was not entirely wasted as we saw and photographed a rainbow boa, a Fer-de-Lance, a Rosy-toed Tarantula, and several interesting species of frogs.

Our two Amazon cruises into Pacaya Samiria National Reserve to record Pink Dolphin communication were great opportunities for me, my crew, and Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises, to prove we have what it takes to overcome obstacles and succeed with scientific field researchers that require a mobile platform to study the rivers and rainforest out of Iquitos Peru.

Pink Dolphins in Pacaya Samiria National Reserve

Bill Grimes, photographer

More interesting photographs from this expedition at Pink Dolphins, Pacaya Samiria National Reserve 

Links to articles from our first expedition in 2007 to record Pink Dolphin communication;

Observations about Our Study of Pink River Dolphins in Pacaya Samiria National Reserve

I am Just Another Travel Man

An Interview With David Bonnett, Acoustical Engineer Studying Pink Dolphin Communication

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The History Channel emailed me about providing support for a documentary they were planning to film about Iquitos Peru. I immediately started brushing up on pre-Incan and Incan Andean trade with the rainforest indigenous, Francisco Orellana “discovering” the Amazon River, the rubber boom era, and the wars.

Then Amanda Mears, the producer, called and told me they planned to film The Ancient History of Shamanism, Ayauasca, and How it Relates to Modern Tourism in Iquitos Peru.

They met a shaman, went with him into the jungle, harvested and prepared the ayauasca vine and other natural medicines, brewed the ayauasca tea, participated in an ayauasca ceremony, and filmed the whole sequence.

They also filmed a short segment from Dawn on the Amazon III as we cruised slowly past the Iquitos water front and the floating village of Belen. The next day they photographed the Butterfly Farm.

The history of Shamanism and the use of ayauasca is a fascinating subject for a documentary. I look forward to watching it. I am curious if they will use the more accurate term curandero, or vegetalista, instead of Shaman. Probably not; the word shaman has instant international recognition.

The History Channel film crew had an amazing experience in Iquitos that they will never forget. I expect them to come back some day.

The History Channel Films Iquitos Peru

Bill Grimes, President, Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises—Welcome to Iquitos Peru

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This guest post by Michael Collis, editor of the Iquitos Times

Bill you have reviewed the food now I have done the beer! Ask your readers to comment on their favorite beer in Iquitos.

Boozers Guide to Iquitos,Peru

I have lived in Iquitos, Peru for 10 years and am considered by some as an expert on local beers. In Iquitos we have 5 brands of Peruvian beer on sale. They are;

1. Pilsen
2. Cristal
3. San Juan
4. Iquiteña
5. Cusqueña

For more than 9 years my favorite tiple was Pilsen, that was until about 3 months ago when I tried the Iquiteña Extra which is a delicious full bodied beer brewed here in Iquitos. The Iquiteña brewery opened about 3 years ago and their first beer was undrinkable so they developed the new beer Iquiteña Extra which I must admit is definitely the best beer here in Iquitos and probably in Peru. Being brewed here also means that it does not contain additives that preserve the beer in the tropical climate. The cheapest place to buy a beer or 2 is out from downtown Iquitos where you can get 3 bottles of beer (650 milliliter per bottle, one and a third pints) for only 10 Peruvian soles (about $3.50 US). The cheapest beer in downtown Iquitos can be found at Latidos Bar on the waterfront boulevard at only 4 soles for a large bottle . Most other bars and restaurants charge between 5 and 6.5 soles per bottle.

Enjoy your stay in Iquitos but remember alcohol taken in excess can be harmful to your health.

Leave a comment to let us know, what is your favorite beer to drink in Iquitos?

Beer Drinkers Guide to Iquitos Peru

Guest post by Michael Collis, Iquitos Times

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An uncontacted tribe of indigenous has been discovered and photographed from the air near the border of Peru and Brazil. The exact location has not been revealed to protect the tribe from unwanted visits. First contact usually results in half the population of the village dieing from diseases, and the complete disruption of their social order and lifestyle.

I examined the photos of the uncontacted tribe on the Survival International web site. One woman is stained black from either the unripe fruit or seed of the wito tree. Three or four of the men have stained their face red with the fruit of the achiote tree. One man has a wooden spear, three of the men have strips of bark or bamboo around their waist and forehead and are holding bows and arrows at the ready.

Three simple thatch roof structures are laid out in a practical orderly system for communal living for 20 or 30 natives, but only half that many are visible. They might be a tribe of the Amahuaca.

Their days as the uncontacted tribe are just about over.

I am curious about the details of their life. Unfortunately so is every other jungle guide in Peru and Brazil. Anthropologists all over the world are trying to figure out how to hook up with the right jungle guide to get there before it is too late.

Uncontacted Tribe Discovered in Amazon

Bill Grimes, Jungle Guide for Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises

About Bill Grimes

Contact Bill Grimes

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Come to Iquitos Peru to get away from the crowd. Cusco has as many tourists in one week as Iquitos has in one year.

The months with the fewest tourists in Iquitos Peru are Jan., Feb., April, May, Nov., Dec.

The months with the fewest tourists for Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises are April and May. That always surprises me because those are two of the best months for Amazon Cruises. The water is high and the boat rides above the river bank with the best view.

I speculate that most of the tourists that did not go to lodges or stay in hotels went on Amazon Cruises, were missionaries, or were seeking the services of a shaman, or curandero.

Tourism Statistics for Iquitos Peru

Bill Grimes, President, Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises

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I am going to show you how easy it can be to have a safe adventure in the Amazon Rainforest. You will stay at the best hotels, eat at my favorite restaurants, cruise the Amazon on a famous Amazon River boat, play golf at the Amazon Golf Course, and have a great story to tell your family and friends.

This is the Amazon Golf Course, carved out of second growth jungle near Iquitos Peru by men with machetes. Water hazards take on a literal meaning when they are full of large toothy sport fish called, WOLF FISH, Hoplias malabaricus. We rent fishing poles to carry with your clubs and machete. You can use golf balls for bait.

Plan to play a round at the Amazon Golf Course soon.

Dawn on the Amazon Tours and Cruises has teamed up with the Amazon Golf Course to create two travel packages to make it easy for you to play this challenging course, to enjoy exotic Iquitos, and to explore the Amazon River and rainforest cruising on the beautiful Dawn on the Amazon river boats.

The only differences in the two packages are The Luxury Amazon Cruise and Golf Adventure, for $1800, provides the benefit of the additional comfort of staying in 5 star hotels and cruising in Dawn on the Amazon III. The Half Price Amazon Cruise and Golf Adventure, for $900, provide the same golf and other benefits, but you will stay in three star hotels, and cruise through the Amazon rainforest in Dawn on the Amazon I. All of the other benefits are the same. Really, the only decision that you need to make is $1800, or $900. Bring three friends.

Your Amazon Cruise and Golf Adventure, Iquitos Peru

Bill Grimes

Amazon Golf Course, Iquitos Peru, Open Under New Management

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