Up the Creek Without a Paddle!

March 2014

After a few days of diving around Guyana it was time to let someone else drive, or at least steer.

 

 

The blue boat being loaded was our transportation to the Santa Mission, an Amerindian Village.  This is at the dock on the Demerara River.  We crossed this river and went up a small tributary, Kamuni Creek.  Santa Mission is about 20 miles up this creek.

 

 

Sister Moore getting helped into the boat.

 



This was our guide, David.  The water is chocolate brown and the farther we went up stream the darker it became.  The color is not sediment it is from the vegetation (leaves) that fall in the water and decay.  The locals call it Black Water and consider it very healthy to bath in.

 

See how peaceful the water is.

One of the places we passed.

Does she look like the missionary on the "African Queen"?

One of the few birds that stayed still long enough to take a picture.  We saw many more but did not get good pictures.

The sign at the Santa Mission.

 

Boat dock at the Santa Mission.  Here under the roof we ate the lunch that our guide picked up as we were on our way to the boat.  Remember them loading the boat?  That was our lunch, chicken, beans, and rice with juice, water or soda to drink.

 

Here is where the local residents have community meetings.

 

This building is where the residents sell their arts and crafts.

 

Yes, we did buy some of their crafts, a cane, a basket, jewelry, etc.

 

Carving at the Santa Mission.

 

One of the houses at the Santa Mission.

 

Pineapple?  No, it's not Hawaii!!!!

 

This little fellow came to look at us.

Off the beaten path and out in the jungle on our nature hike.  If the guide had left we would still be there, we were so lost!!!!  And yes that is the cane I bought at the craft store.  It's made from purple heart wood.

 

 

King fisher.

 

 

The water on the Demerara river was much rougher when we came back than it was when we left.  The boat rocked from side to side.

 

 

One note of interest.  As we were coming back from our visit I looked back at our steersman, he had one hand on the tiller and was using the other hand to bail water out of the boat with a can.  After we got back and were safely on the dock I told Sister Moore.  She said she was glad she didn't know about it as we were going in to the village.  She said she didn't want to walk back 20 mile through the jungle.

This was one great adventure.