Day 4 | Ecotourism 2013

Today we ventured deep into the jungle of the Amazon! We knew our athletic ability would be challenged, but we had no idea exactly what we were getting ourselves into. We started the day with the sun shining however by the time we reached the trail the rain was pouring down on us. The hike was still interesting and educational even soaking wet! We had to jump off a rock close to five feet high and crawl on the ground under giant rocks as our backpacks got covered in mud, all while hopping in and out of water and mud. We found a bright blue bug on the tree. Our tour guide said he had never seen that type of bug before, so we took the liberty of naming it Boomer! By the end of the four hour hike everyone's shoes were soaking wet with mud splashed up our legs. We all had a great sense of accomplishment as we walked out of the forest into the sunlight. We learned the difference in ecosystems between the Rio Negro and the Solimoes rivers. The Rio Negro is much slower due to all the islands that block the current. It's also very acidic and is what gives the river it's black color. Because of the acid in the river its not arable and not many fruits grow. As a result there are less animals on the Rio Negro jungle side than on the Solimoes jungle side. After the hike we ate lunch and all jumped into the Rio Negro for a swim. The water level had risen over 30 feet since February due to rainy season. We were swimming over a flooded island! At the end of the day we came back to the lodge and met with Fran, the manager of the lodge.

She gave us background knowledge on the lodge and how it compares to similar jungle lodges in the Amazon. They strive to be eco friendly and are getting better each year. In March they plan to add solar panels to heat the showers. Fran has been working in Ecotourism for ten years, her passion for the hospitality industry and the environment reminds us of Professor Van Hyfte and how she instilled her passions into our class in preparation for this trip. For our last night at the jungle lodge we are heading to bed early to prepare for our 5am sunrise contemplation!