ECUADOR

July 2003
While still leading our group from Broadreach, we boarded a plane in Quito and flew to Lago Agrio. The flight took us only a half an hour over spectacular volcanoes to the Amazon Basin. Once there we transferred all our gear to old school bus and drove for 2 1/2 hours to the tributaries of the Amazon River. We then had another 2 1/2 hour ride in a motorized canoe to finally arrive at our base camp in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve.

The Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve
is a tropical rainforest and covers a whopping area of 655,781 hectares! One hectare (2.47 acres) alone could have over 750 types of trees and 1500 species of higher plants. Ecuador has over 20% of the worlds birds species in an area about as big as Colorado. There are over 520 species of birds in the tropical jungle and is fast becoming one of the most popular destinations for avid birders. There are also a great variety of mammals, reptiles, and fish present like the mysterious river dolphins (which can bend their necks). Cuyabeno also has a significant caiman reserve, which can be reached from the Aguarico and Cuyabeno rivers.

Our Siona guides were experts in navigating these long motorized canoes through the water. The river was constantly changing and they had to be aware of all sorts of hidden debris such as branches and even whole trees. Their eyes were sharp and could spot a hidden anaconda in the tangled shrubbery as we passed from in the middle of the river. Our guide moonlighted as shaman and gave us an amazing demonstration of his healing rituals and chants.
Our accommodations in the jungle were in tents pitched on a raised platform. We also had plenty of hammocks to lounge around in during the hottest part of the day. If we ever stepped off the platform we wore high rubber boots because there were the poisonous fer-de-lance snakes creeping around the perimeter. There were also plenty of insects such as the leaf cutter ant and tarantulas.

Broadreach Community Service
One of the course learning objectives of a Broadreach trip is community service. We decided to give back to the local community by purchasing paints and a soccer ball and prepared to paint the school of the local Siona community.

The Great Soccer Match

After we artistically finished our painting of the school, we had a soccer match against the Siona towns people. Broadreach comes back here every year and plays them and we had been told to prepare to lose...they were that good. Well, our team "Broadreach" started off smashingly well and managed to keep it tied for the first half. Then things got tense as the minutes were ticking down. Everyone was playing their best...until I finally scored the winning goal....but for the other team!! We had bet the ball and left it behind for them one more year.

After our great defeat we canoed back to our camp but stopped by this great mangrove. We all jumped into the water and cooled off. Our shower facilities and plumbing at our camp weren't functioning so well and it was just easier to rinse off in the river.
But get this!....after we swam around for about an hour, we climbed back into our boat, baited hooks, and went fishing for piranha in the same water we had just been swimming in!!!


View Past Lobster Updates:
» PERU
» HONDURAS
» COSTA RICA
» GUATEMALA TO BELIZE
» LAGO DE ATITLAN, GUATEMALA
» PALENQUE TO GUATEMALA HOT SPRINGS
» CHRISTMAS IN OAXACA, MEXICO
» MEXICO: TAXCO AND BEACHES
» MEXICO CITY TO THE SILVER CAPITAL