Brasil - SP&Pantanal Day 12
Brasil - SP&Pantanal
Day 12 - Saturday, August 8, 2009 – Reserva Ecológica Baía Bonita
Today was our open day, free to do whatever we wanted to plan. Bob decided to go on a repelling expedition and the rest of us went with Rogėrio to the Reserva Ecologic Baía Bonita on another snorkeling adventure.
We did not have to leave until 8:00 so we slept in until 6:30, got ready, had our breakfast, and then caught up on our messages.
While we waited for Rogėrio and our new driver, Machado, I took advantage of the time to take a few photos of the beautiful plants around the hotel. I found two burrowing owls by their nest inside a mound of dirt by the stone wall surrounding the hotel.
It was a very short drive to the preserve. This former farm is 100% natural on 88 hectares. The company allows 100 tourists per day in small groups of 10. The four of us were joined by four others, all from Brazil.
We registered at the reception area and then walked to the Rehabilitation Center where biologists and veterinarians care for sick or injured animals.
The first animal we saw was a beautiful young ocelot that had been hit by a car. She was in great health now and about to be released in the near future.
There were red and green macaws with injured wings, a sucuri or an anaconda, a giant anteater, emus, and a white lipped wild boar.
Many farmers in the countryside find injured animals or report carnivores that are attacking their cattle. Instead of killing them, they are now more apt to take them to a sanctuary such as Baía Bonita.
After an hour of seeing the animals, we were next in line for getting our wet suits and water equipment. We had to shower before we got into the river so as not to contaminate the fish.
Our walk to the river was about 30 minutes through the dense forest again. About the only thick woods left in Mato Grosso are along the river banks because the majority of the land has been cleared for farming and pasture land.
We entered the river at its source, a very cold pool of spring water. For once we were happy to have our wet suits. The fish here were very concentrated and there were many more varieties than we saw yesterday.
Rogėrio led the way down the river as we swam in a single file through deep clear water and then shallow warmer water strangled with green aqua plants.
After about 35 minutes we got out of the water and walked to a platform with a zip-line suspended over the river. Many of us took turns zipping to the center of the river and then jumping into the cold water. How refreshing!
We left the reserve and went back to the hotel to pick up Bob who listened to our stories and then we heard all about his trip down into the cave.
We went into Bonito to go to the bank and have lunch at a wonderful fish restaurant called Cantinho do Peixe. We tried the fried jacaré or crocodile. We also had a plate of Dourado, one of the big fish we saw underwater yesterday and also Piraputanga, a red tailed fish we saw today and also common in this area.
All of the side sauces were delicious, and the fish was excellent! Another big noontime meal that is typical of life in Brazil. Dinners seem to be lighter.
At 4:00 we went back to the hotel and I checked the weather again; it was now 91º and 38% humidity. We started off again to the city park of Bonito, Balneário Municipal, a large area just outside of town on the river.
Because it was Saturday the park was filled with many families and people enjoying the day out of doors. While the ladies sat this one out, the guys decided to swim the river one more time and had a pleasant swim to end the day.
Because we ate so late, Gennie and I decided not to have dinner. We wrote the journal, sorted photos, and packed our bags for our early departure tomorrow morning back to Sao Paulo.
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Snorkeling at Baía Bonita (1:05)
Burrowing Owls
Ocelot
Giant Anteater
Snorkel Group
Saturday Afternoon at the City Park
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