Fish #18, Prata, near Bonito, Brazil, 19 Apr 2012
Fish at Prata, near Bonito, Brazil, 19 Apr 2012
Fish #20, Prata, near Bonito, Brazil, 19 Apr 2012
Fish #6, Prata, near Bonito, Brazil, 19 Apr 2012
We spent the day at Rio da Prata which is 59 km south of Bonito. The region is set up as a nature reserve based on a protected section of the Prata River which in this area is little more than a narrow stream carrying crystal clear water from the limestone country to the west. The river is home to about 50 different species of (fresh water) fish. Most of the fish appear used to having divers in the water.
At the entrance to the park we were kitted out with short-legged 5 mm wet-suits and booties and given a mask and snorkel. They drove all 8 of us in the back of a truck through farm paddocks, dotted with termite nests, to a drop-off point where we then had to walk in our wet suits through jungle (phew!) to the river.
At this starting point the stream was fairly slow flowing and we just drifted on the surface using the current to propel us at a slow walking pace. We were not wearing fins and we’d been advised to not make contact with the river bottom for fear of affecting the ‘natural environment’! In addition, in the interests of the environment, we were not allowed to wear sunscreen or insect repellent. At our starting point, the river was about 30 m wide and only about 1 m deep. We had to be wary of jagged rocks and the occasional submerged log.
The river is home to numerous fish and schools of large fish seemed oblivious to our presence as we bobbed along on the surface. Occasionally the river would narrow or become very shallow and the current would increase significantly. Corinne was using her new submersible Nikon AW100 and managed to get some good shots and movie clips of the fish we encountered.
We had to detour around one section where the river was obstructed and at this point whilst waiting for the back markers (we were all spaced at about 10 m apart) we started getting nipped by small finger sized fish which we were assured were not piranhas!
The clarity of the water was fantastic and visibility underwater was 50 or so metres. The largest fish sighted would have been about 750 mm long.
At several points in the river bed there were upwellings in the sandy bottom where artesian springs were feeding into the base of the river. These regions of upwelling looked like the sand was boiling in a huge pot.
After about 3 km the stream widened and joined another stream and the water temperature dropped from 24oC to nearer 20oC and the water became more cloudy.
A final 400 m swim with no current assistance brought us to the end of the trip and we climbed into the waiting truck and headed back to the reception centre and a well earned luncheon was awaiting us even though it was now 3.30 pm.
The whole experience of drifting through a 3-4 km long freshwater aquarium was very interesting and relaxing.
Tomorrow we head for the Pantanal area and don't expect to have access to the Internet for a few days.