Two Days. Two Waterfalls

Were still in Antigua and have been doing a little very enjoyable charter work for a local company. Tim has a two week charter starting the 9th of March and after that we will start heading west again.  We've been lurking around Jolly Harbour and meeting up with old friends and making new.  We're members of the OCC,  Ocean Cruising Club, which is a group of like minded people with a blue and yellow burgee adorned with a flying fish.  They have a Radio Net most mornings at 0730 and its a good opportunity to hear whose where and what they are up to.  We also participate in the Coconut Telegraph which does a similar thing without the burgee at 0800.  At 0830 we listen to Chris Parker for our weather. We are living life fast and furiously. ;)

Now back to Guyana....

Guyana is famous for its waterfalls.  Kaieteur Falls, the world's largest single drop waterfall by the volume of water flowing over it, we did not see.  We would have like to see it, but that would have required a light aircraft flight which was a little pricey for us.  Wne did however get to see local water falls or two very different types for the much smaller price of river tours with some local entrepreneurs.

Marshal Falls

We were picked up from the anchorage in a pink pirogue owned by Victoria. Our tour guide and local jungle expert was ...... Our river expert......., the helmsman was Victoria's boyfriend.  Victoria t
ook a back seat in the boat handling until none of her colleagues could start the engine, at which point she did a little tweaking here and there and VROOM it was up and running much to the chagrin of the boys.  (Wah! I can't remember their names but as you probably don't know them anyway I can't see it being much of a problem and will amend when I can.)



The front of the boat photo by Sabrina.  The shop where we would moor our dinghy when we came ashore in Bartica.  This stop was to pick up more crew.  The back of the boat photo by Bruce. Part of the tour was to give us an exciting river ride.

But first!


      

The fuel station - the hose was lowered down on a rope and often dangled in the water, which might explains some of the engine troubles the locals around here have; Hindu prayer flags; Flowers on the water; Local water taxis and trucks being washed on the beach, by Bruce. Between two of the trucks is a pump with a hose.  I find it hard to remember that the river is freshwater.

 

Remember me talking about Bernard mixing compost with rock dust for his soil.  This is one of the several quarries we passed on the Mazauni River.




The ferry crossing on the Mazauni River, which was busy with commerce, transportation and car washing.




Southern lights perhaps? These are caused by sun on ice crystals high above the clouds. On our way to Marshall Falls we went as far up the Mazauni River as possible.  These splendid rocks are often completely covered, but we were there in the dry season and the water was very low. 



Leaving the river for the rainforest; Frog spawn in a puddle on the path; Fantastic patterns of growth on trees; Marshal Falls, coffee coloured water and rickety bridge; Me working up the courage to cross.


  
A good time was had by all including Bruce in the red shirt, Mark in the waterfall, Tim and I.  Good clear photos where quite difficult to take with all the mist in the air and the sun breaking through the canopy, making really strong contrasts.  In the air above the water fall, where large blue butterflies, which really were impossible to take photos of.  The blue of their wings was only on the upper plane of the wing so that when the wings were closed there was no blue to be seen at all.




Tom and Sabrina heading back to the boat; Fantastic trees; Rock and leaves; Bruce and his enormous camera; Too small for the  jawbone of an ass, so I'm betting it's goat.

The next day we visited a water fall at a quarry on the Mazauni River.  As it was very much the dry season the river was very low and you need to picture it about two metres higher, with the local people diving of the rocks into the pool below.




Down stream; Up stream; Relaxing in the cool brown water; padding in the calm waters by Sabrina.

Seriously mineral rich water; Butterflies basking in the sun on the warm sand; Tiger Bird was the name given to this wading bird we watched hunting in the river above the falls. Butterflies and Tiger Bird by Bruce.

The two sets of falls were a contrast in untouched and tamed waterways.  Both trips were great, but Marshall Falls was greater (sic) in our humble opinion.