Excursion Boskamp – Coppename river – Raleighvallen 7-5-2007 to 10-5-2007

View on the Coppename river at Lolopasi

When La Condamine finally reached French Guyana (Cayenne; 26-8-1744) he could replenish the botanical specimen he had lost on his voyage down the Amazon river. He also made an excursion upstream one of the rivers of Guyana. These rivers with the many rocks and rapids may resemble parts of the Napo river (see map above), where he survived several accidents wetting papers, instruments and, probably, his quinine seedlings.
When working in Ecuador in 1737, La Condamine and Jussieu (another member of the expedition) described for the first time in a scientific way the quinquina-tree. In 1742 the tree was named Cinchona officinalis by Linnaeus. The medicinal properties of the quinine-containing bark, however, were already well-known since the 1560s. La Condamine took 8 plants and seeds with him down the Amazon. But because of the sinking of his boat on several occasions these did not survive.

Likewise, we went up the Coppename river in a motor boat (korjaal), which took us about 3.5 hours to Witagron and another 3.5 hours to the Raleigh falls. Before arriving there we suddenly saw, with the sun in our back (i.e. in the north!), the Voltzberg, sticking out above the woods; a magnificent sight!

Doleh, Hilbert-Jan and Boudewijn: they felt the shock of an electric eel!

We camped at Lolopasi, meaning “rolling road”. Here, everything becomes moist in the humid atmosphere created by the rapids or falls (“vallen” or sula’s).

Hilbert-Jan and Hilbert enjoying the "rolling road" of Lolopasi

Our guides were Drona Gangaram-Panday and Rajen Jetaeu (cook), both of hindustan origin. Drona told us about his religion, about placing flags (red or yellow) on long poste in the corner of your land whenever you have accomplished something for which you are thankful and about his three sons living in Holland.....

Lidie at the lodge overlooking Lolopasi

Trip to the Voltzberg

To the Anjumara falls with "Soldier"

On 8-5-2007 a boat took us to the Anjumara falls from where walked through the wet forest (about 7 km) to the Voltzberg, a dome-shaped granite mountain (inselberg) of 240 m high. Our guide from STINASU, Hugo Josua (born in Witagron, and named “Soldier” although he had not served in the army), led us up the mountain on bare feet; we followed his directions very carefully and understood why this trip would have been impossible when it would have rained.

Our guide "Soldier" or Hugo Josua from Witagron

Following "Soldier" through the wet forest

We admired the knowledge of both Doleh and Hugo about the many trees, fruits and flowers. They showed us “Gods tree”, the Kakantri or Bushy Gado, the Ingipipa from which you can make pipes, the Apoketa tree used to make paddles, the Apokonnie or iodine-tree used to heal wounds and the Ingiprasara, used to make fish-traps; the fruits from the Bugrumaka-palm eaten by pigs and the Podosiri-palm with its beautiful red roots.

Learning how to weave palm leaves

On the Voltzberg, trying out bare feet?


On the Voltzberg

Upon return to the “Hammock camp” on the lower plateau, Hugo was willing to lead Boudewijn and me to the lek of the rare Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicola rupicola), another 3 km up north. I could hardly keep up with Hugo who was almost running through the dark forest on rubber boots that were much too large for him. Two times he was not certain about the path he had taken, but when we finally heard nearby a loud cry of a cat, he said that we had arrived at the place. Just as the Snowy Egret lights up silver-white when standing on the river shore, so these birds flashed their bright orange colour under the dark trees.

The Cock-of-the-Rock: we saw about 6 males!

I was too nervous to take a sharp picture (but see the site of Surinam birds by Jan Hein Ribot; click "Rotshaan"). On our way back we saw a beautiful turtle. Within 1.5 h we were back again at the Hammock-camp, exhausted but very satisfied.

A beautiful turtle on our path....

Exhausted, but we had seen the Cock-of-the-Rock!!

When we finally came back at the Anjumara falls, we hardly could find the place where the boat would pick us up! Because of the rain during the past days, the water had rised at least 1 m.

Trip to the “Moedervallen”

On 9-5-2007 we walked from Lolopasi to the Moedervallen. Again Hugo and Doleh told us about the trees and fruits: the white-and-yellow of the fruit of the Hevea tree (bolletrie- or balata-boom), the red fruits of a tree called “tingy (stincky?) money” and the yellow of a jackfruit (bos-katahar?). But we also saw the Orokuku or bushmaster, 1.5 m long and quite poisonous. After hearing the various sounds of the “Okopipi’s” everywhere, we finally saw one of these little frogs!

Fruit from a rubber tree (Balata), high water and an Okopipi

A bushmaster (1.5 m) and Doleh, giving his jungle-lecture

Last morning – 10-5-2007

Yesterday we were alarmed by two tucans making a lot of noise. The reason was a visit by 4 baboons (Red howler monkey), one carrying a baby, high up in the trees above our lodge. This time the alarm was given by crow-like birds, probably Cayenne Jay’s: again it was a warning for the arrival of monkeys, this time Black Spider monkeys!
Because of the increased water level and the rapids in front of Lolopasi, two boats came to fetch us and brought us to Fungu. One of the boats was named “NEX NO FOUT” (nothing wrong), the slogan of the political party (NDP) of Desi Bouterse.

With a "korjaal" to Fungu island

Drinking warm beer at Fungu;
Drona and Rajen playing checkers

Downstream, it took us only 2 hours to reach Witagron. After lunch and a walk through this Marron-village, we continued downstream, passing a large cargo-boat filled with granite stones. From where did it come?
Then, our boat stopped: water had run into the motor and there were no tools to repair it.
Slowly the cargo-boat came along, stopped and allowed our boat to fasten to its side. We were not the only “guests”: two small fishing-boats were hitch-hiking also, attached to the other side.
The granite came from Apura at the Corantine river. Because the cargo-boat could not sail the Atlantic ocean, the boat had gone up the Nickerie river and had reached the Coppename river via a natural canal connecting both rivers. So, the natural Casiquira canal, connecting the Rio Orinoco with the Rio Negro (see map above) and studied by La Condamine and later by Von Humboldt, is not that unique!

Hitch-hiking on a cargo-boat transporting granite from Apura
(Hilbert-Jan, Marrons, a hitch-hiking fisherman reparing his nets, Lidie, Conrad, Doleh)

We were lucky and still arrived in the early evening in Paramaribo, where we had a nice dinner (“sauto”) with Drona and Rajen. Finally, at Camp David, we enjoyed the shower, the wine and the bright stars.....

Visit to Frederiksdorp: 6-5-2007

Great potoo

Just as in 2005 we went again by boat to the beautiful, old plantation "Frederiksdorp". There, Fred Schoorl pointed out two sleeping Great potoo's to me!
We had a nice dinner and enjoyed the rain, the flowers and the birds. On the way back over the Surinam river we saw dolphins.

Excursion to Tapuripa and Stondansisula: 2 – 5 May 2007

With two boats to Stondansi

Just before dawn Boudewijn woke me up: we listened. Far away we could hear the howling baboons! The Nickeri river streamed quietly, perhaps 2 km/h. We listened how more and more birds started their songs and screams, while a cloudy sky became more and more red. This night-of-the-full-moon Jeronimo, Hilbert-Jan and Hilbert had joined a hunting party in the boat of Dennis. Luckily, no eyes had lit up while they were searching the river bank with a strong flashlight....
Yesterday, the eight of us had embarked at the ghosttown Wageningen on the boat of Paul de Boer. We know this fisherman and hunter, born in Paramaribo, from our previous trip to Wonotobo in November 2005. This time he had two helpers: “Shorty” (a guayanese from Georgetown named Makres Renne) and Muna Rampersad (a hindustan from Nieuw Nickerie).
In the afternoon we reached the indian village Tapuripa (64 people). The “kapitein”, Petrus Sabajo, welcomed us. During the internal war (1986-1992), many of the Arowak inhabitants had fled from the village. Slowly, they were coming back now; also the teacher, so school will probably start again after the big holiday.

Blackboard in school with an announcement for celebrating May 1st

3-5-2007. A guayanese, who is living here with his indian wife and son, brings us in the boat of Dennis to a Hevea tree, here called “balatabon” or “bolletrieboom”. There are apparently not many of these trees anymore. La Condamine already reported about the milky sap or latex that could be obtained by cutting the bark of the “Hevea”, a name taken from the Equadorian indians. The name for the rubber substance, “caoutchouc”, is probably derived from the kechuan language of the Peruvian Incas. The tree I saw was most likely the same as La Condamine sent to France: Castilla elastica, which differs from the Hevea brasiliensis occurring south of the Amazon (see http://www.bouncing-balls.com/timeline/naturalname.htm).

Around 9 o’clock we continue upstream the Nickerie river. We are escorted by two Green kingfishers and groups of Water tyrants, flying low over the water. On both sides of the bending river the ever-changing pattern and colour of leaves and the many shapes of trees fallen from the river banks keep our attention. The Nickerie relates to the Amazon as Zion Canyon to the Grand Canyon: the bamboo bushes, the butterflies, the beautiful flowers, the Scarlet macaws (Ara’s) flying over, are all so close to the naked eye!

In the boat: always something to see

Except for the two motors on our “korjaal”, the wooden boats that took La Condamine down the Amazon, 14 m long (44 “pieds”), 1 m broad, may not have been much different. During the ride we are served rice with some meat and salad by Shorty, the guyanese cook. What food would have been served to La Condamine? Would the indian rowers have had the opportunity to fish or hunt like our guides? In any case, La Condamine will have heard better the sounds of the many birds in the wood. We could only hear the loud and typical scream of the Piha above the noise of the motor.

Our camp at Stondansisula: Hilbert, Dennis, Chris, Conrad, Lidie, Lous

"Shorty's" kitchen

Taking a bath, called "baden" in Surinam

This time the hunters went out before the full moon came up! Now, in the dark they shot two "hares" ("hazen"). Muna cleaned them skilfully. On our way back we made again a stop at the indian village Tapuripa. There, Dennis bought a young "hare" from an indian for 100 SRD (~30€). The young animal, probably an agouti, walked free from care around in our boat. It will be a pet for his son Denny.

Jeronimo observes how Muna cleans the two agouti's shot the previous night

The "sula" of Stondansi

Excursion with Otte Ottema of STINASU – 1-5-2007

Krisna, Otte, Doleh and Lidie at "Peperpot"

See: http://www.tem.nhl.nl/~ribot/english/list_eng.htm

On this day we saw with Otte Ottema of STINASU 55 different birds; about as many as during my 3-week trip in 2005.
At the old plantation “Peperpot” we saw the Great potoo, fast asleep in a tree, resembling a branch (dutch: Grijze reuzennachtzwaluw). We saw the Silvered antbird (Sclateria naevia), coming very close on branches just above the water, the White-winged becard (male), the Palm tanager, the Squirrel cuckoo as well as the Little cuckoo; the Black-crested antshrike with its tail going up-and-down, and the beautiful Turquoise tanager. We saw very clearly the Spotted puffbird (Gevlekte baardkoekoek) and also the probably endemic Arrowhead piculet (dwergspecht). With his sound-recorder Otte also tried to allure the Black-headed antbird, but he didn’t show up.
In the “Cultuurtuin” we saw the Blood-coloured woodpecker (Bloedrugspecht), and how beautiful, several Crimson-hooded manakins! In another part of the “Cultuurtuin” we saw the Green kingfisher, the Straight-billed woodcreeper (muisspecht) and in the crown of a fallen tree, a pair of Tropical gnatcatchers.

At "Weg-naar-Zee"

At the “Weg-naar-Zee” we saw the beautiful Scarlet ibis (finally!) and on a nearby post the Rufous crab-hawk.

Otte Ottema in his studio

Manaus – Boa Vista – Bonfim/Lethem – Paramaribo, 23/28-4-2007

Port and market in Manaus

In Manaus you can buy watches or telephones “per cubic meter”. All historic museums appeared closed or were in a process of reconstruction (e.g. the Instituto Geografico e Historico do Amazonas). We stayed in the run-down hotel “Premium”. After a luxurious dinner in the italian restaurant “Fiorentina” we went to the bus that would bring us through the night to Boa Vista (some 900 km). The comfortable bus hardly stopped; walking in it was almost impossible due to the bumpy road. When it became light we saw a depressing landscape of burned fields with solitary, dead trees and some cows (near Novo Parais?). In the distance cone-shaped mountains.

Bryan's house in Boa Vista, where the goldseekers gathered

In Boa Vista (25-4-2007) Bryan C., the brother of our host in Surinam, came to fetch us in a taxi. He had not been allowed to enter Brazil with his minibus. We had a shower and breakfast in his house in the outskirts of town, where some passengers-without-passport were already waiting. For $250 (?) Bryan will bring them to Paramaribo. It took a while before we understood that they were already waiting a few days: Marinaldo Asousa Silva (from Maranhao, Brazil; 40 years), two young boys, Weskley (from Lago da Pedra) and Marcus (also from Maranhao); then there were two women, Sandra (from Colombia; 35 years) and Rossi (from Brazil; 40 years) who were running shops in goldmining camps.
On the 26th more people came: Edneia, with two girls Rosangela and Roseane (not her own children), all from Para and Socorro from Boa Vista. In total (the four of us included) we would be 19 adults and two small kids packed in two minibuses together with the two drivers, Bryan and a Guayanese chauffeur.

La Condamine travelled in a time when the spaniards were still seeking gold in the Andes. Presently, the exploitation of gold has become very restricted in Brazil. As a result, many brazilians migrate to Venezuela, Guyana or Surinam to find their luck. That is also the reason why our group consists of some 6 men and 3 women that want to search gold in Surinam. All seem to know about the danger of the mercury that they will use to separate the gold particles from the water-sand slurry. But do they realize the long-term health consequences of inhaling evaporated mercury when they heat the gathered “black gold” (gold-mercury amalgamate) with a flame?

Collection of "black gold" - the evaporation of mercury with a flame
(from http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2001/109-10/focus.html)

After waiting the whole morning we went by taxi and bus through a savannah landscape to Bon Fim, the brazilian frontier town at the Tacutu river. A small boat brought us to hotel Torquato on the Guyanan side of the border. Bryan had told us that we would go the next day to the police station of Lethem. When we arrived, Bryan and his goldseeker-passengers were already there. More travellers came through, but did not stay. Our group seemed happy: together with Sandra, a colombian “rola”, we had dinner, played cards and drank beer. Everybody was tired and we went to sleep.

Sandra and Hilbert going to sleep: a few hours later nobody woke up

27-4-2007. At half past 3 I woke up: a man was standing beside my hammock. He spoke well english and asked for money to bring him across the river. He said he was one of the boatsmen, his name was “Rocky”, and he showed me where his boat-motor was. Apparently, this young man knew the way in the hotel. He convinced me and I decided to look for the 10 reals he was asking (3 €). When I tried to sit on my hammock in the dark I fell backwards on the floor making a lot of noise. Nobody woke up, not the guard, not Hilbert lying beside me, not a dog! I brought him to the open gate and he advised me to close it. Then he disappeared on his bicycle in the dark. I looked with satisfaction to the bright stars and the fireflies and went to sleep..... The next day the hotel owner said that “Rocky” was indeed a boatsman, an old man. Bryan said he must have been a robber.

At Lethem police station

Bryan (right) and some goldseekers

The whole morning Bryan was occupied with “organizing” the necessary stamps and documents for his passengers. We finally left at 2 pm going north full speed through a beautiful landscape, the Rupununi savannah. We were amazed seeing the many ant-hills. We had to traverse many small bridges and after the 14th we got a flat tire.

A flat tire after the 14th bridge

One of the 36 bridges we had to cross

Jeronimo and "Junior", one of the goldseekers

The group of moslims from Durban; Mahomed Khan stands next to me

Towards the end of the afternoon we reach just in time the ferry at the Essequibo river. There another bus with bearded moslims from Durban (South Africa) is also waiting. I approach them and realize that for the first time in my life I can speak with moslims from about my age! They are religious people, but one of them, Mahomed Khan, believes in the separation between religion and state and agrees that the story of creation should be told as a myth and not as a truth.
We have dinner in a restaurant at Kurupukari and Bryan has a short sleep. A truck driver, transporting wood and a hindustan family camping on the truncs, tells me that a few years ago the distance Lethem – Georgetown (500 km) took him 10 days!

In the middle of the night, at a “chineese village” owned by a wood company, we were halted. This time, the policemen, who had specially come down from Georgetown, didn’t want to accept money. The local police “allowed” them to check all luggage for weapons, but not the passports or other papers (“manifests”) of the passengers. There was a lot of scolding between them.


We had lost time at the police check and raced to Georgetown, where we made a short stop at a run-down hotel. There were a lot of junks around. But we drove further, faster than ever. On a street, sided by beautiful lotus flowers, and full with cars, bicycles, dogs and people carrying babies, boxes and baskets, we could reach a velocity of 100 km/h on the meter. But we were in time for the two ferries, first over the Berbice, then over the Corantijn: We, that is those in the “legal bus” carrying passports, were in Surinam. The others were taken in little boats over the Corantijn, where a Surinam bus would take them over and bring them to Paramaribo. Due to formalities on both sides of the borther, we arrived 4 h later at hotel Perola in Paramaribo, where the others had arrived safely.

At Springland ferry (Corantijn): Bryan at the desk of a policeman doing a quicker job...

For some 30 h we had experienced “another world”, that of kind, smiling people, who took the risk of travelling this way and who never complained, knowing that that wouldn’t help them. We wish that they all find their “el dorado”.

Waiting for the ferry over the Essequibo river: no complaints!

On his next trip, Bryan was arrested by the Surinam police and had to stay 3 days in the prison of New Nickerie. He had told us about the accomodation: 30 people in a room with one hole in the corner as toilet.....