Btimmer's Almost Live to the Amazon 2019 & Beyond

[Btimmer]

Here are a few pictures from our two hour impromptu tour of Santarem.

Museum

 

 

Minke Whale stranded in the Amazon 

 

 

Cathedral interior

 

Night ferry unloading 

Edited November 30, 2019 by Btimmer

[CruiseMGM]

2 hours ago, Btimmer said:

On the contrary, we are loving it.  The grounding just added to the adventure and overnighting in Santarem has led to a full day of scenic cruising on the Amazon in the daylight.  

 

<snip>

 

My blog post from yesterday will describe our day and it was anything from boring.  

 

Thanks for following along.  It's a fascinating journey and worth pursuing.

 

 

Hi, Btimmer, can you possibly post your blog link? I'm assuming it's separate from CC and I must have missed the link. You have a great attitude about the cruising and I'd love to read more.

 

Got an email from a friend who's cabin is at the back of the ship and I guess the "getting off the sand bar" was a lot more noticeable from there!

 

Best wishes, and may you have smooth sailing from here on out!

[Btimmer]

My blog link is https://timmerbrazilplus2019.blogspot.com

 

I stood above the rear thruster for virtually the whole grounding and I agree the aft view was the best view.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I loved how you get track of the time on the silt bar.

 

Hope you like your new camera.

[CruiseMGM]

3 hours ago, Btimmer said:

My blog link is https://timmerbrazilplus2019.blogspot.com

 

I stood above the rear thruster for virtually the whole grounding and I agree the aft view was the best view.

 

Thank you! Off to do some reading.....

Best wishes!

[cat shepard]

Thank you so much for the detail in your blog. I can just imagine the excitement when she started moving again. I wonder if they high-fived each other on the bridge?

[erewhon]

That was something different to be stuck in the Amazon.

Thanks for the detailed blog of the experience.

[ORCRUISER]

We had planned to go on this cruise but had to cancel...next year, possibly or 2021.

[sff]

7 hours ago, CruiseMGM said:

 

Hi, Btimmer, can you possibly post your blog link? I'm assuming it's separate from CC and I must have missed the link. You have a great attitude about the cruising and I'd love to read more.

 

Got an email from a friend who's cabin is at the back of the ship and I guess the "getting off the sand bar" was a lot more noticeable from there!

 

Best wishes, and may you have smooth sailing from here on out!

 

[Btimmer]

Scenes from today's sailing up the Amazon from Santarem.  It's hard to comprehend the volume of water in the Amazon.

 

letting mooring lines go

 

Rear thruster in action

 

 

landing area at Santarem

 

River house

 

horses along river

 

scenic cruiser

[sff]

We are on the 2020 sailing so are following your entries with great interest.  Looking forward to reading more about your upcoming adventures.  By the way, are you having any problems with mosquitoes?

[Btimmer]

Just now, sff said:

We are on the 2020 sailing so are following your entries with great interest.  Looking forward to reading more about your upcoming adventures.  By the way, are you having any problems with mosquitoes?

So far no issues with mosquitoes.  There are lots of other bugs at night on the outside decks.

[ScottishMaid]

Even though there is a huge volume of water the Amazon is still relatively low at this time of year, as shown by the riverboats beached on the sand in the photo. When we went a second time in March the water level was right up to the retaining walls at Manaus, Paratins etc. Maybe 25 feet higher so a huge increase in volume.

There was a big board at Manaus marked in depths. Maybe it is still there - as you exit the ramp from the dock.

[Btimmer]

Here's a few scenes from the excursion we are on.  Next stop is pink dolphins.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Enjoying your reports.

 

Great pictures.  Do you two always eat upside down?  (Just kidding)

[Btimmer]

You're reading this as I write it live from our tour boat whose motor has failed about 20 minutes up river from the ship in Manaus, Brazil.  It's pitch black and we're bobbing in the river.

[cat shepard]

Just now, Btimmer said:

You're reading this as I write it live from our tour boat whose motor has failed about 20 minutes up river from the ship in Manaus, Brazil.  It's pitch black and we're bobbing in the river.

😱 Holy cow! Be safe. Hope rescue arrives soon!

[Btimmer]

We've been told it's a 20 minute wait.

 

its been a great day with monkeys and pink dolphins and giant fish and an Indian cultural show at their village.

 

We're certainly making lots of lemonade from lemons on this voyage.

[Btimmer]

Here's our location.

 

The Volendam is where the the dotted lines converge at Manaus.

 

our rescue boat is here.

Edited December 1, 2019 by Btimmer

[Btimmer]

We're on the rescue boat who gave our boat driver some gas to get back.

 

We also made it back to the ship and have to wait until 10:30pm for some dinner.

[Ken the cruiser]

4 minutes ago, Btimmer said:

We're on the rescue boat who gave our boat driver some gas to get back.

 

We also made it back to the ship and have to wait until 10:30pm for some dinner.

Was it a HAL excursion or one you had organized on your own?

[TiogaCruiser]

2 hours ago, Btimmer said:

You're reading this as I write it live from our tour boat whose motor has failed about 20 minutes up river from the ship in Manaus, Brazil.  It's pitch black and we're bobbing in the river.

Wow. You really are having quite the adventure. I want you at my table in the MDR next cruise!

 

[cat shepard]

First I am glad you are safely back. Would room service be an option? Two hours is a long time to me - especially when I am hungry. 
 

I am really looking forward to reading your recap of the days events.  
 

And not that I want to jinx you, but you might not want to do any more boat excursions, since things have a way of happening in threes.

[Btimmer]

We learned we could have went to the MDR and quickly eaten. But the 10:30pm feeding was wonderful. Room service would have been an option, but we don't eat meals in our room.

 

This was a private excursion and I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.  The boat operator was negligent IMHO for not carrying enough fuel.

 

Re: threes, we depart on this big ship tomorrow to begin our downward sail.  Every stop is a tender port until Belem I believe.  Maybe we can find another sandbar. 😉

 

We are having a terrific time and are always up for a good adventure.  Who else can say they were on a boat that ran out of gas in the Amazon in the dark surrounded by piranhas and pink dolphins!  (Slight exaggeration on the piranhas and dolphins!)
 

Here's a picture from the pink dolphin encounter today!

[Btimmer]

Someone asked earlier about fires and mosquitoes.  
 

The Amazon fires are mainly in the south part of the Amazon.  We saw only a few fields being burned while sailing up to Manaus.  
 

Re: mosquitoes, it's been a non issue for us.  Yesterday, my wife and I applied liberal amounts of bug repellent as we knew we would be in a rural environment.  At no time did we see any mosquitoes.