Quote:
Originally Posted by SailingSisu
Yes, I might be crazy to sail up the Amazon, but this is why I asked for people who has done it before and can tell about it. This is one way for me to be able to make an informed decision of whether I may be able to take the risk.
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Hi Frik,
I don't think it's crazy and while I don't know about the sailing part, going up the river in your
boat should be possible. I was never sailing on the Amazon river but I traveled from Sanitären to Manaus in one of those passenger
boats in a hammock and on a small river
boat up the Solimoes and Rio Negro.
First of all, the Amazon River ist gut, really big. Lake Malawi easily fits in a small part of it. If you want to go upstream you have to know the currents, you have to get them right or you have no chance. And you have to look out for sandbanks, they are ever moving. We saw even one of the passenger ships that go up and down regularly hitting one and getting stuck.
There are big ocean level cargo ships going up and down, you will want to avoid them, too.
But on the other hand there are
kids in dugouts on the river on their own. There's fantastic nature everywhere. There will be less and smaller
animals than in a
game drive in
Africa but they are there. The further away from villages and people the easier to find.
I don't think
security would be a bigger concern than in SA. There are dangerous areas in the cities like in many other countries.
To go there with your own boat, you will need to find out about their
regulations. Bigger ships have to take pilots onboard that guide them safely through the channels. Maybe that's also required for bigger
boats. If not, it might still be an option or at least hire an experienced guide who knows about boats.
Even if you decide you don't want to go on the river in your boat, you still should go there and experience the Amazon rainforest. It's amazing!