10-2-19 Rafting the Jatunyaku

"forward together" the guide yelled as the raft began to creep up the face of the wave. Rainforest sped by under the extra thrust of the 6 oars. The wave broke over the bow and we were drenched with freezing river water. We were rafting down the Jatunyacu, one of the smaller rivers joining the amazon from the highlands of Ecuador. Our guide, Victor was at the steering oar calling instructions and Poncho was in a kayak, meters away, ready to pick up anyone who might fall out, but for the moment content to sit back and splash us. In the next hours we went under several suspension bridges, all in bad nick, with planks missing or moss growing on the cables, and once when we stopped to have a break, we even saw a baby snake slithering under the rocks. Finally as we pulled the raft up the beach, I thought what a great day it had been.