Amazon Adventure Day 5 - Flying and Floating to the Kendjam Fishing Lodge

Anglers Assemble!
L to R - Fred, Brian, Danny, Jared, Larry, Harlan, Dave, Mike

Quote of the Day: "Are you going to wear that hat fishing?" - Brian

The official itinerary for 26-July:

"Breakfast Buffet at Hotel. The host will pick up the group at approximately 5:30 AM and head to the local airport, to board the charter flight to Kendjam. After a 3:30 hours flight, guests will arrive at the Kendjam Indian Community landing strip where our guides and staff will be waiting. There will be a “Meet and Greet” providing anglers time to discover the Kayapo culture, social organization and more. We will present the group to the Indian chiefs. The group will head downstream to the Lodge. Anglers will be served a simple lunch of sandwiches for the 3 hours boat trip downstream. It’s a great trip to the lodge where anglers will see great river scenery, birds, animals and obviously lots of fish in the Iriri clear waters. Anglers will use this first afternoon to get situated and ready their tackle for the following day. That evening the fishing team will brief anglers on the daily fishing plans and make arrangements for any exploratory camping trip plans." 

On our way

The itinerary closely matched reality.  We're up before dawn, breakfast at the hotel, check out, gather luggage in the lobby, then loaded into a mini-van and whisked to a local airport. The bags are weighed and loaded. It's actually a two-step before we're on out way. The plane takes off with our bags to fly to the main airport and refuel. We bus there, clear security, and board. 

Flying and Floating to the Kendjam Lodge

Although we greeted our traveling companions individually the night before, this is our first opportunity to meet as a group. Only eight anglers are allowed at Kendjam for each one week slot during the dry season. The five in the Heller / Wallach family contingent are the majority of the group. As I'm older than Danny by a few months, I thought I'd be the old man in the group. But of the remaining three, Dave was 76, and Fred 84.  So there's that. 

Another way to divvy up the group was by fishing style. Danny, Larry and Jared are pure spin fisherman. Dave, Fred, Brian and Harlan are committed fly fisherman. I brought both a spinning and fly rod /reel, but planned to primarily spin. Let the debates begin. 

Flying

The plane is a single engine Cessna 208/B Caravan. And we're off..

On board and on our way.

Mike, Brian, Harlan

 

Upon departing Manaus, we are offered another unique perspective of the Encontro das Águas as we fly over the confluence of Rio Negro and Rio Amazonas.

Brazil is a big country. Approximately 85% the geographic area of the United States. And about 60% of the country is encompassed by native vegetation, primarily in the Amazon Rain Forest and associated geographies and ecoystems. That area alone is comparable to the size of Europe. 

It is relatively easy to understand these numbers in a dispassionate analytical way.  Not so looking out the window during our flight. Our views from the the plane over the 3.5+ hour flight covered a small percentage of Amazon Rain Forest. But even with that limited scope, it presents a perspective on the size of the Amazon forest, rivers, highlands, wetlands and wilderness that is so incomprehensively vast, it fills you with wonder and astonishment.

The landing at the Kayapo village of Kendjam offers a bit of excitement as the plane banks over Kendjam Rock, clears the trees and lands on a dirt strip that doubles as a road the rest of the week.

Kendjam Rock and locals strolling down the landing strip.

Floating

 

Shortly after we disembark and bags are unloaded, the anglers from the previous week at the lodge board the Cessna and take off for Manaus. A cycle that will be repeated for us one week hence. 

There's not much time to interact with the locals as the bags are quickly loaded onto the waiting aluminum skiffs, as are we. We change into water shoes and sun shirts for protection during the ride. The itinerary accurately describes the journey as we are handed a "simple" sandwich and push off for the downstream cruise.

So, after 3 1/2 hours in the plane we now embark on a 3 1/2 hour boat ride down the Iriri River to the Lodge. I labeled this blog section as "Floating", but that's fake news. It's more like an exciting motorized nature tour, while running small rapids and portaging around shallow areas and small waterfalls. There are two angler guests in each boat along with a guide and one or two native guides controlling the motor and/or paddling from the bow. Harlan and I are paired with a couple of native guides. 

Let's check in again with Teddy:

"The paddlers were a strapping set. They were expert rivermen and men of the forest, skilled veterans in wilderness work. They were lithe as panthers and brawny as bears. They swam like waterdogs. They were equally at home with pole and paddle, with axe and machete; and one was a good cook and others were good men around camp." - Teddy Roosevelt, "Through the Brazilian Wilderness" 

At the lodge we settle into our rooms, and start setting up our rods, reels and bait. The guides check out our gear, make suggestions, and change out some lines. Mostly they cut out the flourocarbon and go with long wire leaders and biteline.

We convene for dinner in the lodge and get to know each other. 

Many fish stories are told. Some of them true. 

The 7/26/25 - 8/2/25 guests first dinner at Ketcham
L to R - Danny, Jared, Mike, Harlan, Fred, Dave, Brian

Tomorrow we fish. 

Amazon Adventure Day 4 - Preparing for Kendjam (plus piranha)

Packing before departing on this trip.

This is the official itinerary of the first day as we received from Untamed Angling at the Kendjam Lodge:  

"Overnight accommodation (sharing room) at the Juma Ópera Hotel in Manaus, the night before departure to the Kendjam, is included in the package. You will receive all the information regarding the next day’s plan for time of departure, typically around 5:30 AM weather depending. Arrive in Manaus. Our representatives will be waiting for you at the Manaus International Airport (MAO)." - Kendjam Itinerary for 25-July

From this point forward, things start to get a little sketchy for time and internet access as far as maintaining a daily journal. I am pre-posting the itinerary for each day, with the intent of back-filling with pictures and the events of the day. That's my good intention, "Road to Hell" notwithstanding. 

This day was primarily about getting our kits ready for departure. As there was a strict 40 lb weight limit for the single checked bag on the small plane charter flight to the lodge, strategic management was in order. We needed to decide what we really needed for our fishing adventure, how much we could pack into our carry-on, and what to leave at the hotel where we would return at the conclusion of the trip. 

Repacking in Manaus Hotel before departure to Kendjam

Time to again consult the Teddy Roosevelts memoir about his 1914 journey of exploration down the River of Doubt:

"The Outfit for Travelling in the South American Wilderness South America includes so many different kinds of country that it is impossible to devise a scheme of equipment which shall suit all. A hunting-trip in the pantanals, in the swamp country of the upper Paraguay, offers a simple problem. An exploring trip through an unknown tropical forest region, even if the work is chiefly done by river, offers a very difficult problem. All that I can pretend to do is to give a few hints as the results of our own experience." - TR, "Through the Brazilian Wilderness"

"A good medicine-chest is indispensable. Nowadays doctors know so much of tropical diseases that there is no difficulty in fitting one out. It is better not to make the trip at all than to fail to take an ample supply of quinine pills. Cholera pills and cathartic pills come next in importance. In liquid shape there should be serum to inject for the stoppage of amoebic dysentery, and anti-snake-venom serum. Fly-dope should be taken in quantities." - TR" 

"For clothing Kermit and I used what was left over from our African trip. Sun helmets are best in the open; slouch-hats are infinitely preferable in the woods. There should be hobnailed shoes—the nails many and small, not few and large; and also moccasins or rubber-soled shoes; and light, flexible leggings. Tastes differ in socks; I like mine of thick wool." - TR

"A khaki-colored shirt should be worn, or, as a better substitute, a khaki jacket with many pockets. Very light underclothes are good. If one’s knees and legs are unfortunately tender, knickerbockers with long stockings and leggings should be worn; ordinary trousers tend to bind the knee. Better still, if one’s legs will stand the exposure, are shorts, not coming down to the knee. A kilt would probably be best of all." - Teddy Roosevelt, Through the Brazilian Wilderness 

I didn't bring the kilt. But otherwise, we think we've got the bases covered. 

It wasn't all about preparation for the trip to the lodge this day. Once we had our shite together, we convened with the cousins for dinner at the Caxiri restaurant down the street. I ordered the piranha. 

 

It was delicious.  Jared and I also ordered the Amazon Caipirinha -described on the menu as: "Jambu Cachaga, Brazil's national Amazon Spirit combined with a Amazonian herb called Jambu, sugar syrups, lemon, and puxuri seeds."

We agreed that the first sip was pretty bad, but by the end of the drink we ordered another. 

Amazon Adventure Day 3 - The Meeting of Waters & Meeting of Clans

The "Meeting of the Waters" - Rio Amazon (L), Rio Negro (R)

"In the afternoon we finally entered the wonderful Amazon itself, the mighty river which contains one tenth of all the running water of the globe. It was miles across, where we entered it; and indeed we could not tell whether the farther bank, which we saw, was that of the mainland or an island. We went up it until about midnight, then steamed up the Rio Negro for a short distance, and at one in the morning of April 30 reached Manaos."  - Teddy Roosevelt, "Through the Brazilian Wilderness"

Cousins Larry, Danny, and Jared arrived in Manaus early this morning. As noted earlier in this journal, they were the impetus (instigators?) for this journey. After a year of discussions, e-mails, travel plans, texts, bureaucratic documentation, on-line research, procuring fishing equipment, and long flights, we meet again at Juma Opera Hotel, a couple days before our plane flight to the Kendjam Fishing Lodge on the Iriri River in the Amazon rain forest.  

Meeting of the Clans - MW, LH, DH, HW
JH, the youngest among us, was still recovering from the journey.

Outside of the Meeting of the Clans, the main event of the day was a tour of the waterfront and boat excursion on the Amazon River. The Heller boys were in rest and recovery mode, so Harlan and I took the tour. First stop, the fish market:

The fish market is huge, with an amazing array of species on display. The market is indicative of both the productivity of the Amazon basin, and the appetite for seafood in Manaus. I asked our guide Felix if this market is where the restaurants in Manaus get their fish and he answered in the affirmative. The fried tambaqui fish ribs (costelas de tambaqui) I enjoyed so much on our first night in Manaus likely started at this market. 

Costelas de Tambaqui

From the fish market it was a short walk to the riverside wharf and into a small overpowered boat to continue our tour of the rivers. 

Heading for the Mother River

First stop, an opportunity to swim with the freshwater pink dolphins. I didn't realize swimming with dolphins in Rio Negro was an option and did not bring swim trunks, but they had inexpensive trunks for sale and I could not resist...

Very cool. These are wild dolphins that live free in the river and are not penned in or constrained in any way. Apparently there are about 20 of them that can be called in with few slaps of the oar and will tolerate our presence for a free and easy snack of fresh sardines. 

Next, a speedy run through mangrove forests...

... to arrive at a fish farm for giant arapaima. These critters are penned up and tourists can experience a ~5 second fight with these monsters by dropping a hookless bait fish tied to a line at the end of sturdy pole. Not a fishing pole. A big thick pole. 

The highlight was pulling up at the intersection of the "The Meeting of Waters". The very spot where the massive Rio Negro merges into the even more massive Rio Amazonas. The image at the top of this post was taken at that precise location. 

We covered a lot water for a fun four hour tour, thanks to tour guide Felix.

"Meeting of Waters" sculpture in the Juma Opera Hotel

 Back at the ranch, the clans gather again for a drink and dinner. Even Jared. 

Amazon Adventure Day 1 - Manaus

Manaus and Teatro Amazonas from our AirBnb Window

"Manaos is a remarkable city. It is only three degrees south of the equator. Sixty years ago it was a nameless little collection of hovels, tenanted by a few Indians and a few of the poorest class of Brazilian peasants. Now it is a big, handsome modern city, with Opera house, tramways, good hotels, fine squares and public buildings, and attractive private houses. The brilliant coloring and odd architecture give the place a very foreign and attractive flavor in northern eyes. Its rapid growth to prosperity was due to the rubber trade." - Teddy Roosevelt - "Through the Brazilian Wilderness"

The reader may be wondering why I am quoting our 26th U.S. President as a guide to Manaus on our first full day in Brazil (If you'd like a more current description of this city of 2.3 million souls - click here). 

This is the reason for the Roosevelt reference. While some embarking on a Brazilian Amazon wilderness adventure might prepare by consulting a guide like "Lonely Planet"  or "Trip Advisor", I decided to use Teddy Roosevelt's memoir of his fraught 1913 - 1914 wilderness expedition exploring the unmapped River of Doubt (Later renamed the Roosevelt River / Rio Roosevelt by the Brazilian government). And, since Teddy was a politician, I also read Candice Millard's excellent and detailed recounting of the journey as a cross-check of Teddy's account. 

Both books are highly recommended. It was an extraordinary expedition, launched after Roosevelt lost the Bull Moose campaign for President. A journey that would be unimaginable today, with an ex-President of the United States taking an ill-advised journey down an unexplored river in Brazil's Amazon wilderness. He almost loses his life as well as the life of his adult son Kermit. Some of the expedition are not so lucky. It is a story of disaster, murder, mayhem, conflict, injury, disease, bravery, incompetence, luck - good and bad - and survival. 

I do not understand how this has not been made into a big budget major motion picture with Paul Giamatti playing Teddy [Noted without comment: My brother Harlan says Timothy Chalumet should play Teddy. Make of that what you will]. My intent is to find and insert relevant quotes from the Roosevelt - Rondon Expedition journal into this accounting of our own modest Amazon adventure. But I digress. 

From L to R - Wallach, Roosevelt, Rondon

We landed at Manaus International Airport at 3:30 AM. The expected transport didn't show, so we took an Uber to the previously arranged, sight unseen, AirBnb around 4:30 AM. The picture at the top of this post was taken from that AirBnb room around 9:00 the same morning, just as we abandoned the AirBnb experiment for the Juma Opera Hotel. The less said about this the better. At this point the trip took a 180 degree turn for the better. Much, much better. 

The Juma Opera Hotel

Our intent for this first day in Brazil was to rest and recover from the flights, while acclimating to the weather before flying to the fishing lodge in the jungle a few days hence. After some rest, we spent the afternoon and evening leisurely exploring the hotel, grounds, and neighborhood. Here, in no particular order, some pics from the remainder of the day as we implemented that plan...

Breakfast buffet at the Juma Opera Hotel 
with very welcomed & very needed truly great coffee.

Manaus has serious mural game. 

Teatro Amazonas as seen from the Juma Opera Hotel Rooftop pool. 

We explored the bars, restaurants, monuments and Opera House 
on the grounds of  Largo de São Sebastião across from the Hotel.

We capped off the day with a wonderful dinner and drinks at the Juno Opera Hotel Restaurant (NOTE: At some unspecified point in the future I will go back, look up the menu, and identify these drinks and dishes. For now know that it was all great). 

Everything was better now. We've got our journey off on the right foot.