5 DAYS KWAMA KAYAKING TRIP IN SURINAME

After almost a year of waiting, we finally could go on our big adventure! Lots of preparation re gear and food and transport arrangements were made by Michel. Nothing was left to chance. First 2 nights we stayed in a beautiful charming boutique hotel at the border of Peperpot nature reserve where Michel has his base and where some of his kayaks are stored. Great news when we heard that the heli would actually pick us up at the hotel instead of us driving to the heliport, haha perfect!! 

Spent the day checking our equipment again, swimming in the pool and kayaking in the reserve. My first introduction to Suriname jungle (or "het bos" as the locals would say). Day 3. After the heli dropped us deep in the jungle, we pumped up our kayaks, loaded all the bags and started paddling. Not far though because already in 10 minutes we encountered some massive trees blocking the creek. Michel used his machete to cut away most branches so we could lift the kayaks over the trees. How I loved the kayaking and the raw nature that surrounded us! No other people, no trash, the whole atmosphere was super serene, beautiful kingfisher birds (ijsvogels) and giant butterflies flying in front of us. Really paradise on earth! The water was relatively high for the season so fortunately we often easily managed to find a way to get around, over or under the fallen trees. We never needed to get on land and make a way through the forest to pass the blockage. Behind every corner there could me a new challenge, some trees or a water rapid. Michel would jump on the rocks to scout which waterway we could best take. 

Only once my kayak capsized and I fell in the water including all the bags on my boat. The air temperature was over 32 degrees C every day and the water super warm so not really a punishment. The cayman crocodiles were more frightening. They tend to hide underneath big waterplants close to a rapid so when we had to get into the water to push the kayak over the rocks, we always had to doublecheck where to go. Michel even caught one at the first day. During this expedition I really got to see how familiar and at ease he was in the jungle. Catching crocodiles and other reptiles, using his machete to cut trees or killing giant fish. Around 1600 we found the perfect campingsite to sleep so we got on land, set up the tent and started fishing. Because of the high water, there were not a lot of fish so we ate our dried food instead. I was afraid I wouldnt manage to sleep in the jungle with all the animals around me but I slept almost the whole night through.

( Day 6 and 7. So many stories to tell. Including a couple of very intense moments as well. I seriously thought one moment that Michel was attacked by an anekonda when he suddenly disappeared underwater, we had a live Nat Geo experience when a giant otter had a territorial fight with another giant otter just meters from our kayaks, at the last day one kayak was stolen so we had to finish our trip with one peddle, all the equipment and 2 pp on one kayak. What I liked the most was the pureness of the jungle, we really were part of nature for a week, totally self sufficient. Also the 4 campsites were so different from eachother and all breathtaking. Plus I loved the water rapids, every time an adrenaline shot! When we arrived at the end of our kayaktrip, a bus was waiting to bring us back to Paramaribo. Michel and I really were a great team together, everything went super smooth and relaxed