Part 12: Brazil - Across the Amazon and South on the BR319 - a 1000km Jungle Track
Sunday, 29 September 2013 7:22 pm
Sunday 29th September:
With our confirmed change of plans last night it was some quick shopping and a top up of fuel for the 950km drive.
The ferry leaves three times a day for the 1 and 1/2 hour trip across the Rio Negro and the Amazon to village of Careiro da Varzea. (R50/truck US$20)
Looking we also see the loading of our original trucking barge crammed full of trailer trucks on a flat open steel barge.
In the 37 degrees C, the steel deck of the ferry is very hot and shimmering heat so we are very pleased we have decided to take the driving option (and the $1000 cost saving).
The Rio Negro is an ancient river and is dark black in colour because it carries no sediment, whereas the Amazon is geological young and carries sediment from the Andes Mountains.
Where the two meet is known as the ‘meeting of the waters’ This demarcation continues for some kilometres down stream.
Interesting Fact: The Amazon River originally flowed into the Pacific Ocean until the Andes Mountains pushed up and blocked the flow, forming a lake and then eventually reversing the flow to the Atlantic.
The BR319 is a road pushed through the Amazon Jungle in the 1960’s. It was designed to open up the area for development.
With a change of government policy and international pressure (?) the road has not been maintained and is now mostly a 950km track from Manaus to Porta Velho.
The start is the village of Careiro da Varzea that sits on the Amazon flood plain. Here all houses are either on long stilts or floating on the river.
This is cattle country.
50k’s on the rainforest has been cut a long time back, however apart from the few small cattle farms most of this cleared land seems unused and is overgrown with scrub and regrowth.
There are small scattered settlements, this one Careiro on the Castanno River has the last fuel available.
From the 3 year old track notes we are working off, both the vehicle ferries on the Castanno and Tupana Rivers have been replaced by bridges.
BBQ in the Amazon !
Camp 339: On the Tupana River
Cost: Nil.
S04* 11.037 W060* 48.560
Today: 149 Kms
(+ yesterday 80Kms)
Trip Total: 106,134 Km
Monday 30th September:
We have travelled 177kms and there is now more jungle, but not as we imagined. No huge trees.
Spasmodically there is small land clearing back from the road about 400metres for growing Yuka (Taro) and Banana crops.
The bitumen ends at 188Kms and the road is now being upgraded and this work continues all the way to Igapo Acu. ( 260 Kms)
Igapo Acu is a very small village and there is only an antiquated ferry across the river. (R20/vehicle US$10)
Local transportation.
Only a few hundred metres after the village the original 1960 two lane highway disappears into a rutted
track of broken bitumen and clay.
The track continues to degrade but it is the bridges that concern us most. Will they take the 5,000Kg?
Below are rotten logs, missing timbers, patched up supports....
Many require some maintenance with repositioning of the drive timbers to cover the holes and rotten timbers below.
So far so good!
The afternoon drive since the ferry was 50kms and took 5 hours (8-15Kph).
We see only one vehicle going out to the repeater station and this hunter with his gun going out to get dinner ??
Thank goodness it is not raining, although the thunder clouds are above us.
This road would be a mess when it is mixed with water.
Camp 340: In the middle of the road in the middle of the Amazon Jungle
Cost: Nil.
S05* 10.234 W061* 47.356
Today : 157 Kms in 8 hours (Track Total 306Kms)
Trip Total: 106,291 Km
Tuesday 1st October:
The track is slow and rough 5-10KPH
Actually we are surprised the lack of wildlife. Minimal birds and almost no animals.
Actually no insects either ( Great! no Mosquitoes either)
Very occasionally a cricket.
We check most bridges and many bend in the middle, and as they do termite dust falls.
Many also suffer from dry rot
Of all the bridges it is this one that is most concerning.
Km 326 - S05* 18.395 W061* 58.331
Makeshift repairs consisted of extra posts tied into place with cord !
Whilst I lifted the broken beam, John put an extra rock support between that and the vertical post.
It was a bit ordinary but that is all we can do.
With a sweating brow I drove waiting my fate.
The bridge bent slightly and I was very pleased to be on the southern side.
John followed successfully.
At Km 331 (Reunidao) there is only a workman’s hut and a new bridge across the river. The old road is actually OK for a few kilometres and from here south most bridges have been replaced with new structures.
From Km 370 the track continued as a clay road with wet patches.
It would be challenging if wet.
Camp 341: Beside the road in middle of the Amazon Jungle
Cost: Nil.
S05* 54.692 W062* 25.265
Today : 110Kms in 8 hours ( Track Total 416Kms)
Trip Total: 106,401 Km
Wednesday 2nd October:
This morning the bush bees are busy all around our truck. I am unsure what we are offering them.
The track south is now just a rough track through low scrub.
Who took the jungle out of the Amazon?
We see no animals and minimal birds.
At 415Kms the track is 90% broken bitumen with wet clay holes.
At 458Kms the track is 90% wet clay holes with broken bitumen.
At 469Kms the first homestead appears and the start of cattle ranching.
The track is now a rough broken bitumen clay holed road.
The first village is Raelidade (568Km) here there are roadside restaurants, pubs and a service station being built.
Now we know why we are seeing no big trees!
There are three small sawmills in town !
Just out of town there are road works and the road improves.
Then the sky opens up and down comes tropical rain, would have been fun back up the track, that is, for the first few holes!
Camp 342: Road Quarry.
Cost: Nil.
S07* 08.057 W063* 07.003
Today : 162 Kms in 8 hours ( Track Total 578Kms)
Trip Total: 106,563 Km
Thursday 3rd October:
Here the Army is upgrading the 319.
From Humaita south to Porta Velho is 234kms of two lane quality road.
We now have left the provence of Amazonia and in Rondonia.
The country is very open and only patched of rainforest can be seen.
It was here in the 1980 that for 10 years a football field size of rainforest that was cut every minute.
Following huge international controversy now only 20% of land legally can be cleared, however it is the small farmers, not large corporations who are ignoring this.
Thus the BR319 is done.
We meet a Scottish push bike rider who was the first to complete on a bike - quite an accomplishment.
We never used 4x4 but a shower of rain would have changed everything. Six plus hours of sunshine would suck up much of the water as the heat is so intense and one could drive again soon.
Camp 343: Lakeside camp.
Cost: Nil.
S08* 47.578 W063* 27.896
Today: 353 Kms
(BR319 Track Total 888 Kms)
Trip Total: 106,916 Km
Now we head south 1200Kms to the Pantanal.
For more facts on the BR319 check out these links:
A Brazilian site that updates the road conditions on the BR319 ( In Portuguese):
http://www1.dnit.gov.br/rodovias/condicoes/condicoesdrf.asp?BR=319&Estado=Amazonas&drf=1
Copy into http://translate.google.com for an english translation.
Phil and Angie Flanagan did an excellent job of the BR319. Unfortunately their web link below looks hijacked !
http://www.philflanagan.net/Coming-this-way/Coming-this-way--call-page-the-americas.HTM
I have tried this one also but nothing: http://www.philflanagan.com
One of the ‘Worlds Most Dangerous Roads”
http://www.dangerousroads.org/brazil/2067-br-319-.html
Brazil’s Worst Highway: the BR319 Through the Amazon: The Landcruiser Clubs journey
http://www.landcruisingadventure.com/the-br319/
In Portuguese here are the Brazilian governments road reports of the BR319:
http://www1.dnit.gov.br/rodovias/condicoes/condicoesdrf.asp?BR=319&Estado=Amazonas&drf=1
Here is an exciting story of a British couple who when driving one of the bridges on the 319 their 12ton Unimog crashed through the bridge into the gorge below: