Suriname > Back again in Drietabbetje

Despite last night’s celebration, the Indians were already up early. From around six in the morning, life in the village began to stir again. Only we stayed a bit longer in our hammocks. Around eight o’clock, I’m the last one to get up. I head to the river, where most people are already swimming. The water supply has run out, and there’s no rainwater available in this village. So, river water has been boiled for ten minutes and then cooled down again. The water is lukewarm and tastes of wood smoke—not exactly pleasant, but we have to drink something today.

Suriname - Korjaal

We improve the taste a little with an extra splash of syrup. Breakfast consists of pancakes. At ten o’clock, everything is packed back into the korjalen (dugout canoes), and we say goodbye to the village before setting off toward Drietabbetje. At Granborie, the crew briefly goes ashore to report that we have left the Indian territory and are re-entering the Creole area. A few hundred meters further lies the big sula (rapids). Since we mentioned during yesterday’s evaluation that we’d like a bit more adventure, we’re given a choice. The first boat will be guided down the rapids with ropes, while the majority of the group steps into the water and slowly helps the canoe through the current. The second boat will take the rapids head-on. That sounds more exciting to me—despite my not-so-great memories of this same sula on the way up. From our boat, we watch the first group and crew carefully lower their canoe down the rapids, which takes them over half an hour. Waiting isn’t much fun either—the sun burns fiercely above us, and without the cooling breeze from sailing, it’s incredibly hot.

Suriname - The canoe is guided through the rapids

Herre, Tony’s pet monkey traveling with us, is struggling with the heat, lying on a metal drum that’s getting hotter by the minute. We occasionally pour some water over him and place a life jacket underneath to keep him cooler. Once the first boat has reached the bottom and part of the crew has climbed back up, it’s our turn. People stand ready at the front and back of the boat with long poles to steer us past the rocks. Ironically, we get stuck halfway too, and to the great amusement of those waiting below, we have to get out and lift the canoe over the rocks. Soon the boat gains speed again, and we’re back in, letting the water carry us down. A few waves splash over the edge, but we make it safely to the bottom of the sula. We stop at a small island in the river for lunch and a refreshing swim. On the way to Drietabbetje, we dock at Godoholo, a village of about 1,700 inhabitants. John offers to give us a tour, but at our request, it goes straight to a small café that serves cold beer. After an afternoon in the blazing sun and drinking smoky-tasting water, everyone is craving a Coke or beer. We buy a few bottles and sit in the shade on the veranda, enjoying every sip. Then we walk back to the boats and continue the short trip to Drietabbetje. Once there, we return to the same lodging as on our first night. We hang our hammocks between the beams and buy some chips, beer, and soft drinks in the village. After dinner, we update our travel journals, enjoy a beer, and go to bed early after a long, tiring day.