Day 11 - 11/30 - Sailing Up the Amazon towards Manaus

Our onboard time was 8am this morning (like anyone got off that early!). After breakfast I was out on the aft deck 9 taking photos when a couple of dolphins appeared. They were way too quick for me to photograph, but I enjoyed watching them for 30 minutes or so.  Later on the river a friend reported seeing 4 pink dolphins in the wake of the ship.

The Captain made his departure announcement indicating an exterior survey of the hull had been made and the ship was cleared to proceed to Manaus where divers will inspect the hull.  

The onboard programming was very light, and I spent most of my day in the Crow's Nest watching the scenery pass by at 17 knots. One of the most scenic sights was the confluence of the blue Arapiuns River and the murky brown Amazon River. The there is a distinct line for quite a distance.

Numerous cargo ships passed on our left as we headed up river. Small farms, animals, and many islands provided other scenery. Most of the banks are low and I suspect they are covered in the wet season which is just starting. The sheer quantity of water in this river is positively stunning.

The evening program was a canned history of Holland America. Ian was a bit too 'Hollywood' for my taste in his narration.

We gain back an hour of sleep tonight. We're expecting to dock at 11:30am and we have an organized tour planned.

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