A SUNSET CRUISE ON THE DEMERARA
My eco adventure in Guyana began in earnest on Thursday evening, when I joined two other visitors for a sunset cruise in a private boat along the Demerara River. We boarded near Stabroek Market, in the bustling heart of town. The Demerara River is the central nervous system for the city of Georgetown. It dissects the city in east and west sides, and it is an important artery for moving goods to and from the interior. We spotted a massive Japanese ship that had just sailed in from Kingston, where it had offloaded cars, and it was doing the same thing in Georgetown. In GT, as the city is familiarly called, thousands cross the river each day to go to work and return home either in commuter ferries or driving across the world’s once-longest floating bridge. And grown Georgetown men tell lavish tales about how they would swim across the onemile rippling river as boys, defying both gravity and the warnings of their parents.
We did an easy and relaxing three-hour sunset cruise on the river in a small speed boat manned by a captain, his assistant, and our very knowledgeable tour guide, Nadir ‘Carlos’ Allie. We went under the floating Harbour Bridge and watched the sun begin its plunge over the glistening western horizon. We studied flocks of a variety of colourful birds, including the scarlet ibis, glide across the evening sky as they returned to roost in the thicket of emerald and olive-green mangroves. Guyana boasts over 820 species of birds and some can be seen along the river. Perfect peace! An easy, rejuvenating ride with no push and no shove.
Along the way, we learned about sugar plantation days on the West Bank, and that the eastern side of the river is much deeper than the western side. Indians arrived in Guyana in large numbers around 1838 to join the workforce after the emancipation from slavery. The whole business of tides is very important to the management of the river, especially since a part of the city is below sea level. Our guide brought lots of drinks on board, including more aged El Dorado rum. I refrained, opting instead for chilled coconut water. He brought along cutters, too, which are snacks that accompany drinks during a lyme. On the insistence of the guide, I succumbed to sampling a most delicious local beer called Banks. We all enjoyed an absolutely beautiful evening on the waters of the Demerara.