El Dorado!

MARCH 10^th

Sean and I took to the water again and forgot the bucket which the fish are transported back to the base in. “Lets check the nets first we might not need it!” How wrong we were!! The following evening had been stormy and must have stirred things up under the waves. Not only did we need the bucket we had left on the beach we required an additional bucket. Back to shore it was and then the task of freeing two large Piranha without losing a digit in the process. Sean dealt with the first one and then got very excited as the net revealed a very large Dorado! 

(El Dorado!)

 The fish was too big for the bucket but was not alive having been pecked by Piranha! People swim in this lagoon! I guess it must improve your fitness outpacing the myriad of fish that may come after you!

The crew were very happy with the catch, the best haul since I arrived by a clear mile! The smaller Piranha were returned to the water. The other fish kept for specimens. I was relieved I kept all fingers intact whilst I untangled the second large Piranha and a ferocious looking Trahira fish.

The lagoon has not been studied for its fish inhabitants before but from what I can gather from catches so far is that it is a bit of a war zone under the surface. Everything has sharp teeth and predates on each other depending on what size you are. If a fish survives its early days and grows to a respectable size then survival is more likely!

A late evening drive across the Cerrado with Joe produced a life bird for me in the form of a male Scissor-tailed Nightjar. Six Potoo were also seen and three Burrowing Owl.