Captain Jesus

Captain Jesus cautioned us not to go swimming because “las pirañas comen la gente” (the piranas eat people) – as if our first instinct was to plunge into the turbulent brown floodwaters choked with jungle debris and challenge the undertow and carnivorous fish with a backstroke. He clearly underestimated our judgment. However, after two days on the Rio Beni with Jesus and crew, I began to question it myself. At one point, when the rapids and driftwood threatened to smash our overloaded boat to toothpicks, Henry and I, in a moment of genuine fear, decided to save my backpack alone because it contained the tent and stove – even though getting ashore alive without gear would have been miracle enough. It wasn’t until later that locals spoke of a boat just like ours that had been caught in a river whirlpool some years before, and capsized, drowning all 12 people aboard on this same stretch of river. There was a hint of irony by the end. Captain Jesus delivered us to safety on Good Friday.