Cruising the Amazon

Like a gigantic floodlight, the full moon illuminated the deck outside our cabin. Black water and dark shadows passed by. Overhead, unfamiliar constellations twinkled.
My mind played like a broken record, You are on the Amazon in the middle of the rainforest. It seemed so surreal.
Several nights we traveled all night up the river to be at a village the next morning. How did the captain do it?
Instead of being filled with the latest technology and secluded from passengers as on a large cruise ship, the bridge on our boat was always open to us and only three doors from our cabin. I saw few instruments and a large wheel. How did the captain know where we were going in the blackness? Somehow he and his crew always got us to each village safely. They worked tirelessly to steer the boat, mop the decks, and secure the vessel. They often joined us during our morning devotional time. Each day they were happy and available to all of us.
After being in a village one day and knowing we would be there the second day, we were surprised to leave at nightfall. Down the river we went and turned onto a smaller tributary. Alan and I were stunned when the boat glided up to a mostly submerged tree. A crew member threw a rope around the tree and secured it. Branches rested on the front of the boat. Was something wrong with the boat? Were we stopping to fix it?
After staying there for a while, we realized that we had docked for the night. Visions of anaconda and other slithering creatures filled my mind. Monkeys, jaguars, and poisonous spiders jumped in too. Surely all of them could be in that tree and overtake our boat.
While Alan and I discussed our unusual stop, the mission doctor passed by. “That is not safe,” she said. “One time a snake came onboard and got a lady. Use your flashlight.”
It was not all my imagination. Animals could be in the tree and join us.
In the middle of the night, I awoke and needed to make a trip to the bathroom down the outside deck. I waited and waited. Finally, I knew I had to get up. When I moved, I heard Alan move too. He agreed to go with me onto the deck. First, we looked both ways with our flashlight. The way was clear. With the flashlight glowing, we stepped quickly into our cabin.
Early the next morning, I was up when the the captain moved the boat. He edged forward so the rope could be untied. However, he went too far. Limbs crunched and snapped. He backed up and most of the tree righted itself. We were headed back to the village.
Another marvelous sunrise painted the sky pink. Another of God’s wonderful presents on the Amazon.
On our last night of the cruise, we again coasted up to a tree with only its top limbs exposed. However, the boat could not get close enough to tie the rope. A crew member jumped into the inky water. He tromped a few steps to the trunk, flung the rope, and returned to the boat. What was he walking on?
I held my breath the whole time. Crocodiles, anaconda, and piranha lived in those waters. He could be snatched, coiled, or eaten. In Florida, people are advised to stay out of bodies of water at night. He seemed unconcerned and climbed back onto the boat without mishap.
We faced another night of watching the deck for intruders. Probably there was little chance of problems, but movies, books, and T.V. shows aided my imagination. Along with the magnificent sunrises and sunsets, we received a dose of adventure with our mission cruise.