Builds 1985 BJ70 Story and Modifications (1 Viewer)

[AlbertoSD]

Once we got to "Candelaria" we took some photos with Anselmo. Anselmo is the owner of a little house in Candelaria. Anselmo normally host those who travel by 4x4 and is also the guy that would take us up the river in a canoe for us to start our hike to "Canaima".

Anselmo is the guy with the blue baseball hat that says "CANAIMA"

 

[AlbertoSD]

More with Anselmo.

 

[AlbertoSD]

Anselmo said that he had to go and borrow an engine for the canoe so he could take us about 1-hr up the river for us to start the walk. It was about 1 pm when we got to Candelaria and Anselmo said that he would not be back in time to take us up the river that same day.

We started working on the trucks to fix the mechanical issues that we had and also changed all those fluids that got contaminated by water on the way in. Most front and rear differentials were full of water and a couple of transfercases were also full of water.

The plan was to leave the vehicles ready for the trip back and leave early in the morning to start the canoe ride and hike to Canaima.

 

[AlbertoSD]

The next day we woke up and got everything ready to start making our way to Canaima. The trucks would stay at Anselmo's place for at least 3 days.

Ten people (including Anselmo) and all the gear we took for the hike travel in that canoe (one single trip up the river).

 

[AlbertoSD]

More of the canoe ride

 

[AlbertoSD]

It took us about 3-hrs to get to Canaima once we got off the Canoe.

 

[AlbertoSD]

Anselmo was the only one smiling at the time.......hahahaha

You can see the waterfalls of Canaima in the last photo.

 

[AlbertoSD]

Finally, after 7 days, we made it to Canaima. I must say that it is one of the most beautiful places that I have seen.

Once you get to Canaima, you have to hire a local guide for them to take you up to Angel Falls. Angel Falls is still about 4 - 5 hours away from the Canaima area.

 

[AlbertoSD]

Canaima's viewing...

 

[AlbertoSD]

The following day the group split in two.

5 of the 9 members of the crew have seen Angel Falls before and they departed to the Kavak Caves.

The remaining 4 of us (Robert, Romano, #1, and I) took the trip to Angel Falls. The guide woke us up at 4:30 am to start the canoe ride up the river. The idea was to visit Angel Falls and start our walk back to Candelaria the next day.

To get to Angel Falls, you must take a 1-hr canoe ride, then walk for about 45 minutes while the canoe negociates a rapid section of the river with no occupants. Then you would re-take the canoe for another 2.5 hours and finally take a 1-hr hike to the falls.

The locals that drive those canoes are true artists....truly impressive.

 

[AlbertoSD]

More of the canoe ride to Angel Falls

 

[AlbertoSD]

and more...

 

[AlbertoSD]

You can see Angel Falls in the second photo. From that spot we started our 1-hr walk to finally reach Angel Falls.

 

[AlbertoSD]

Finally, Angel Falls...

From wikipedia:

"Angel Falls (Spanish: Salto Ángel; Pemon language: Kerepakupai Vená, meaning "waterfall of the deepest place", or Parakupá Vená, meaning "the fall from the highest point" is a waterfall in Venezuela. It is the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall, with a height of 979 m (3,212 ft) and a plunge of 807 m (2,648 ft). The waterfall drops over the edge of the Auyantepui mountain in the Canaima National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Canaima), a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Gran Sabana region of Bolívar State. The height figure 979 m (3,212 ft) mostly consists of the main plunge but also includes about 400 m (0.25 mi) of sloped cascades and rapids below the drop and a 30-metre (98 ft) high plunge downstream of the talus rapids.
The base of the falls feeds into the Kerep River (alternatively known as the Río Gauya), which flows into the Churun River, a tributary of the Carrao River."

Link for information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_Falls

 

[AlbertoSD]

More of Angel Falls

 

[AlbertoSD]

Then the whole crew re-convened in Canaima later that night. The next day we started our walk back to the river crossing where we told Anselmo we would meet him at noon.

 

[AlbertoSD]

More of the walk back to the river....

 

[AlbertoSD]

We got to the meeting point around 12:30 pm and Anselmo was nowhere to be found. We started waiting and created a fire to help with the mosquitos.

Finally, around 5:30 pm, Anselmo showed up and he said that we asked him to be there at 5:00 pm....all of us remember saying noon, but we were super glad to see him nonetheless.

 

[AlbertoSD]

The next day we packed our gear and left early in the morning. The goal was to get to Tierras Blancas that night (where Iker's truck would be waiting).

 

[AlbertoSD]

We got to Tierras Blancas that night. The next day we packed our gear and left with the idea of sleeping at the "Flotante" area.