6 September
Belem

Looking back on four memorable months…

The band and public await the arrival of the KM3 fleet

After a historic voyage of almost 4300 km from the Andes to the Atlantic in 83 days the traditional boats of the Kota Mama expedition reached Belem today, creating a record for river navigation by reed boats.

The project aims to show that the ancient people of South America could have reached the ocean with such craft, and is part of a five-phase programme organised by the Scientific Exploration Society.

In Bolivia exciting archaeological discoveries were made, and many community aid tasks were successfully completed. Medical and dental aid was given to the Indians living in remote areas.

The reed boat Kota Mama III negotiated several enormous cataracts on the Beni and Madeira Rivers, which were previously considered impassable. In July, the boat was badly damaged at the Ribeirao cataract on the Bolivian/Brazilian border, and had to be repaired by Maximo Catari, the famous Aymara boat builder, who flew in from Lake Titikaka.

The boat sustained further damaged when encountering winds of up to Force 5 on the Amazon River. But using hand tools and local timber the crew was able to effect repairs. However 600 km from the ocean the port outrigger hull became waterlogged and had to be abandoned. The crew then converted Kota Mama III into a catamaran and sailed on.

Reed boats absorb water and rot slowly. They rarely last more than eight months. When constructed Kota Mama III weighed 15 tons, and today she probably weighs 29 tons. Cows sometimes proved a hazard, as they like to eat reed boats!

Brazilian navy commanders with Hugh Beridge, Marcelo Mendes, and JBS

Our amazing medical team
In Brazil the expedition medical team, consisting of two doctors (including Dr. Sam Allen of London - a specialist in tropical medicine, a dental surgeon and a British army nurse) have cooperated with mission organisations working in remote communities along the Madeira and Amazon Rivers.

The dental surgeon, Graham Catchpole of Taunton may also have established a record by extracting 1125 teeth in 120 days!

An expedition with an international touch
The expedition has an international composition and amongst the 28 people reaching Belem on 6 September are members from Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Sri Lanka, USA and the United Kingdom. Over 100 people have taken part in the expedition at different times.

To encourage international understanding an educational programme has been run during all the Kota Mama expeditions since 1998. A spectacular website was designed and maintained by Affno, a leading Sri Lankan
e-business design and engineering company. The website has been visited by thousands of people from all over the world. Schools in Bolivia and Brazil have been linked by a Nera satellite phone to schools in Britain and Europe.

Thank you to those who believed in us
Her Majesty the Queen has sent a message to the expedition and congratulations are being received from many countries.

The project had numerous supporters and the team is especially grateful for the outstanding help of the Brazilian and Bolivian navies who gave considerable assistance. BP Brazil and Air BP kindly provided fuel for the expedition and many British companies including BS&B International, DHL, Suzuki, E.P Barrus, Olympus Cameras, Nikon Cameras, London Communications, Motorola, Silva Compasses, Varta Batteries, Hadcliffe Properties, Southern Gailes, and HSBC are amongst the sponsors.
"It has been a remarkable voyage," commented Colonel John Blashford-Snell, leader of the expedition. "By the end of the expedition all our craft were damaged and leaking and the great reed boat was heavily waterlogged. We had some real fears when we encountered the Atlantic rollers near the mouth of the Amazon. We came in on a wing and a prayer. We shall never forget the cooperation and kindness of the Brazilian and Bolivian people."

We made it through!

The next step
Future Kota Mama expeditions are scheduled for South America over the next two years to follow up on our archaeological discoveries and community tasks. Then, in order to prove that early navigators may have linked the new and old worlds, we intend to cross the Atlantic from west to east using a boat of traditional design.