Essequibo River, Guyana

The Essequibo River in Guyana begins in the Acarai Mountains on the border with Brazil. It flows through rainforest and savannah for 1,010 kilometres (630 miles) to the Atlantic where it is a 32 km (20 ml) wide estuary with low fertile silt islands. Georgetown, the capital, is located 21 km (13 ml) upriver from the sea. Ships can navigate along the river for 80 km (50 ml) passing, or calling into, Georgetown on the way. The river was important to the Amerindians before European arrived, and still is. The name of the country, Guyana, is derived from the indigenous Amerindian word Guiana which means ‘land of water’. A whole northern region of South America became Guiana and included British Guiana (now Guyana), Dutch Guiana (now Suriname) and French Guiana. The Dutch settled in Guyana in 1616 and introduced African slaves to cultivate plantations. The British gained control in 1814, and after slaves were emancipated, they brought indentured labour from India. Independence was gained in 1966. Some key British traditions persist, like cricket. Today, the Guyanese people have many ethnic backgrounds and still rely on the river. The river has always been the main transport artery for the country. Observing the houses and activities of the locals from our ship, or a smaller vessel, tells us of their lifestyle. It often involves some boating and fishing. After all, it is a land of water.