I love to travel, to know, to enjoy the wonderful places that Venezuela has, one of the places that has left me amazed is the Orinoco River, to see it closely is a unique experience, so immense and so imposing that it is impossible to feel admiration before So much beauty and every extension is unique, besides listening to the locals of their myths and legends love the tourist more.

Orinoco River

Brief History

The Orinoco River was documented by Christopher Columbus on August 1, 1498, in his third voyage, 453 years later was explored for the first time in 1941 from Cerro Delgado Chalbaud and 1951 from the Venezuelan-Brazilian border by a team of Franco-Venezuelan Who were interested in their exploration in totality.

It is so much the fascination that the explorer Diego de Ordaz decided to visit it being the first to achieve it from the month of June until the month of August of the year 1531, its route started from the Delta until reaching its confluence with the river Meta. Other explorers also attained their exploration as Alexander Von Humboldt, German expeditions directed by Ambrosius Ehinger and his successors. Antonio de Berrio among others, some were dedicated only to explore other parts in its entirety, discovering several wonders of flora and fauna.

Origin and geographical area

Its name was given by the Venezuelan indigenous tribe (that nowadays does not exist) Otomaco who called it "Orinucu", these lived in the vicinity of Apure State very close to the river Orinoco. This is one of the most important rivers in Latin America and the largest in Venezuela, with a length of 2,140 km. When taken into account with the Orinoco - Guavire system, its length is extended to 2,800 km. Its basin is formed by more than 436 rivers and more than 2000 torrents (waters that arrive or are deposited to the basin of the river and then go to a single exit). It is completely proud to have a river considered one of the largest on the planet.

The Orinoco River when crossing through the Venezuelan territory separates the States: on the left side Guárico, Apure, Monagas and Anzoátegui, on the right side the Bolívar State and its mouth is in the Delta Amacuro State by the Atlantic Ocean.

The course of the river is divided into four sections of unequal length:

• High Orinoco (242 km in length) starts from the Chalbaud thin hill in the south of the Amazon state to the rapids of Guaharibos rapids.

• Middle Orinoco (750 km long), it is divided into two sectors: one of 480 km, where it meets the confluence with the Atabapo and Guaviare rivers in San Fernando de Atabapo and the second, of 270 km approx ., which goes north along the Venezuelan-Colombian border.

• Under Orinoco (959 km long), this starts from the atures rapids to Piacoa, in front of the city of ravines.

• Delta Amacuro, (200 km long), here the river empties into the Gulf of Paria and the Atlantic forming a large delta branched into hundreds of branches, called pipes.

The Orinoco is navigable in all its extension, where boats traffic from the ocean to the Ciudad Bolívar, if it is spoken of the river with the Caroní river, where it joins in Puerto Ordaz, near the jump La Llovizna.

Importance of the Orinoco River

When we talk about the importance it should be noted that it is currently a source of forestry in Ciudad Bolívar where some mineral riches such as steel and aluminum are found. Likewise, another exploitation area is carried out in the area where the Orinoco river meets the Caroní River, where on the Bolívar hill there are large iron deposits.

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If we talk about the fishing part it is a source of food and commercialization of several indigenous tribes such as the piaroa, coti, among others.

In short its importance is very extensive, both for commercialization, exploitation, if and in the area of ​​nature. Being in the heights of Orinoco, I was delighted to see a ship that crossed the river.

Confluence between the Caroni River and Orinoco River.

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It is spectacular this view and incredible at the same time the way two rivers have different colors and do not get to fully join, one of the main reasons in the amount of different minerals that each one has, as well as its temperature, thus giving a good show that is worth to admire. This is the most detailed explanation and is that according to the mineral composition of Caroní is loaded with high concentrations of humic acids, in addition to phallic, which are organic acids that are produced from the fallen leaves that fall into the river this prevents the union with the minerals of the Orinoco River.

Mysteries , Myths and Beliefs of the Orinoco River

There are many mysteries that are told of this majestic river, many of them are the product of stories that go from generation to generation and even stories created by the same villagers among the most common mysteries and legends are:

The Stone of the Middle

This is a huge rock, which is found throughout the center of the riverbed and is located between Ciudad Bolívar and Soledad, it is 350 meters long and approximately 100 meters wide. This has been the subject of stories and legends, it can be better appreciated when the waters that cover the stones come down and you can appreciate their size well. They say that years ago in one of its crevices was born a tree that was called "Piedra del Arbolito" unfortunately it was felled. Even so it is beautiful and unique to appreciate.

The mystery of the Hydra

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Formerly very much before the colonization the Indians ran a myth that in the depths of the Middle Stone inhabited a snake that had seven heads that when she swallowed everything around it could generate large eddies that could sink anything in its path even up to boats
She even dragged anyone who approached the shore and when the water came down it was because she drank it to quench her thirst and when she went up it was because she was expelling it.

Years ago there were several accidents near the Piedra del Medio to give more mystery and experience to the myth, but what gives the mystery is that they were revolving around the Stone and what stands out most of the story is that they could not rescue or recover the bodies of the victims, because the divers who ventured expressed that it was impossible to reach the bottom by depth and although experts did their investigations remain as a mystery, leaving the mystery that something really hides in the depths.

The Sirens of the Orinoco

The fishermen tell that in the depths of the Orinoco River there are mermaids and specifically in the zone of the Bocas del Caris there is one that they name the crown, that if this one is pleasing to the fisherman it gives him a good fishing but if this does not scare him away moving the curiara strongly so that it leaves.

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Other fishermen say that in the Alto Orinoco the Toninas, slowly transform into women's figures and become like mermaids with the purpose of seducing the men who go fishing in the high areas of the Orinoco River and in which they feel attracted

In addition there are those who say that in the depths of the river, there could be enchanted cities and if the fishermen feel some obsession with a woman the dolphins love them and take the form of that beloved woman to seduce him to take them to enchanted cities.

The Toninas

Things we did:

Inspiration for post:
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Images not indicated with a source are my authorship:

Place: Rio Orinoco / Venezuela
Photography: by @yohannagotopo
Camera: Samsung S3 mini