By Dave Caywood/2008


It has been said that in the course of infinity everything will happen!

As a rule I schedule myself to arrive in Manus so as to have two viable back up flights to connect with the TAM flight out of Miami. TAM’s nightly departure is not a flight you want to miss.

You are about to begin your trip down to Manaus, Brazil for your much anticipated Peacock Bass trip. All of the planning and preparation can not protect you from events beyond your control. The purpose of this document is to aid you when you are having trouble getting to Manaus and the options you may or may not be aware of. Your trip is engineered around a charter plane departing Manaus the next morning with your group and the return of the group already in the jungle, full plane in, full plane out. If for some reason, and there are many, you do not arrive in Manaus in time for the charter flight out, here are your options.

1. You miss the TAM flight out of Miami. OPTION: See if TAM can get you to Manaus using their late night flight to Sao Palo, connecting with a flight to Manuas with a stop in Brasilia. This will get you into Manaus around 12:00, 12 hours later than scheduled but there is a reasonable chance that the charter flight out will wait for you to arrive. (The Miami>Sao Palo>Brasilia>Manaus route is called the “Suicide Route” because it is an all night flight with more the next morning.) When taking this option be sure and ask the TAM people the following:
   1. Will I have to change airports in Sao Palo? (Real pain in the tail pipe if you do!)
   2. Will my bags be checked through to Manaus or will I have to claim them in Sao Palo?
      You might want to reconfigure your bags. Place all of your essentials in your carry on bag and assume this will be all that you have for the week in the jungle. No one, that I know of, has ever had their bags arrive with them when they have had to use this route. They will arrive and be held for you until you return to Manaus.
2. Your TAM flight out of Miami is cancelled. OPTION: As stated above the “Suicide Route” is a serious option. The good news is that there will be a lot of other anglers in your party “in the same boat”. The more people the more likely they will delay the charter so long as it does not cause those already in the jungle a problem with getting back to Miami. Remember that when you come out of the Amazon you typically have night at the Tropical Hotel before the TAM flight at noon the following day.

While you are in route it is a good idea to have a fully charged cell phone. When you think you are going to miss the TAM flight out of Miami call Amazon Angling’s office and leave a message. Next, call the others in your party and let them know what is going on. Next, call Brahma (011-55-92-9994-2779), the man who handles all of the logistics in Manaus. Brahma is the man who will meet you when you arrive in Manaus. Any advance warning enables Brahma to have alternative arrangements in place when you do arrive. If you do arrive late and the charter flight has already departed, all is not lost. While the destination operator will not be responsible if you arrive late and missed the charter flight out, you will be able to charter the flight out and divide it between those of you going out to the destination late. Misery does love company! Be sure and ask Brahma if there is a way to use a fixed gear airplane as they are cheaper than the float planes. They may have to run a fast open boat for a few hours to come get you at the hard strip but it could save you considerable amount of cash.

If for some reason there is no one to meet you. Take a taxi to the Tropical Hotel. Check in and call Brahma.

Dave Caywood/2008
(Be sure and print this out and place it in your carry on bag.)

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