Rio Patuca

How It All Started


Rio Patuca National Park
1989



I first went to the jungles of the Rio Patuca, Honduras - in 1987...
More than half my life has been has been associated with this river...
The jungles of Honduras...
Provide no cradle to grave security...
I do not live to work...
I live to live...

Hurricane Mitch 1998

4 MILLION POUNDS OF AID DELIVERED IN 8 MONTHS

In 1998, the life of the Patuca River people was changed dramatically. Since the Rio Patuca is a major drainage to the Caribbean for most of Olancho, the Patuca River rose to heights of 25 meters. Something of Biblical proportions.
Entire Indigenous and Ladino communities were devastated. There were literally several hundred families standing on the Patuca river bank with no home to return to.
I had to try to help...
By luck and refusing to take no as an answer, I finally met American Lt. Col. Mike Morales at Soto Cano. I gave him GPS coords to land the first heli's at Picholo, Patuca. It was his blind faith that opened the doors for the Patuca aid
project.
I owe Lt. Col. Morales one.

"After Hurricane Mitch, Amigos Del Patuca was born.
What started as a feeble cry for help, we moved 4.5 million pounds of humanitarian aid down 250 kms of tough Patuca jungle river.
On the backs of women, men, children, mules, ox carts, helicopters, and dugout canoes.
We partially rebuilt 63 Patuca communities in eight months.
16,000 Patuca people.
I will never forget how hard the Patuca people worked after Mitch.
They did the impossible.
Because of this, people in power were angered.
For a brief moment, the Patuca people believed.
They showed me our innate nature is good.
The Patuca people were completely neglected after Mitch.
People who had never participated in any organized project.
Yet they mobilized to distribute 2250 tons of aid.
Rebuilt over 450 homes called "houses of dignity," with our laminated metal.
Built village schools, church's, clinic's and animal shelters.
Planted frijoles, corn and Platano tree's. Fertilized crops. Created seed banks.
Hand dug community trails. Rebuilt roads with hoes and shovels. Rebuilt bridge's with axe's and machetes.
A poor Campesino will move a mountain for you if he believes you are working hard for his cause, not yours.
I truly learned the meaning of civil servant.
I want the Patuca people to believe again.
I promised the Patuca people I would return."

To make it fair for all interested Fellow Adventurers I will post on this page the information gathered from our Post Hurricane Mitch Patuca river project.

This is the first time any Patuca River data of this magnitude has been published.

Trust worthy contacts will be named.

I wish you g-dspeed with your Rio Patuca expedition...
If you con the Patuca people you will not have a second chance.
They are accustomed to broken promises.
Traveler beware.





Headline news of our Post Hurricane Mitch work


PREPARE FIRST

It is best not to go in blind
Have your contacts waiting


GETTING THERE

Tegucigalpa - Danli - Palistina - Arenas Blancas - Rio Patuca.

Tegucigalpa - Juticalpa - Palistina - Arenas Blancas - Rio Patuca.

Tegucigalpa - Catacamas - Rio Cuyamel, Rancho Escondido - Rio Patuca.

Travel time depends on road - 4x4 or mule.

Enter the Rio Patuca from the North Coast - Barra Patuca.

Fly from Teguz to Wampusirpi, Mosquitia.

It is about a 3 hour trip from Teguz to Danli or Juticalpa.

About another 3 hours from Danli to Palistina - Dirt road.

Three hours from Juticalpa - Palistaina Patuca - Dirt road.

Catacamas - Poncaya Patuca - Palistina - Dirt road.
4 hour trip to Poncaya

From Palistina Patuca to Arenas Blancas Patuca - 30 - 45 minutes - Dirt road.

Travel up or down river by pipante (dug out canoe).


POST MITCH PATUCA PROJECT
NUMBER OF PATUCA FAMILIES

Ladino communities we assisted - organized.
Listed in order along Patuca.
Starting near headwaters.
Some 210 kms of jungle river.


Food
Red Cross assisted our Post Mitch project
250 tons

1-Temepechin/Agua Caliente 20
2-El Torno 9
3-Poncaya Arriba 30
4-Poncaya Abajo 20


U.S.- 4- Chinooks' - 5 Blackhawk Helicopters assisted with Post Mitch Aid work
Aguacate Air Base, Catacamas
From here we initiated many missions of aid relief to surrounding mountain areas.
Including Rio Patuca

5-La Hermosa 41
6-Piedra de Caras 15
7-Arenas Blancas 61


Base Camp I
Arenas Blancas


Communities helping to carry Post Mitch Aid to Base Camp I
Arenas Blancas


Don Juan Baptista
Post Mitch main distribution center - Base Camp I
Arenas Blancas

8-Arenas Blancas Arriba 38
9-Samaria 30
10-Sinai 30


We used 50' pipantes with 65HP outboards
115 Brigade assisted with one Pipante
Don Paco loaned us his Pipante
To transport aid down river
We covered 250 kms of jungle river

11-Tigrito 31
12-Tigrito Arriba 38
13-Portal del Infierno 66


Infamous Portal del Infierno
"Gates of Hell"
Rio Patuca

14-El Portalito 45
15-Lagarto 31
16-Lagarto Florida 8
17-Los Prados 25


Corn seed - Donated by Food Foor The Poor

18-Cuyamelito 20
19-Cuyamelito Arriba 41
20-Cuyamelito Perias 22
21-Cuyamelito Las Vegas 40


Food
Catholic Relief Services
1500 tons of aid

22-Buenos Aires 22
23-Los Plancitos 33
24-La Union Arriba 24
25-La Union Abajo 24
26-Las Milpas 18


Community leader taking Post Mitch bedding back to his community

27-Las Milpas Nueva Esperanza 38
28-Las Milpas Arriba 12
29-Las Milpas San Jose 9


Catholic Relief Services was our primary Post Mitch partner
Fertilizer Frijol seed - Corn seed - 10,000 Platano trees were planted
Roof material - cement - Clothing - bedding - cooking utensils -cooking oil - medicine
2 - 65Hp outboard motors
1500 tons of aid

30-Las Maules 32
31-La Paloza 13
32-Piedra Azul 26
33-Piedra Azul dos Bocas 26


PMA - United Nations World Food Program
500 tons food aid

34-Subalo 32
35-Las Marias 49
36-El Tigre 33
37-El Triunfo 26


Food For work Program

To access our Base Camp I at Arenas Blancas
We kept many locals working rebuilding roads
All work was done with picks - shovels - machete - digging bars - hoes
To reach Rancho Escondito - Rio Cuyamel from Catacamas - we rebuilt the access road
This allowed us to the Rio Patuca through Rio Cuyamel

38-Piedra de Chicho 26
39-Guarona 8
40-Subterraneo 15 - N14.28 W085.21
41-Picholo 16


I led Chinook helicopters - to Picholo, Patuca with Post Mitch humanitarian relief aid...
They said it could not be done...
Picholo - Rio Patuca

42-La Union 5
43-Caoba 8
44-Boca Cuyamel 16 N14.38 W085.18
Includes: Tropicalansa and Tiberon
45-Cuyamel Arriba 22
46-Casmaco 9


Don Salomon
Post Mitch Frijol Project - donated by Project Guayape
Guasurun Rio Patuca

47-Guasurun 8


Don Paco
Casmaco - Rio Patuca
Last of the true gunfighters
Good to Americans
I trust him with my life


TAWAHKA TRIBE


Tawahka Tribe - Yapuwas Village - Rio Patuca


Paulino - Tawahka Tribe - Rio Patuca
Yapuwas Village


Tawahka women washing gold
Rio Patuca


TAWAHKA TRIBE COMMUNITIES WE ASSISTED

48-Parawas 25
49-Parawasito 13
50-Kasmakasna 27
51-Kungkungwas 13


PMA - United Nations World Food Program

52-Yapuwas 44
53-Wampu 8
54-Wampu Arriba 20
55-Krautara 33
56-Krausirpi 134


Base Camp II
Roofing material


MISKITO TRIBE


Miskito Tribe - Tukrun Village
La Mosquitia Rio Patuca


MISKITO TRIBES COMMUNITIES WE ASSISTED

57-Pimienta 62
58-Panzana 17
59-Arenas Blancas 14
60-Nueva Esperanza 15
61-Tukrun 87
62-Kurhpa 90

63-Wampusirpi 222


Prof Luis - Miskito Tribe
Tukrun


OTHER PATUCA COMMUNITIES WE ASSISTED

San Fernando, Azacualpa near Palistina 31
Las Mangas- above Tepemechin 46
La Libertad, Palistina 2
Palistina - Within community assisted 25 families

Sosa, Catacamas - clothing 30

Even though we have the family count for Wampusirpi we did not assist them.
The mayor at the time was against us helping. The community wanted us to help.
When you see communities listed as arriba that means they are not Patuca river bank communities.
They are communities you have to hike to from the river.

Most communities listed from the Portal del
Infierno below are Patuca river bank communities.

Except for Wampusirpi - I personally documented every single family listed here.
Whether they were adult or child, I saw every ID card or birth card.
It took me six months to do the census.
I organized every single Patuca community listed.
16,837 people.


PATUCA RIVER BREAKDOWN


Patuca National Park - Nucleus

Patuca Up River: Patuca National Park
Has been devastated by cattle ranches
Much deforestation.

Patuca Mid point: Patuca National Park
Tawahka Reserve
Tawahka tribe
Much less deforestation by Tawahka Tribe
Ladinos deforest jungle

Begins Miskito communities
Patuca down river: Miskito Reserve
Miskito tribe


ADDITIONAL PATUCA RIVER INFORMATION

All three areas are being overwhelmed by Ladino cattle ranchers
The Tawahka tribe needs help
The protected areas are being threatened from the east and west
Nothing is being done to stop the jungle destruction

There is not a organized Christian group working these Patuca communities
Some communities have Catholic services
Others are Evangelical

A trust worthy missionary Christian group in Catacamas, Olancho is Predisan
They have several mountain clinics near the town of Catacamas but nothing in the listed Patuca communities

The logistical problems of the Patuca stops most missionary/aid groups from making the effort

Our duty on this planet is to be a steward for those in need.
Expecting nothing in return.
~ Tomas

TIME OF PATUCA RIVER TRAVEL

The logistical problems of the Patuca stops most missionary/aid groups from making the effort
Depends on many factors
To visit all river bank communities plan on 10 days, if you rush
But why rush...


Pipantes
Rio Patuca transport

From Arenas Blancas to Subterraneo you can make the run in 8 - 10 hours with a 65 hp motor
Returning back up river is not recommended
The trip is twice as long and you have to fight going up river against currents
Make it to Wampusirpi - fly back to Teguz.
Plan the flight first.

Best to travel right after winter rains stop - perhaps by end of December - first days of January.

The Patuca River is pure jungle environment.
No Hiltons - stores - hospitals - electricity - running water.
No roads.
Lions - tigers and bears.
You will sleeping most likely on river banks.
You must be prepared for a humid jungle river environment

Seize the day with passion!


1996 - Tomas
Gold camp - Coralsales
Rio Patuca

"Our Actions Will Echo For Eternity"

UPDATE Saturday September 18.2010

Honduran President Pepe Lobo Signs Deal To Destroy Rio Patuca Rain Forest


UPDATE Sunday November 21.2010

I believe the reason for my longevity in Honduras...
I have known when to quit while I was ahead...
Even if gold were to hit 10K USD an ounce...
I would not seek gold on the Rio Patuca today...

The world is a different place since the days I first entered the Rio Patuca Rainforest in 1987...
Peoples priorities are different...
Most people want a quick buck...
The Rio Patuca has changed...
It is not safe for outsiders to travel the Rio Patuca today...

Recently I attempted to put together another gold adventure...
I was betrayed by Gringos...
It is a shame so many men whore their souls for money...
I have moved on...

The Rio Patuca will always be special to me...
For if it not were for me sleeping on the jungle river banks of the Rio Patuca...
I would not be the man I am today...

I still reside in Honduras...
We have begun our Family Farm Project...


Sunday April 17.2011

With the incredible amount of storm activity on our planet today...
It would be insane to build the Patuca Dams...
The chances of another Super Flood like Hurricane Mitch...
Or a Earthquake...
Is now very probable...

· At least 35 dead in 6 states after storm's rampage


UPDATE August 3.2011

· Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve


UPDATE April 27.2012


The insane madness has started...
The first dam is being built...

Why is mankind such a destructive parasite to our world...