HIGH-WATER MARK

The Rio Negro, which flows through the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, is known for its dark, alluring depths. Idra Novey and her family take the plunge—and embark on a weeklong rainforest adventure.

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I GREW UP swimming in rivers and creeks in rural Pennsylvania, and now seek them out wherever I travel. I’ve jumped into rivers of all kinds, from the Maipo in the Andes to the Vltava outside of Prague. But nothing has compared to the exhilarating experience of plunging into the dark waters of the Rio Negro, a major tributary of the Amazon. I’ve spent many years writing about Brazil and its literature, and had been longing to see the Rio Negro. So my partner and our two sons arranged a trip to Anavilhanas National Park, a vast, pristine river archipelago in the middle of the Amazon rainforest.

Our arrival in August coincided with high-water season on the river, when submerged trees decay, intensifying its tealike color. (This decomposition also causes an acidity that impedes the breeding cycle of mosquitoes, eliminating the need for the malaria pills recommended elsewhere in the Amazon.) On our long flight from the U.S., I tried to share some context for the singular river-swimming ahead of us with our sons, ages 13 and 15. They responded with the briefest of nods before turning back to their screens.

Our ultimate destination was Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge, on the banks of the Rio Negro. But after taking two flights to reach Manaus, the capital of Brazil’s Amazonas state, we would be needing a respite. Thomas Robinson of the luxury travel company Dehouche had expertly planned our entire trip and booked us in to Hotel Villa Amazônia, the sibling property of Anavilhanas.