Mirror mirror on the water

The inadvertent art of rainforest rivers

Tropical rainforests are the kind of place that made me wonder how I’d gone through 21 years of life without them.

Boats seem to be the only way to get into and around rainforests. On these boat rides, I am always captivated by the symphony of the jungle, the animals, the vivid greens, the earnest waves from locals passing by in boats, and the handpainted signs that mark the entrance to a whole other world.

I’ve already dedicated some articles to the animals (more to come), but today I wanted to take a moment to appreciate the art below the explosion of life we see above the surface.

River entrance to Tortuguero, Costa Rica

On the open waters, travelling between villages, the sun would bathe the river in light and our boat caused ripples that cast shimmers across the surface. Blurry and blue, the reflection is unclear.

But then you come to a sign. A side road off the main river course. And the water is no longer blurry, it is a mirror.

Tricoloured heron fishing in Tortuguero, Costa Rica

Tannins are a type of polyphenol. These complex molecules are found in various plant parts but are most abundant in leaves and bark. Usually, they play a part in the plant’s defence against herbivores by making the plant material less palatable and more difficult to digest. Tannins also help protect plant tissues from oxidative damage and can regulate plant growth and development.

But once the leaves and bark fall into the water, the tannins are released and a dark, rich colouration is produced. This reduces the scattering of light within the water, thereby enhancing the clarity and sharpness of the reflections seen on the water surface.

Slow-moving river channels of rainforests allow the decaying plant material to build up, so tannins also build up and when the surface is undisturbed, it creates a mirror-like effect. This is what characterises blackwater rivers. Essentially, these channels become a big, cold tea.

It really is quite magical. In some pictures you find of these rivers, you might be able to squint, flip the image upside down and not know which one was the reflection.

I find it quite ironic, the jungle will never know of its own beauty and yet it has inadvertently engineered a way for us to see it twice. Once directly, and once in a liquid mirror.

What is the most peaceful place on earth for you? Where does time not exist? For me, it’s on the winding water roads of the rainforest.

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