Rainbow river
Every year, deep in Colombia, a river is transformed into a riot of colours reminiscent of the psychedelic Sixties. SUSANNE MASTERS investigates.
A watercourse transformed
From July to December, Caño Cristales becomes a blaze of colour running through shades of green, yellow, pink and red. No wonder this Colombian watercourse has been called ‘Rainbow River’, ‘Liquid Rainbow’, ‘River of the Gods’ and the most beautiful river in the world. The cause? An aquatic ‘weed’ called Macarenia clavigera.
The magical effect occurs when Macarenia grows in full sun with crystal-clear oxygenated water rushing over it. In these conditions the entire plant becomes vibrant raspberry-red, from its base where it clings to rocks to its feathery tips that sway in the flow of water. But where it grows in dappled shade or deeper water, the plant turns soft pink, greenleaved and red-stemmed or even yellowish.
For many years, this legendary spectacle was inaccessible due to the conflict between Farc guerrillas and the Colombian government. By 2009, government forces had gained control of La Macarena, the nearest town to Caño Cristales, and as safety improved tourism began to grow. But it was not until June 2017, when a peace accord was finally signed, that access improved dramatically. It’s now easier than it has been for decades to see the miraculously colour-changing river.
As areas like this open up in post-conflict Colombia, conserving biodiversity has come to be seen as both a challenge and an opportunity to develop a new ‘green’ economy that protects the environment. No single-use bottles are allowed at Caño Cristales and visitors’ packed lunches are wrapped in banana leaves, keeping the river and its surrounds litter-free. Swimmers can enjoy a close view of Macarenia clavigera, but must not wear sun-cream or insect repellent to avoid contaminating the water.
Serranía de la Macarena National Park is the only place in the world where this spectacular plant grows. But it is beauty protected at a price – $28 million, the amount an oil company wants in compensation from the Colombian government after fracking rights it had acquired for nearby land were revoked in order to safeguard the park.
Susanne Masters writes about plants and wild swimming; www.susannemasters.com