A group of women took a dip in the Amazon River and swam for a few minutes. Then they looked around and couldn’t believe what color the water was, sparking debate about whether it’s safe to enter the massive river.
In a video with over 14.6 million views, TikToker Madison Orlando (@maddieorlando8) and her friends swim around the edge of a dock. Another small boat drives by in the background. They splash around in the water, quickly noticing that the water is tinged red.
On-screen text reads, “POV we all went swimming in the Amazon River and then realized what color the water was.” House by Charli XCX & John Cale plays in the background, repeating the line, “I think I’m gonna die in this house.”
Why Is The Amazon River Red? And Is It Safe To Enter?
While commenters pointed out that the river is known to be infested with dangerous animals like piranhas and caimans, that’s not why the water looks bloody.
The color of the Amazon River actually comes from the large amount of compounds like iron oxide from the soil, tannins from wood and leaves, and other minerals in the river bed. The red water is actually referred to as “blackwater” and may be a sign of a healthy ecosystem.
In the comments, some viewers questioned whether it’s safe to swim in the Amazon River. According to the travel forum Outdoors Stack Exchange, seasoned travelers suggest it depends where you get in.
“Generally lowland rivers will be relatively safe to swim in (assuming no flooding and a competent swimmer), so long as the swimmer stays aware of hazards in the water,” one suggested.
However, they added that swimmers should avoid getting in downstream from highly populated areas. They wrote, “Swimming downstream of industrialized cities and high intensity agriculture is relatively risky in terms of infection.”
Would Viewers Get In The Water?
Despite the Amazon River being relatively safe for travelers to enter, many commenters said there’s not a chance they would jump in.
“I wouldn’t even dip my toe in the Amazon River,” one said.
Another wrote, “You know I thought we all collectively had a silent agreement that the Amazon river was unswimable.”
“I didn’t even know the Amazon river was openly accessible. It absolutely should not be,” a third added.
“I always thought people AVOID swimming in the Amazon river. Never once have I thought about doing this as a vacation activity,” a fourth viewer remarked.
In a follow-up video, Orlando posted a picture of a caiman she spotted after swimming in the Amazon.
Even locals said they wouldn’t get in the river. “As a Brazilian and someone who lives near the Amazon, i, myself, would never have the audacity,” a commenter wrote.
BroBible reached out to Orlando via TikTok and Instagram direct message. We will update the story when she replies.