The second episode of Survivor 12 opens with a raging nighttime lightning storm, and in the Viveroscamp of older men, the shelter was letting in water and making the men uncomfortable. The younger men of La Mina were equally miserable as they huddled under their flimsy shelter. Shane Powers let his misery be known even the next day when he bemoaned his reasons for appearing on the show, and crying out to the heavens "No more torrential downpours."
In the Casaya camp of older women, wwater flooded the camp and put out the fire. Though the women tried, none could start a new fire. Wonder if they rethought their decision to vote out Tina Scheer ? The young women of Bayoneta survived the night and rejoiced to find and eat papayas for breakfast.
At the Reward Challenge, the four tribes were condensed into two of equal sizes, retaining the names of Casaya and La Mina. (see page 3) The 15th castaway, Bruce Kanegai, was sent to Exile Island until the next Tribal Council, at which he would observe, not vote and take the place of the castaway voted out. Bruce appeared to have no trouble being alone on Exile island though he, too, suffered with the storm the next night.
The challenge involved retrieving and lugging six foot long wooden snakes resembling boas over an obstacle course, including digging through leaves to find the last two hidden snakes. I didn't see Cirie Fields , who mentioned her fear of leaves in the first episode, shufffling through the leaves for the snakes. See Snakes of Panama. The reward, fishing gear, was won by the new La Mina tribe who would now make the old Viveros camp their new home. The new Casaya tribe went to the Casaya camp created by the older women. Interesting, isn't it, that the older castaways' camps were in better shape?
Testing her skills at spear fishing, Sally Schumann promptly lost the spear. She was consoled by some members of her new tribe, but others weren't happy with her. Are her days numbered?
The Immunity Challenge involved underwater strength and endurance. The La Mina tribe won it which meant the the Casaya tribe faced Tribal Council. Cirie and Melinda Hyder felt vulnerable facing their second Tribal Council, but it was Shane who begged to be voted out. He blamed the climate, his smoking habit, loneliness, missing his son, but it was his physical condition, dehydration due to lack of water, that made him feel so desperate.
However, he was persuaded to stay, and at Tribal Council, it was Melinda voted out.
It makes you wonder: how much does the environment affect the castaways physical capabilities, but also their mental and emotional energy to withstand and overcome the strategies of the game?
Panama has the largest rainforest in Latin America outside the Amazon Basin and its jungle is home to an abundance of tropical plants, animals and birds, some of them to be found nowhere else in the world. True to a rainforest area, days are hot, nights much cooler. Temperatures range from 32 °C (90 °F) during the daytime to 21 °C (70 °F) in the evening. Humidity is always high at about 80 percent. The rainy season takes place between October and November, when this series was filmed.
All this takes a toll on the castaways. Add dehydration, a major cause of weakness and mental stress, it's not surprising the castways are miserable until they find a constant, clean source of water.
Viewers had a brief glimpse of an green iguana. Do the castaways know they are called the "chickens of the tree?" Are they allowed to use them to supplement their diet? Read about iguanas on page 2.
If you have questions or comments about the wildlife seen on the Survivor show, post them on the South America for Visitors Forum. If you're not already a registered user, you'll need to register, but it is easy and free.
