By Ashley Thompson

They're back in Guyana and still Naked and Afraid. In the Rupununi wetlands is Surama Lake which offers thick jungle, swamps and stagnant lakes. It's also a breeding ground for cayman, venomous snakes, and disease carrying sand flies.

Bo is a green beret who is eager to prove himself and not disappoint the regiment. His beginning PSR is 7.3. He brings a long a mosquito/fishing net (smart except it doesn't prevent ants) and a fire starter is given to the pair. Debbie is a registered nurse from Wisconsin and ready to prove a mom of 3 can finish the challenge. Her beginning PSR score is 6.2... low because she has never spent more than 1 night away from her children. She brings along a machete.

During this meeting they don't have to initially see each other's nether regions because they meet for the first time in water. But the first thing Beau notices about Debbie is her level of fitness. The first thing Debbie notices is Beau's alpha male narcissism. They need to make camp near the water but not so inland that they are eaten by insects... that's if Bo can chill with the commands. Debbie is insistent on having fire for the night while Bo says it's not necessary. A quick discussion solves the issues for now and both parties are willing to work together. Until it comes to drinking nasty lake water. He tried to convince her it's safe to drink without boiling but she doesn't agree and leaves him to it and decides to drink rain water instead. A second night without fire means no warmth, no boiled water, and now it's raining so there's nothing dry to burn anyways.

This pair is extremely lucky with their first random find being a glass spice jar (used to hold the bow drill so it doesn't hurt their hands) and the second find being two triangular pieces of cloth that Bo makes into a bra for Debbie. Those cold night cuddle sessions are about to be way less awkward. Side note: take kindling into your shelter to keep dry for when you do actually make fire.

Since the soil is nutrient poor it doesn't support fruit plants like other jungle areas. Luckily Bo finds palm nuts with grubs inside that they can toast over their full flame... "tastes like toasted oily coconut". Other meals include a huge catfish, a constrictor, and a cayman that was caught in their fishing basket (killed and gutted by Debbie). Unfortunately the cayman is full of worms but they're willing to take the risk of eating it anyways. All of this protein means they haven't lost mental stigma. This is especially beneficial when building a bench to get up from sitting on the ground, and a rack for their tools.

The luck doesn't last forever, though. The rain comes in on day 17 and doesn't leave, threatening their fire and causing the snakes and cayman to seek higher ground closer to their shelter. Without consistent food and warmth, Bo and Debbie are at greater risk for infection similar to leprosy from the disease carrying sand flies. But before they know it it's Day 21 and it's time to trek. They need to travel to a native village on the far end of the wetlands, over the lake and four miles through the jungle.

At the end, Debbie lost 11 pounds and raised her PSR to 6.9, while Beau lost 25 pounds and raised his PSR to 8.3. All is not well at home, though, Bo was indeed infected by the sandflies and is inflicted with cutaneous leishmaniasis (a parasitic disease that affects the skin). Debbie also suffered lesions and treatments also included stitches.

Photo credit: Discovery Channel