Research Vessel Heraclitus

http://www.rvheraclitus.org

Thanks to Felipe Fonseca, metareciclagem for the link.

Since it was built in 1975 by the Institute of Ecotechnics, the Heraclitus has sailed over 250,000 nautical miles studying oceans, coral reefs, rivers, lakes, estuaries and exploring the origins and futures of human cultures.

Planet Water Expeditions carries an unparalleled sailing record of continuous expeditions, which commenced in 1975 with the launch of the R/V Heraclitus from Oakland, California, and is currently sailing on a four-year expedition from the Coral Sea to the Black Sea. Members of the Institute of Ecotechnics, an international non-profit that aims to develop a “technics of ecology and an ecology of technics,” designed and built the Heraclitus in nine months in the mid-1970s. Designed as an expedition vessel, the Heraclitus demonstrates a unique blend of ancient Chinese junk design and modern technology.

PWE’s programs include all aspects of our water planet: oceans, rivers, lakes, ice, and estuaries. The R/V Heraclitus’ numerous voyages across oceans alternating with detailed visits to the great island, coast and estuary systems, provide an opportunity to develop an experiential understanding of our planet and the challenges we face in preserving it. 

A present-day manifestation of the ancient cultural tradition known as “sea-people,” the crews of the Heraclitus explore the ecologies of human cultures, access the biodiversity of local regions, and directly experience the forces of nature that drive our rapidly changing planetary weather systems. 

Expedition Chief and PWE executive vice-president Christine Handte currently directs PWE’s Heraclitus’ expeditions. An Ecotechnics director and fellow of The Explorers Club, Christine has over fifteen years experience operating the ship, and has led numerous Heraclitus expeditions. Captain Claus Tober, a veteran of tens of thousands of sea miles over a decade, is a master of this ancient Chinese junk sailing rig, and revered by his crews as a skilled and subtle Captain interfacing with local sea-people.

PWE’s volunteer directors are all also founding directors of the Institute of Ecotechnics and together have logged thousands of sea miles aboard the Heraclitus.  PWE’s president, Capt. Robert “Rio” Hahn, director emeritus of The Explorers Club, led the Heraclitus’ planetary circumnavigation three-year voyage and a two-year Amazon research expedition. PWE’s other directors are Marie Harding, who served as the first captain of the Heraclitus; Bill Dempster, who oversees the engineering of the Heraclitus; and Judy “Chili” Hawes, Ecotechnics secretary and a veteran of the Heraclitus’ maiden Atlantic crossing. PWE’s adviser, John Allen, conceived the concept and co-designed the Heraclitus, is the co-founder of the world renowned Biosphere 2 Project. 

Planet Water Expeditions offers a unique opportunity for self-motivated individuals seeking experiences of lifetime significance.  Through PWE’s Heraclitus’ programs, and associated Ecotechnics projects, participants engage in a real-world cutting-edge enterprise that challenges and inspires creative approaches to living in today’s multi-cultural, environmentally fragile world.