The ‘Rain Boat’ of the Amazon

Expedition Barco Iris is a home, a means of transport, a stage of a conscious theatre and an itinerant school that shares knowledge amongst indigenous people and settlers. Barco Iris is one contribution to an intentional sustainable future as well as being Carleton Vaux´ and Henny Freitas´ house, floating through the heart of the Amazon.

Our ‘rainboat’ is a tri-maran constructed with materials such as giant bamboos, recycled products and plantation timber. It is used by us to promote cinema, workshops and conferences hosted within the communities on the banks of the Amazon River and some of its tributaries.
We are novice sailors embarking on our first voyage, and are still studying the nautical language. Nonetheless, our passage became safer once we shared a common dream aboard, about a multicultural mission that uses the tools of art to promote the concepts of ‘zero rubbish’ (from consumption to waste). People also see us as delusional artists calling the world’s attention to sustainability and acting as message carriers; leading by example and bringing proposals for nature conservation and the preservation of natural resources to social forums and summits.
We set sail on 16 October 2012, in Coca, the Amazonian region of Ecuador (where we built our boat), and navigated a little more than 900 km by Napo River, from the foot of the Andes until its encounter with the Amazon River. We are about to enter the veins of the great Amazon River and, some 3,600 km ahead of us, we should finally reach the Brazilian Atlantic Ocean.
Since February 2012, the Expedition Barco Iris has been conducting environmental activities wherever possible. The streets, squares, schools, hospitals, communities and foundations of urban and rural communities became the stage for our performances. Our goal is to continue promoting these activities in the communities of the Amazon River and other tributaries towards the Atlantic Ocean.
Blessed by one of the most biologically diverse areas of the planet, breathing through the lungs of the world whilst enjoying the abundance of wildlife, all help us to understand the importance of a sustainable co-existence on Earth, not only for the existence of human kind, but the co-existence amongst all creatures.
The expedition is being filmed and photographed in partnership with the EarthCode project, envisaging to promoting a documentary at the end of our journey.
We hope you also join us on this conscious adventure! Find us on Facebook @ Boat Iris.
www.earthcode.org