The Heraclitus was born out of the recognition that we truly live on a water planet.  Designed and built by the Institute of Ecotechnics, a non-profit private research institute, the Heraclitus is operated by Planet Water Expeditions, LLC.  The Institute designed the Heraclitus for deep ocean sailing, coral reef and marsh research, and river exploration of tropical forests. Since its launch in 1975 from Oakland, California, the Heraclitus has sailed over 250,000 nautical miles through six oceans (all except the Arctic) continuously exploring in the ancient tradition of sea people, who make planet water their home from which they explore so-called planet earth.

The Heraclitus began its over thirty years of voyaging sailing south from Oakland, reversing the traditional westerly direction of Occidental explorers by transiting the Panama Canal to the east.  Continuing its easterly course, the Heraclitus crossed the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, to the Indian Ocean, which it explored through 1979.

In 1980, the Heraclitus sailed west to Brazil and the Amazon River, where it spent two years 2000 miles up the river carrying out ethnopharmacological fieldwork with Indian shaman of the northwest Amazon.  Having established a long-term connection with the world's rainforests, the Heraclitus arrived in San Juan Puerto Rico in 1982 and departed a year later on a three-year around-the-world voyage exploring cultures and bioregions of the tropic world. 

Returning to San Juan in 1986, after undergoing a refit for colder climates, the Heraclitus circumnavigated South America, including a visit to Antarctica. Returning north, the Heraclitus participated in the coral collections for the Biosphere 2 Project, and then, having established a connection with the‚ "rainforests of the sea," the Heraclitus was chartered from 1995 to August 2006, to collect data on the health and vitality of coral reefs, as well, as continuing its cultural and seamanship training programs..

During the first decade of the 21st century, through its current‚ "Coral Sea to Black Sea " expedition, the Heraclitus intends to establish a route of voyages with recurrent ports-of-call, which will support the creation of a self-sustaining program of exploration, apprenticeship, and individual mastery.

For more on the "Legends of the Heraclitus" click here.