... Discovering

Sail, walk,
Travel, study, understand,

Observe
the place and roles of individuals among societies according to their ages, gender
and their different ways of looking upon the world.

Help to preserve the beauty and the diversity
of our planet

These words are a summary of what Karrek Ven is more than wishing to fulfill in her third life. After being, during a quarter of a century, a fishing boat and then, a school boat for teenagers, she is now, newly restored and is full of resources and future.

Any young person (the crew) is welcomed to take part of this adventure as well as punctual users (Guests).

Karrek Ven on the Orinoco

The organization

Young people attracted by this old fishing boat, by adventure and by research, mainly constitute the crew.
They travel around the world sharing time on board, sailing, researching and welcoming guests.
Some seniors, also adventurous and whose knowledge can help group activities, are welcomed on board.

This crew will punctually welcome on board individuals and groups, the guests:

On sea or in isolated places, Karrek Ven can be used as a laboratory boat for field works for researchers in Humanities or Natural Sciences.

Karrek Ven can also be a basis boat for all kinds of tours such as theater groups, musical groups or any other groups.

Karrek Ven also welcomes:
- persons wishing to experience a nice cruise on this old boat,
- research or reflective seminars,
- wealthy person interested in research and wishing to support the group,
- teams of reporters,
- interns wishing to be initiated during vacations to traditional navigation.

Many of the adventures and research will have their continuity on land in a "terrestrial spaceship" (fluvial boat, animal caravans).

These periods on land can last from a few weeks to several months. The boat can reach very isolated places where research can be undertaken.

A few people of the crew take advantage of having on board guest groups to continue research or expeditions on land. Travelers, researchers or reporters can also accompany them.

How it works:

The crew is trained to navigation and research, and, with or without guests, organizes or participates in maritime or on-land expeditions, and in scientific or cultural activities.

The crew members are required to stay a minimum period of 6 months on board, in order to construct a strong nucleus of people qualified to navigate and do research.

The welcome is also a main activity the crew has to be ready for. The guests will in fact, according to their activities, open doors on different areas of the world such as the scientific world, the cultural, artistic or humanitarian world.

It is the combination of activities, exchanges realized between the guests and the crew that the objectives of the Karrek Ven Project can be reached. A journal on internet, publications and recordings will give an account of the research, observations and discoveries.

The persons and groups interested in this project, either researchers, artists, NGO, peaceful holiday-maker, tall ships lovers, interns or reporters, can receive further information and get in contact HERE.
 

With Kuna Indians from Panama

The calendar

The crew has started to shape itself since the beginning of this year. Meanwhile the boat is back in the water, we are finishing the inside of the boat. (see programme)

The arrival of scientists, interns, seminars, persons on leisure, reporters will start during summer 2005. If any of you is interested, let us know so we can establish a programme.

Navigation Zone and Expeditions on land

For 2005, Karrek Ven has planned to cover different zones of the Caribbean; the Orinoco, the Antilles, from Trinidad to Cuba, South America to Central America (Venezuela, the Andes, Cartagena, Panama, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and Mexico).

Meeting with the semi-nomads Waraos Indians
on the Orinoco.

The financial support

Karrek Ven is not an institution nor a travel agency or a charter. It is a group of friends who is putting this boat at disposal, without any lucrative goals, to whom would be interested in being part of this adventure.

The costs of the boat and the expeditions are assumed by those who use them:
- guest individuals or groups
- the crew.

Why chose this way of traveling when one can travel alone or with friends?

One has its own answer - or if not can ponder over it.

What Karrek Ven offers, is an appropriate tool for these learning, these travels, these observations, research and discoveries.
For the crew, it has nothing to do with holidays but it is about real expeditions, research and navigation.