The Ayapua

The magnificent steam boats of the late 19th and early 20th century navigated the majestic Amazon River in elegance. They were crucial to the culture and economy, and changed the scenery from scattered missionary outposts to steamship routes. The steam boats of the Amazon are being lost and virtually all of the original boats have been converted, rotted, or broken up as scrap. With passion and dedication we are saving some of the remaining steam boats and the memories of this bygone era. The boats are used in a holistic effort to help save both the Amazon forests and Amazon history.

The Ayapua is a restored rubber boom epic vessel. She was built by R. Holtz in Hamburg Germany in 1906 and worked the rubber boom trade along the Purus, Japua, Jurua, Putomayo and Yavari Rivers in Brazil and Peru during the early part of the 20th century. From 2004 to 2006 she was restored to her original splendour, and many original features have been re-incorporated with character and style.

The elegance of Victorian opera and superfluous wealth of the rubber boom period are relished throughout the Ayapua. Her original steam whistle echoes through the forest in harmony with the howls of monkeys and screeches of macaws. Dolphins swim along her bows and swallows flutter through her masts as she gracefully steams up the mightiest River on Earth.

Natural rubber from the Amazon was extremely valuable for the industrial period of Europe and America during the late 1800’s and early 20th century. This rubber boom was by far the most important economic era throughout the entire history of the Amazon basin. Great wealth was created and the rich enjoyed extravagant lifestyles of opera and caviar, while atrocities of local Indians resulted in madness, murder and cannibalism within the deep, dark recesses of the forest.

Steam boats were the heart of the rubber boom, transporting hundreds of millions of dollars of rubber balls from far reaches of the forest to cities, such as Iquitos in the Peruvian Amazon. This rich history was portrayed in the classic film “Fitzcarraldo” by Werner Herzog.  The Ayapua is fully restored to its rubber boom splendour, and its ambience recalls the elegance and opulence of times past. The Victorian details reflected against the tropical forests highlight the harmony of steam navigation in the Amazon. Sailing on the Ayapua through the blue mist of a moonlit Amazonian night makes one realise that every day life is just an illusion behind which lies the reality of dreams.

The Ayapua is 33 metres long and 6 metres wide and has three decks and a new restored steel hull. The ship uses one main diesel engine and two generators. In 1906 the Ayapua was brought to the Amazon lashed to the side of a larger ocean going vessel.

Accommodation includes 10 cabins fitted with air conditioning, desk, wardrobe and private bathrooms with showers. A large dining hall is used for meals, lectures and films. The bar on the upper deck has alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and a comfortable library has an impressive selection of classic books on the Amazon and its history.

The elegance of Victorian opera and superfluous wealth of the rubber boom period are relished throughout the Ayapua. Her original steam whistle echoes through the forest in harmony with the howls of monkeys and screeches of macaws.