The F/B Vieira VI is a vessel that transports many goods and a few passengers between Porto Velho and Manaus, descending the Madeira River -- the longest of the Amazon River's 1,300 tributaries -- and then ascending the main channel of the Amazon to Manaus, where the famous river is formed from the confluence of the Solimões and Negro Rivers. I spent four days on this ship with my friend Miguel, about a dozen passengers, a worthy crew, and perhaps more garlic, plantains, and watermelons than I had seen in my whole life.
Miguel was a very good sport and agreed to charter a small boat on the Amazon just a few hours after the end of the ride. My photos describing this journey are annotated and include the time we spent in Porto Velho and in Manaus after. Both those photos and a number of videos are collected in the Madeira Voyage post on my Environmental Geography blog.
