The Miss Rockaway Armada for Aqutic Glee

The Miss Rockaway Armada for Aquatic Glee, as it was originally known, was my first major collaboration. I became interested in the project when a friend of mine, over dinner, told me of her adventure down the Mississippi River. At that same dinner another friend of mine told me about a new project that was going to traverse the Mississippi River that coming summer. I went to the first meeting and fell in love with the whole thing. After four months of planning and gathering materials we left New York traveling to the headwaters of the Mississippi River. We landed in Minneapolis, Minnesota. We spent about two weeks putting together our colossal ship (40 meters long by 5 meters wide). And started on our journey. Days were spent on the water, in a town, or on an island. When in the towns we would often march off the ship as a parade. We would announce our performance and workshops. We would gather the supplies we needed and continue on. In a month and a half on the water we went about 400 river miles (640 KM) ending our trip in the Quad Cities, between Iowa and Illinois.

Here are some videos that should give a taste of what it was like to get the Miss Rockaway going.

Our First Engine Test on the Water

The Launching of a Completed Pontoon Section of The Rockaway

Our First Test Run with the Miss Rockaway

Our First Encounter with a Lock

Our Ship Underway

Here are photos showing the many different aspects to our life on the Mississippi River. The photos I chose to exhibit come from three loose categories--first, the construction of the boat; second, from our performances; third, to show a few photos of what it was like to live on the river.