MARE participates in the rescue of the boat Raven Kasters

After 69 days at sea, the boat Raven Kaster washed ashore in Portugal from Ireland. MARE researchers Cláudia Moreira, Ana Cunha and Zara Teixeira were part of the rescue team.

Raven Kaster is part of a Canadian educational programme promoted by the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. The 8th graders from Frank Roberts Junior High who took part in the programme had the opportunity to prepare the mini sailing boat before it was launched in November 2018 in Newfoundland. Raven Kaster is equipped to collect air and water temperature data and GPS information, allowing students to track their journey and learn more about ocean currents.

After the first voyage ended in Ireland after 102 days, Raven Kaster was launched again on 24 April this year, and washed ashore on 3 July at around 11.30pm on Quiaios Beach in Figueira da Foz. The mini boat was rescued the following morning, with the consent of Commander Pedro Cervaes Costa of the National Maritime Authority, who authorised Corporal Rocha and Sailor Ferreira to go to the scene.

Researcher Zara Teixeira was part of the rescue team. "MARE was asked to help rescue the boat. We gladly accepted. Myself and researchers Ana Cunha and Cláudia Moreira, with the support of Luís Sebastião from the Instituto Superior Técnico, who was in contact with the original project team and monitoring the boat's GPS, and with the help of the National Maritime Authority, we managed to successfully rescue it," explains the researcher.

Ana Cunha, in an interview with Canadian local news programme NTV News, recalls the funny episode with the National Maritime Authority: "When we were asking the maritime force for help, we had to show them the website to explain the project, because they found our request a bit strange. I think they were afraid we were trying to bring something into the country," says the researcher.

On the project's website you can see the trajectory of Raven Kaster which, according to Ana Cunha, arrived in Portugal in good condition. "It [the boat] seems to be in good condition, so I think we can just fix the sail and put it back out to sea," she explains.

The boat is currently at MAREFOZ, MARE's laboratory in Figueira da Foz, awaiting an assessment of its state of conservation so that it can continue its adventure, this time from Portugal.

To access Ana Cunha's interview click HERE

To find out more about the project click HERE