With the COASTANTAR 2024 expedition concluding in South America after team members completed land work at the Chilean Base Prof. Julio Escudero, the mission wrapped up, and the team is en route to Portugal.

The expedition, conducted aboard the 24-meter sailboat “El Doblón,” comprised 11 scientists, 1 filmmaker, and 4 crew members. Sampling took place between King George Island and the US Palmer Station.

Beginning on February 1st at Fildes Peninsula, the team engaged in land work. They were picked up by the sailboat on February 9th, beginning the expedition that ended on February 23rd. Some members returned to Chile, while others stayed a few extra days at Fildes to conclude tasks before departing.

Gonçalo Vieira, the expedition coordinator, highlighted its success, emphasizing the feasibility of conducting interdisciplinary scientific missions on sailboats. Challenges were acknowledged, including weather constraints and sea ice. The team’s consensus was positive, though refinement of processes, extension of mission duration, and potential reduction of visited sites were noted for future expeditions.

On the 6^th of February, the expedition of half circumnavigation in East Antarctica will begin within the scope of the project KHIONE, a project within the scope of the College on Polar and Extreme Environments (Polar2E) of the University of Lisbon. Paula Matos (researcher and project coordinator) and Margarida Queirós (team researcher), both from CEG-IGOT, will participate in the expedition. The project will be developed along the expedition that starts in Lyttelton, New Zealand, and ends in Ushuaia, Argentina.

During the expedition, the researchers will develop a multidisciplinary investigation, pairing biodiversity surveys by scientists and tourists. The aim of the project is to test (1) citizen science as a tool to collect and share relevant scientific data from marine and terrestrial ecosystems and the cryosphere; (2) the applicability of citizen science as a value-added tool to promote environmental awareness and sensitivity of the cruise passengers.

The project was selected in the international ARICE-PONANT Antarctic 2023-2024 call and will be implemented on board the polar expedition ship of the PONANT company, “Le Commandant Charcot”.

Realiza-se, no dia 26 de janeiro 2024, às 12h, no Auditório do TTC@ULisboa, a apresentação pública da “COASTANTAR2024 – A Primeira Expedição Científica Portuguesa de Veleiro na Península Antártica”.
A Antártica é uma das regiões mais sensíveis do Planeta face às alterações climáticas e onde a investigação científica interdisciplinar é mais urgente. O Programa Polar Português (PROPOLAR/FCT), juntou-se ao Colégio de Ciências Polares e de Ambientes Extremos da Universidade de Lisboa (POLAR2E/ULISBOA), para organizar a Expedição COASTANTAR 2024 – a 1.ª Expedição científica portuguesa de veleiro na Península Antártica.