Rainbow Warrior (1987), New Zealand, survey 2019

MV Rainbow Warrior (1987), Cavalli Islands, North Island, New Zealand, surveyed 2019. A 3D model of the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior 1, produced in 2020 as part of an archeological survey. The French navy, struggling to cope with the non-violent protest tactics of activist vessels seeking to stop French nuclear testing in the Moruroa Atoll, launched “Operation Satanique” in 1985. French secret service agents were sent to New Zealand to sink the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland Harbour before it could lead a protest flotilla. The GIRT survey of the Rainbow Warrior in 2019 was undertaken with three purposes in mind. Firstly, to gain a baseline understanding of the condition of the site. Secondly, to demonstrate the potential for public archaeology/citizen science to lead in systematically monitoring underwater cultural heritage sites in New Zealand. Thirdly, as a case study to demonstrate the utility of the GIRT survey methodology to inform underwater cultural heritage management.