Nope...no life raft. AE seems, to me, the personality type to never admit that failure was an option. And she had the best navigator around. However, I am 'sure' (again in my mind) that there was a discussion of what (where) to do (to go) in the "impossible" event they couldn't find Howland. I am also 'sure' (in my mind) that in their minds there was only a 1% chance of not finding Howland. In that most unlike event, turn south.....find land.