Rescuers Search for Solo Female Explorer (Going to the North Pole )

The Las Vegas Sun ^ | March 09, 2004 at 13:40:50 PST | MATTI HUUHTANEN

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Today: March 09, 2004 at 13:40:50 PST

Rescuers Search for Solo Female Explorer

By MATTI HUUHTANEN
ASSOCIATED PRESS

HELSINKI, Finland (AP) - Rescue helicopters searched Tuesday for a female explorer who was feared lost on a journey to the North Pole, a spokesman for the expedition said.

Finnish adventurer Dominick Arduin, 43, hoped to be the first woman to reach the North Pole alone and unaided.

She was last heard from Friday, the first day of her trip, when she called from Arctic Russia on a satellite phone, said Reijo Hietanen, whose advertising company in Finland is responsible for updating her Web site.

At the time, Arduin said she had switched on an Argos beacon, a transmitter that sends a positioning signal, but her expedition team has not been able to detect it.

"We fear the worst, but hope for the best. We really hope it's only a technical hitch," Hietanen said.

Her expedition began from Mys Arkticheskiy, a cape on an island in the Arctic Ocean some 2,200 miles northeast of Moscow. She planned to kayak across a 35-mile stretch of mostly open waters in the Arctic Ocean before reaching the ice pack, where she would start skiing, Hietanen said.

Helicopters scanned the Arctic Ocean north of Siberia on Tuesday and planned to resume their search Wednesday.

Earlier Tuesday, helicopters rescued Frenchman Frederic Chamard-Boudet, who also began an attempt to reach the North Pole alone at the same time as Arduin on a separate expedition in the same region. Chamard-Boudet called for help after he was unable to continue.

Chamard-Boudet said he had not seen Arduin.

Weather forecasters predicted possible storms in the region during the next few days, Hietanen said.

French-born Arduin has lived in Finnish Lapland for 15 years. She is known for her exploits, including winning the Paris-Dakar Mountain Bike Rally in 1987.

In 2001, she reached the magnetic North Pole, 13 years after the first woman, American Helen Thayer, walked there alone and unaided.

Last year, Arduin failed to reach the geographical North Pole after falling through ice and losing several of her toes to frostbite.

---

On the Net:

http://www.arctic-dominick.com/northpole2004-english

--

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

This looks like she didn't even get a decent start!

[ClearCase_guy]

She was last heard from Friday, the first day of her trip

Well, that's embarassing. Hope she's OK.

[steplock]

Alone & unaided to the North Pole?

DARWIN AWARD contender!

.

[NormsRevenge]

Click Here to visit her expedition site.

Losing toes last time wasn't enough .. hope for the best.

[davisfh]

"Rescuers Search for Solo Female Explorer (Going to the North Pole )"

We'll hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

[James Mabry]

http://www.sercotransarctic.com/home
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3493459.stm

Thanks for posting this. I became aware of this women because of this man, Ben Saunders. I suspect you are well aware of his expedition. If by chance not, then fyi for you and all.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Check out her website, this is a gal that knows what she is doing and has done a LOT!

See above # 5 for link!

[NormsRevenge]

Here's another good site to follow situation.

http://www.thepoles.com/

[Deb]

Have they checked the North Pole shoe sale.

[sozo]

last heard from on day 1? uh, so if she ran into problems why didnt she just turn around and go back to the starting point? unless she was the main course at a polar bear family reunion. sorry for the gallows humor. but some risks are just too stupid. didnt she have a GPS tracking device on her? well, why not? and did she have a gun ? probably not. i hope she turns up ok.

[sozo]

ok yes i see she did have the tracking device. my mistake. i bet a whale got her. a kayak is too close to those big things in the deep sea. sorry for her and her loved ones. again, hopefully she turns up ok.

[RedMonqey]

"French-born Arduin has lived in Finnish Lapland for 15 years. "

Look for a polar with aVERY round belly and an empty bottle of Grey Poupon beside it!

[CWOJackson]

Not a great time of year to be risking the lives of rescuers in the Arctic.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

They probably want max expanse of frozen ocean.

[CWOJackson]

I've done north (Arctic) trips on icebreakers. The weather and visibility up there can be pretty dicey this time of year. I can't image why she even started out in the middle of the Arctic winter.

You won't find many people who want to go up there this time of year on an icebreaker.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

You won't find many people who want to go up there this time of year on an icebreaker.

I use to like cold weather, lived on the Great Plains as a young guy. But my bones don't care much for the cold now as a SS recipient.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I've done north (Arctic) trips on icebreakers.

So what do you see while on a cruise?

[CWOJackson]

The cold is different in Arctic regions. It's very dry so it usually doesn't feel as cold as it actually is. You also adapt to it easier. However, once you get into the negative double digits it doesn't much matter any more.

[steplock]

Mine was NOT a sexist remark.

"Common Sense" (a RARE commodity these days) would tell a sensible person that accidents can happen, the unexpected should be expected, and always have a backup plan.

I did stupid things in my younger days - jumped out perfectly good helicopters, went up & down 1000' cliffs, swam (unintentionally) in 33 degree rivers, played with high explosive - cooked with C-4 & napalm - you name the idiotic thing - I probably did it.

BUT ..... maybe it was my USMC Recon training ..... you ALWAYS had a backup. If you went off by yourself, most likely you would NEVER come back.

We even teach (used to anyway) our kids the "buddy system" in swimming, play, etc.

Yes, she is definitely a contender for the DARWIN AWARD like anyone else who tries things like that - crossing the Pacific Ocean in a rowboat, etc.

That isn't bravery - it is stupidity!