Saturday, July 6, 2024
ADVT 
National

Quebecer Frederic Dion returns to Canada after solo trip to Antarctic

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 12 Jan, 2015 03:59 PM

    MONTREAL — Frederic Dion's biggest challenge on his solo trip to the Antarctic had nothing to do with the solitude, the bitterly cold temperatures or the howling winds.

    It was the thought of his wife and two young daughters back in Quebec.

    "Kite-skiing for 24 hours in extreme conditions is a challenge I love," he said after arriving back in Montreal on Monday.

    "Putting up a tent in a blizzard is something I can do and have fun doing. But being far from my children and wife was my biggest difficulty."

    Dion, 37, made the trip to the Antarctic on skis with the help of wind-sail.

    Along the way, the native of the central Quebec town of Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel fought winds of more than 100 km/h and suffered frostbite as he braved temperatures that often plummeted to -50 C.

    He also broke his sleigh, which contained a tent, sleeping bag and food.

    "The moment when I felt fear was when I lost my sled for 20 minutes," said Dion, surrounded by his wife, Caroline Mailhot, and their daughters, Adelie, 6, and Danaelle, 3.

    "This was the worst moment, but I felt fear for 30 seconds. I rarely think 'Am I going to die?' and that event, for a small moment, it was pretty scary."

    He ended his voyage at Hercules Inlet on Jan. 3, completing in 54 days and six hours the crossing of Antarctica that he began on Nov. 10 from the Russian Base Novolazarevskaya.

    All told, he covered 4,382 kilometres in 54 days.

    Being alone was not a problem.

    "Solitude for me is not a prison," he said. "It's a secret garden. I had a great trip.

    "The biggest challenge was managing the doubt in my mind and managing the separation from those I love — and that includes my wife and children."

    He communicated with them only once a week during the bone-chilling excursion.

    As to where he's headed next, Dion said his family will come first.

    "The next big adventure — and it's one that will last several months and several years, and I know I have a lot of competition — is I want to be the best father in the world."

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Calgary's Gagandeep Sidhu Gets Life In Prison For Dragging Wife From Car, Then Strangling Her

    Calgary's Gagandeep Sidhu Gets Life In Prison For Dragging Wife From Car, Then Strangling Her
    A Calgary court was told the crime occurred when Gagandeep Sidhu, 34, and his wife Monisha Sidhu, 26, got into an argument while on their way to the Peter Lougheed Centre March 29, 2013 for him to see a doctor

    Calgary's Gagandeep Sidhu Gets Life In Prison For Dragging Wife From Car, Then Strangling Her

    Surrey Six Convicted Murderers Cody Haevischer, Matthew Johnston Appeal Verdict

    Surrey Six Convicted Murderers Cody Haevischer, Matthew Johnston Appeal Verdict
    Cody Haevischer and Matthew Johnston were each convicted of conspiracy and six counts of first-degree murder, for which they received mandatory life sentences with no parole for 25 years.

    Surrey Six Convicted Murderers Cody Haevischer, Matthew Johnston Appeal Verdict

    B.C. Man Says He Awoke To Find His Former Social Worker Shaving His Body Hair

    B.C. Man Says He Awoke To Find His Former Social Worker Shaving His Body Hair
    KAMLOOPS, B.C. — A Lytton, B.C., man has tearfully testified that he awoke naked to find his former social worker shaving off most of his body hair.

    B.C. Man Says He Awoke To Find His Former Social Worker Shaving His Body Hair

    Blaney to represent Canada at Sunday unity rally in Paris

    Blaney to represent Canada at Sunday unity rally in Paris
    OTTAWA — Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney will represent Canada at a unity rally in Paris on Sunday, a show of solidarity in the wake of the terror attacks which rocked France this week.

    Blaney to represent Canada at Sunday unity rally in Paris

    Donate sign removed from Harper terrorism page to "avoid confusion," say Tories

    Donate sign removed from Harper terrorism page to
    OTTAWA — The Conservative Party of Canada has removed a "Donate Now" button from a web page which highlighted Stephen Harper's comments about the deadly Paris terrorist attack, after critics called it crass.

    Donate sign removed from Harper terrorism page to "avoid confusion," say Tories

    Uber Seeks To Have Lawsuit Filed By Vancouver Taxi Companies Thrown Out

    Uber Seeks To Have Lawsuit Filed By Vancouver Taxi Companies Thrown Out
    VANCOUVER — Uber is asking a B.C. court to throw out a lawsuit filed by four Vancouver-based taxi companies that are attempting to block the ride-sharing service from launching in the city.

    Uber Seeks To Have Lawsuit Filed By Vancouver Taxi Companies Thrown Out