Press Release.

< Back to Press Release list

1 NOVEMBER 2003

Explorer Dom Mee brings home artefacts from the Victorian ship ‘The Victory’ lost in ice for 170 years.

Dom Mee, former Royal Marine Commando, Maritime Explorer and star of the BBC1 Extreme Lives Docu- mentary “Two Men In A Boat” which focused on his gruelling row of the North Pacific has returned from his latest epic maritime adventure Arctic Quest 1831. Dom navigated his rubber boat IDS a 17ft kayak through the Northwest Passage solo! Among other achievements Dom completed the mamouth task of reaching the Magnetic North Pole discovered in 1831, the first successful expedition to reach it for 170 years and with good reason! “The area makes Dartmoor look like a stroll in Hyde Park” quoted Dom on his return to the UK.

Dom’s adventure started at the small Inuit settlement of Gjoa Haven located on King William Island, Nu- navut in the High Arctic. He travelled some 450 nautical miles retracing the footsteps of Victorian Explor- er Sir John Ross who endured four winters in his search for the North West passage, but claimed many firsts. Eventually six weeks later Dom staggered into the Inuit settlement of Talyoak, having endured, by his own admition, the most emotionally and physically testing experience of his life.

Dom’s recent expedition has uncovered some truly remarkable discoveries. Dom has returned from the region brandishing artefacts, which have been verified by independent experts as pieces of Sir John Ross’s doomed ship ‘The Victory’. This vessel vanished beneath the ice having been abandoned by Ross and his crew in 1832. The resurrection of an epic tale of true British spirit and endeavour, in this, the most unforgiving of environments. A tale that could have been forgotten with time has now been highlighted as an equal to the exploits of Shackleton, Scott and Franklin.

Dom not only spent the entire trip avoiding the continual threat of polar bears and walruses, he negoti- ated ice fields, trekked across mountain ranges, carrying his kayak and all of his supplies. He undertook all of the above with the additional burden of four broken ribs as a result of a Musk Ox attack during his trek to the pole of 1831. “Kayaking through pack ice, surrounded by polar bears, with four broken ribs is about as extreme as I would ever like to be!” quoted Dom.

In addition, he also successfully crossed the Boothia Isthmus, which has not been attempted since 1953. This corner of the World is a truly unforgiving wasteland. Crossing it is a remarkable achievement the scale of which Dom was unaware, until he was in the tundra!

Dom will be showing the artefacts this Friday, the 28th November 2003 with an audience of high stand- ing members of the maritime community, associated press and believers. Dom will be presenting the artefacts to a Museum in the New Year.

Dom is an Ambassador to the Sea Vision campaign which promotes the whole maritime sector, and as a partner to the campaign the Corporation of Trinity House is kindly hosting this event. (for information on Sea Vision visit www.seavisionuk.org)

Ends.