John Rae statue (2013) © Copyright Jo Turner

Arctic explorer, Orcadian John Rae, is to have one of his most famous expeditions retraced as a 4 man team set out in April.

In 1854 Dr John Rae along with William Ouligbuck and Thomas Mistegan, discovered the fate of the Franklin expedition and charted the final link in the first navigable Canadian Northwest Passage.

The 21st Century team of explorers are: Hugh Dale-Harris, Garry Tutte, David Reid and Dr Andrew Bresnahan. They will ski and trek the 650Km across the Boothia Penninsula.

The Arctic Return Expedition hopes to celebrate the achievement of Orkney’s famous explorer and to help to raise funds to restore his childhood home at Orphir, The Hall of Clestrain.

They have set up a Go Fund Me page:  Arctic Return Expedition Project

Handing over the keys (B Bell)

John Rae by Stephen Pearce (1819 – 1904)

Related Stories:

Celebrating Dr John Rae’s Birthday

The Two Johns – A Personal Perspective

“Finding Franklin” at the John Rae Society Festival

John Rae Society Open Day at Clestrain House

Birthday Celebrations for Dr John Rae