St Laurent Darcy (Canadien)

St Laurent Darcy

In the company of Eric Larsen and Antony Jinman, Darcy St Laurent has successfully completed the Ward Hunt-North Pole trek during the spring 2010. Currently Darcy is a Search and Rescue technician, part an elite band of Canadian Forces specialists who call themselves SAR Tech’s, whose role it is to rescue others in the unforgiving north.

The trio was put down on the ice on 03 March. Throughout the journey, the three men were to doubt the outcome of their adventure as the conditions for making headway were so appalling. Even during the final days, they didn't know whether or not they would be getting there. In fact, it was because the drift of the pack ice had slowed them down almost every night during the two months of the adventure. On the 51st day of the trek however, the trio finally reached their goal. That was on 23 April, Earth Day! Larsen took advantage of it to remind as many people as possible that the twentieth-century explorer's trade was no longer to discover, as was the case in the past, but to protect.

He is a highly decorated veteran of the Canadian Military, Darcy's list of jobs in the military reads like a adventure novel. He has been a combat engineer, combat diver, army parachutist, explosive ordnance disposal technician and a UN Peace Keeper in Cambodia and Bosnia.

Darcy has participated in various exercises, both military and personal, in the high Arctic. Whether he's involved in a multinational Arctic search and rescue exercise or trekking across Ellesmere Island with a small group of comrades, Darcy's love of the Arctic has never wavered. No stranger to hard work, he has spent his entire life engaged in emotionally and physically demanding activity; working the farm, combat engineering, combat diver, army parachutist, explosive ordnance disposal, UN peace keeper (Cambodia and Bosnia) and search and rescue technician are a few examples of Darcy's lifestyle that depict his level of dedication and perseverance.

Currently Darcy is a Search and Rescue technician, part an elite band of Canadian Forces specialists who call themselves SAR Tech's, whose role it is to rescue others in the unforgiving north. As part of his love for the planet and concern about global warming, Darcy has beenÂÂ a key team member for the North Pole leg of Save the Poles 2010.

Darcy was awarded the Star of Courage in 1998 for a rescue performed in the Torngat Mountains of Labrador and in 2008 he was awarded the medal of Bravery for a rescue mission 200 miles west Of Rankin Inlet, Nunavut.

Source : Eric Larsen's website and Cold Watrer Boot Camp website

Written in August 2010