Aleksandrs Laime
Encyclopedia
Aleksandrs Laime was a famous Latvia
n-born explorer. He is most noted for being the first recorded human to reach Angel Falls, located in Venezuela
, by foot. He also established, together with Charles Baughan, the tourist camp of Canaima, created solely for the purpose of bringing tourists to Angel Falls.
's team which reached Angel Falls by ground and surveyed the falls. He reached the summit of Auyantepui
in 1955, and along with his native companion Manuel Fiorentino were the first to reach Jimmie Angel
's crashed plane "Flamingo." He explored the surface of the tepuy, and named unnamed rivers there. He gave the river
on which Angel Falls is the name Gauja
, after the most beautiful river in Latvia
of the same name. It is sometimes written as Rio Gauya. He also named three other rivers, Rio Venta, Rio Daugava and Rio Ogre, all after celebrated rivers of Latvia. He was married to Vilma Laime who died in April 2009 at her residence in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. and is survived by his son Alexander Laime, stepdaughter Ilse Wood, grandchildren Robert Wood, Jr. and Sandra Jones, and great grandchildren, Rachel Wood, Carissa Wood, and Richard Jones all of whom reside in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey areas, U.S.A.
, underneath Laime's fireplace
in his house on Isla Orquidea (an island on the Rio Carrao, 2 hours downstream from Canaima).
) one last time, to die up there. He then went to the nearby Waku Lodge, for a drink. He died shortly thereafter in the bathroom of a heart attack.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n-born explorer. He is most noted for being the first recorded human to reach Angel Falls, located in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, by foot. He also established, together with Charles Baughan, the tourist camp of Canaima, created solely for the purpose of bringing tourists to Angel Falls.
Activity in Venezuela
After moving to Venezuela in 1939, Laime led many explorations through the jungles of south Venezuela. In 1949 he was part of Ruth RobertsonRuth Robertson
Ruth Agnes McCall Robertson Marietta was an American photojournalist known most for photographing Angel Falls in Venezuela and surveying them to establish them as the tallest waterfalls in the world.-Associations:...
's team which reached Angel Falls by ground and surveyed the falls. He reached the summit of Auyantepui
Auyantepui
Auyantepui, also Auyantepuy, Auyan-Tepui, or Aiyan-Tepui, is a tepui plateau in the Gran Sabana region of the Bolivar State in Venezuela. It is one of the largest tepuis in the Guiana Highlands, with an area of .Angel Falls, the tallest waterfall in the world, drops from a cleft near the summit...
in 1955, and along with his native companion Manuel Fiorentino were the first to reach Jimmie Angel
Jimmie Angel
James Crawford "Jimmie" Angel was an American aviator after whom Angel Falls in Venezuela, the tallest waterfall in the world, is named.-His birth and early life:...
's crashed plane "Flamingo." He explored the surface of the tepuy, and named unnamed rivers there. He gave the river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
on which Angel Falls is the name Gauja
Gauja
The Gauja is one of the longest rivers in Latvia, with a length of and a catchment area of . Its source is in the hills southeast of Cēsis. It first flows east and north and forms the border with Estonia for about . South of Valga and Valka, it turns west towards Valmiera, continuing southwest...
, after the most beautiful river in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
of the same name. It is sometimes written as Rio Gauya. He also named three other rivers, Rio Venta, Rio Daugava and Rio Ogre, all after celebrated rivers of Latvia. He was married to Vilma Laime who died in April 2009 at her residence in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. and is survived by his son Alexander Laime, stepdaughter Ilse Wood, grandchildren Robert Wood, Jr. and Sandra Jones, and great grandchildren, Rachel Wood, Carissa Wood, and Richard Jones all of whom reside in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey areas, U.S.A.
Search for the "Golden River"
After hearing news of Jimmie Angel's famed "Golden River", Laime, like many of his contemporaries, went in search of the river. He has never publicized if he actually found it, but close friends say he really had found it. After Laime's death in 1994, approximately 20 000 dollars were found in a tin canTin can
A tin can, tin , steel can, or a can, is a sealed container for the distribution or storage of goods, composed of thin metal. Many cans require opening by cutting the "end" open; others have removable covers. Cans hold diverse contents: foods, beverages, oil, chemicals, etc."Tin" cans are made...
, underneath Laime's fireplace
Fireplace
A fireplace is an architectural structure to contain a fire for heating and, especially historically, for cooking. A fire is contained in a firebox or firepit; a chimney or other flue allows gas and particulate exhaust to escape...
in his house on Isla Orquidea (an island on the Rio Carrao, 2 hours downstream from Canaima).
Death
Laime came down the Churun River on March 20, 1994, to stockpile food and supplies for the next few weeks, as he usually did. He spoke to the wife of Ramon Jimenez, asking for him. He complained to her about chest pains, and said that he knew the end was near. He is reported as saying that he wanted to climb the great tepuy (AuyantepuiAuyantepui
Auyantepui, also Auyantepuy, Auyan-Tepui, or Aiyan-Tepui, is a tepui plateau in the Gran Sabana region of the Bolivar State in Venezuela. It is one of the largest tepuis in the Guiana Highlands, with an area of .Angel Falls, the tallest waterfall in the world, drops from a cleft near the summit...
) one last time, to die up there. He then went to the nearby Waku Lodge, for a drink. He died shortly thereafter in the bathroom of a heart attack.