Aleksandrs Laime

Aleksandrs Laime (also known as Alejandro Laime or Alexander Laime) was a famous Latvian-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.

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 Robertson'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, Zackary 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 can, underneath Laime's fireplace 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 (Auyantepui) 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.

References

• Stavro, Andris., "Aleksandrs Laime un viņa zelta upe" (Apgāds Jāņa Sēta, Rīga, 1999, ISBN 9984-07-184-7)
• Personal account of Maria Jimenez, March 13, 2008

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