Real life Northern Ontario survival.

Here is an account of a woman who took a 10 minute walk from her car and
ended up lost for 6 days in the bush. There are lessons to be learned here.
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Lost in northern Ontario woods for six days, Valerie Cain never gave up hope
STEVE LAMBERT

July 28, 2009 3:17 p.m.

Lost and alone in the vast forest of northwestern Ontario, Valerie Cain somehow
managed to stay calm - and alive - for six gruelling days.

She says she suffered heartbreaking setbacks, and one very strange hallucination,
but kept focusing on one task: survival.

"I don't profess to be an expert at all, but I think keeping your wits about you is the
best survival tip. Don't panic," Cain told The Canadian Press from her home in
Keewatin, Ont., where she has been recovering with the help of friends and family.

Cain, a 45-year-old ultrasound technologist, got lost July 12 while driving to Red Lake,
where she was scheduled to fill in for a colleague. She saw some rapids off the highway,
parked her car and started walking through the forest to get a better look.

"It didn't take more than 10 minutes walking before I looked behind me and there was
really no trail behind me anymore," she said. "I headed in one direction that I thought
was headed either toward the highway or toward my vehicle, but it was neither."

"I was kind of in the middle of nowhere."

Cain was actually walking deeper and deeper into the thick woods, with dense trees
scraping her arms and legs. She had only a few cherries and some crackers with her,
and no water. She knew she would have to drink soon, but when the sunlight started
fading, she decided to settle down for the night underneath some trees.
The next morning, she continued walking, looking for any sign of civilization. She saw
a clearing in the distance and found a riverbank. There was no sign of anyone, but she
now had water to drink, and figured someone might come by. Fortunately, she had a
lighter on her - left over from a smoking habit she has been trying to kick.

"I stayed there for two nights and built a campfire ... in hopes that one, I could stay
warm and, two, that somebody would see the smoke."

"I walked in both directions up the shore ... but it just seemed to go on endlessly. I'd
get to one bend and it would just continue on to another one."
Cain would hear sounds - birds, mostly, and an occasional airplane that was much too
high to see her.

Meanwhile, back in Keewatin, Cain's friends and family were desperately trying to figure
out what happened to her. Ontario Provincial Police launched ground and aerial searches,
but had no luck.

On the fourth day, Cain decided to brave the river's strong current and cross to the other
side. She had been a lifeguard as a teenager and felt confident despite being weak from
lack of food.

Once on the other side, she heard a noise that sounded like it could be coming from a
logging operation and saw a clearing in the distance.

She approached it, only to find that it was another bend in the river. This time, however,
the current seemed much faster.

She walked along the riverbank in one direction. It was then that she saw her first sign
of civilization in four days - some cabins in the distance. Her spirits soared, but only
temporarily.

"I yelled for help and waved my arms toward the building that was there."

There was no reply. Cain says she was heartbroken, but determined. She knew her
best chance was to wait there in case the cabin owners came by.

Soon afterward, her mind started playing tricks on her. She saw a man on the other
side of the river. She was convinced he was real.

"I had about a three-hour, I don't know what you'd call it, a hallucination of sorts with
a person on the other side of the river, who was telling me he was going to come and
get me," Cain said.

"He just couldn't get across or whatever ... so I just kind of moved back into the bush
and laid underneath some trees and went to sleep for the night."

Cain now figures she was suffering from so-called "third-man" syndrome, a condition
in which people who are in danger of dying feel the presence of an unknown person
urging them to carry on. The syndrome was the subject of a recent book by Toronto
author John Geiger.

On the fifth day, Cain didn't move, waiting for someone to come to the cabins.
No one did.

On the sixth day, she decided she had to find food. Despite her weakening condition,
she prepared herself to brave the river's current.

"I got into the water and sat on a big rock, shivering, and I looked up again, and
there were two vehicles in the field. "

"I just screamed at the top of my lungs for I don't know how long, and these two
men appeared, towing a boat."

The men brought her to the cabin and called police.

"It was a thrill to be in a warm place and among people, and out of there."

After a brief hospital stay, Cain is recovering at home and getting her strength
back. She's thinking of returning to work soon, and is grateful for
search-and-rescue teams, police officers and others who searched for her.

For the time being, she's had more than enough of the great outdoors, and
has told her partner she wants to stay put.

"We had discussed camping this summer, but I don't think I'm going to go.
Right now I'm preferring my own bed and pillow."

_________________

"The monkeys are throwing stuff at me again."
-Survivorman in Costa Rica

I'll read this tonight, thanks Bush. Cool

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

Great story, Bush. Cool

I've never heard of the "third man syndrome". Sounds interesting. Surprised

Glad she made it out. Smile

_________________
Using dial-up is like riding a tricycle at Indy.

I had seen several brief reports of this, but this was the first one that went into such detail.

- I had heard of 'third man' syndrome before. It's sort of common in situations like this. But when I first read that she had hallucinated, I wondered if a little lizard was involved. Laughing

- Remember: If you are going to walk just a very short distance through unfamiliar territory, at least notice where the sun is on your way out. If it is on your left, it needs to be on your right on the way back.

- Say you've walked for 10 minutes and you realize you aren't sure of the way back. It's often best to stay put and try to signal for help (yelling, smokey fire, etc.). If you do decide to try and find your way out, walk for no more then 10 minutes in one direction, marking your trail well. It you end up no where, retrace your trail to your "I'm lost" point and repeat in another direction.

_________________

"The monkeys are throwing stuff at me again."
-Survivorman in Costa Rica

It was a good read Bush, Cheers Cool

_________________
A Knifeless Man is a Lifeless Man
Canadian To The Core
Carry Less by Knowing More
Knowledge Weighs Nothing

great read bush
I would have broken in to the cabins in case they had a phone food a burgar alarm and deal with the conciquences later but I would be alive.

_________________

Great article Bushrat .Thanks for posting it. Cool

First time I've heard of the "Third Man Syndrome" too.....Pretty interesting.

You're welcome, all.
I'm rereading it, trying to figure out why she didn't go to the cabins. As near as I can tell, they might have been too far off in the distance for her to walk to in her weakened condition.

_________________

"The monkeys are throwing stuff at me again."
-Survivorman in Costa Rica

I talked to her on Les' Facebook. She told Him his technics helped her survive. Cool

	LaraCroft wrote:
	I talked to her on Les' Facebook. She told Him his technics helped her survive.

I might have known there was a Survivorman connection. Wink

_________________

"The monkeys are throwing stuff at me again."
-Survivorman in Costa Rica

	BushRat wrote:
	You're welcome, all. I'm rereading it, trying to figure out why she didn't go to the cabins. As near as I can tell, they might have been too far off in the distance for her to walk to in her weakened condition.

thats true.

yeah I thought there was one too Very Happy

She's been watching her Survivorman. Very Happy

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