How Long Was Ada Blackjack Stranded?

Ada Blackjack was a young Inuit woman who became stranded on a remote island in the Arctic Ocean in 1921. Her story is a remarkable tale of survival, perseverance, and resilience.

Ada was born in 1898 in Alaska. She grew up in a small village near Nome, where she learned traditional skills like hunting, fishing, and sewing from her mother.

When Ada was 16 years old, she married Jack Blackjack and had three children with him. Unfortunately, Jack abandoned Ada and their children soon after their last child was born.

In 1921, Ada received an unusual job offer from an American explorer named Vilhjalmur Stefansson. Stefansson was leading an expedition to explore the Arctic region and needed someone to join his team as a cook and seamstress. Ada accepted the job because she needed money to support her children.

The expedition consisted of four men and Ada Blackjack. They sailed to Wrangel Island, which is located north of Siberia. The plan was for the team to spend one year on the island, studying the wildlife and conducting scientific experiments.

However, things did not go as planned. The expedition encountered numerous challenges right from the start.

The ship that brought them to Wrangel Island got stuck in ice and had to be abandoned. The team had to build a makeshift shelter using whatever materials they could find on the island.

As time went on, it became clear that the expedition was not well-prepared for life on the island. One member of the team died of scurvy within months of arriving on Wrangel Island. Another member left the island in search of help but never returned.

Eventually, only two members of the expedition remained: Ada Blackjack and a man named Lorne Knight. Knight became ill and died soon after. This left Ada alone on Wrangel Island with no means of communication or transportation.

Ada survived on Wrangel Island for two years before she was finally rescued. During that time, she had to rely on her skills and resourcefulness to stay alive. She hunted and fished for food, sewed clothing out of animal hides, and built shelters to protect herself from the harsh Arctic weather.

When Ada was finally rescued in 1923, she was hailed as a hero. She had survived longer than anyone else on the island and had done so without any outside help. Her story inspired people all over the world and helped raise awareness about the dangers of Arctic exploration.

In conclusion, Ada Blackjack was stranded on Wrangel Island for two years before she was rescued. Her story is a testament to the human spirit and our ability to survive in even the most challenging circumstances. Ada’s legacy lives on as a symbol of strength, courage, and resilience in the face of adversity.