February 17

Nicolas Baudin was a French navigator and cartographer who led expeditions mapping the coast of Australia. He directed the Baudin expedition to Australia from 1800 to 1803, charting large stretches of the continent's shores. Baudin collected botanical and zoological specimens, contributing valuable data to European natural history collections. His detailed maps greatly improved European understanding of the southern hemisphere's geography. Although he died aboard ship in 1803, his cartographic legacy continues to influence maritime exploration.

Isabelle Eberhardt was a Swiss explorer and writer born in Geneva. She is renowned for her adventurous travels across the deserts of Algeria, often disguising herself as a man to move freely. Eberhardt converted to Islam and adopted the name Si Mahmoud Essadi, immersing herself in local culture. Her vivid travel journals captured the landscapes, people, and customs of North Africa with evocative detail. She published several works, including From the Lands of the Sun and The Oblivion Seekers. Despite a short life, her writings influenced later travel literature and feminist discourse. She tragically died at age 27 during a flash flood in Algeria but left a lasting legacy as a pioneering woman traveler.

Born in 1963, Alison Hargreaves was a pioneering British climber known for solo ascents. In 1995, she became the first woman to climb all six great north faces of the Alps in a single season. She made a solo ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen. Later that year, she perished attempting a descent from K2 without bottled oxygen. Her achievements challenged the limits of human endurance and inspired future generations of climbers. Her legacy continues to be celebrated in mountaineering circles.