ANTARCTIC CHRONOLOGY

A Postal History Gallery of Related Events


1960-93




Operation Deepfreeze

 

EIGHTS COAST
Very Scarce

 

The EIGHTS COAST canceler was used only ONE day ... 17 FEB 1960. Only 3000 covers were canceled.

AMUNDSEN SEA COAST
Very Scarce

A "one-day post office" in the Amundsen Sea was established on March 4, 1961 on board the USS GLACIER and USS STATEN ISLAND. Approximately 2500 covers were processed on both ships.

The two special postmarks, Eights Coast and Amundsen Sea Coast, were NOT created for collectors, nor will they ever see postal duty again.

 





MARIE BYRD LAND COAST

An additional personal cachet has been applied by polar veteran A.H. "Bud" Waite. Waite was one of the 3 men who rescued Richard Byrd in 1934 at the Bolling Advance Weather Station, during the SECOND BYRD ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. He took part in OPERATION HIGHJUMP and during the IGY was leader of the US Army Signal Corps Antarctic Research Team. He was communications specialist on the USS ATKA during the US NAVY ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION 1954-55, and on the US NAVY BELLINGSHAUSEN SEA EXPEDITION in 1959-60.

ANTARCTIC PENINSULA TRAVERSE
1961-62


A cover sent to Christchurch, New Zealand, canceled US NAVY 17038 BR (McMurdo) 10 FEB 62. Quite scarce, with signatures of 7 members who participated in the event..

HEROIC ERA VISITORS

1965


Cover signed by Philip Brocklehurst, participant in Shackleton's NIMROD EXPEDITION . . . AND signed by Raymond Priestly, participant in both Shackleton's NIMROD EXPEDITION and Scott's TERRA NOVA EXPEDITION.





Weddell Sea Program

 

Weddell 86 Program

The PFS POLARSTERN undertook a multidisciplinary study financed by the Alfred Wegner Institute. The overall project, beginning in 1986, took 19 months. Supplies and other contacts were provided through South American ports.


Weddell 89 Program

 

After overhaul in Finland, the AKADEMIK FEDOROV joined POLARSTERN in a study of sea water circulation in the Weddell Sea. Twelve Americans and Germans worked with a Russian team on this project.


 

 

International Trans-Antarctic Expedition
1989-90

 

The 1989-90 INTERNATIONAL TRANS-ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION traveled without mechanical ground transportation as six team members, representing six nationalities, crossed the 3,799 miles from St. George Island to the Russian MIRNY Base.

The traverse began on July 28, 1989 and reached the South Pole on December 11. They arrived at MIRNY Base on March 1, 1990.

The traverse was uneventful until a storm encountered near the South Pole separated one team member causing a near fatality. They arrived on December 11 and after a rest of four days the party left for VOSTOK Base. The mail clerk failed to prepare mail to be carried in time for departure and it was apparently forwarded by aircraft to MIRNY Base, where the trekkers signed them, although some of the covers failed to receive cancellations.

(Covers courtesy of George Hall)

 

 

German Antarctic North Victoria Land Expedition
1992-93

A Dutch team operated in 1992-93 from the German base GONDWANA in Terra Nova Bay in the Ross Dependency.

(Courtesy of George Hall)

 

 

Russian-Swiss Joint Antarctic Project
1993

In keeping with an awareness of the expense of maintaining polar stations, Russia is turning to joint projects. The ice ship AKADEMIK FEDOROV supported the project carried out at the NOVOLAZAREVSKAJA Station.

(Courtesy of George Hall)