Showing posts with label *Polar-Philately. Show all posts
Showing posts with label *Polar-Philately. Show all posts

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Norway: Svalbard - Longyearbyen

This great Cover arrived from the far north. Many thanks to Henrik, who send this cover from his latest trip to Svalbard. There are two points to mention on this cover. First the stamp seems to be a personalised issue from Svalbard (from the offical 'Postal Norge'). The second point is the cancel. Its not from the local post office (you can see it here). As I'm told you can ask for the cancel at the local Radisson Blue Hotel. You can try to make your own cover and send a prepared letter to: Radisson Blue Polar Hotel, Box 554, NO-9171, Longyearbyen.

Stamp:

Personalised Issue "Svalbard" - Issued: unknown



♁ 78° 12′ N, 15° 38′ O



Thursday, January 11, 2024

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on Expedition PS136

The Polarstern expedition PS136 started on 22 May 2023 in Bremerhaven, Grmany and led to the Fram Strait between Greenland and the Svalbard archipelago. The expedition wanted to contribute to various large national and international research and infrastructure projects (FRAM, MUSE, iFOODis, HiAOOS, ICOS-D, SIOS) as well as to the new research programme „Changing Earth – Sustaining our Future” („Erde im Wandel – Unsere Zukunft nachhaltig gestalten”) of the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz-Center for Polar and Marine Research (AWI). The cruise ended on 19 June 2023 in Tromsø, Norway.

Source: https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/57718/1/Expeditionsprogramme_PS136.pdf 

To note, the Alfred Wegener Institute will no longer process collectors mail send to the Polarstern due to the "ever-increasing workload". This is very sad news for any Polarmail collector.


Stamp:

Definitive Issue - "Flowers" - Issued: 03-01-2005

Friday, November 24, 2023

Argentina: Argentina in Antarctica

Many thanks to Julio for this fantastic cover from Argentina. To match the exact postage he added a few more stamps on the back of the cover. In total the postage seems to be 6500 Argentine Pesos for this letter which is around 16-17 Euros. So a big thank you Julio for sending me this cover and also for adding some mint stamp with it.

Stamp:

Argentina in Antarctica (m/s) - Issued: 16-08-2022


Stamps:

11x Definitives - National Parks ($500) - Issued: 15-05-2022
1x Definitives - National Parks ($200) - Issued: 22-07-2019


Thursday, November 16, 2023

South Georgia: Bird Island Research Station

Bird Island Research Station is an important centre for research into bird and seal biology. Lying off the north-west tip of South Georgia, Bird Island is one of the richest wildlife sites in the world. The research station, active since 1957, was completely redeveloped in 2005 and today provides accommodation for 10 staff.

To note the second postmark on the cover showing a nice cachet of "RRS Sir David Attenborough". It is a research vessel owned by the Natural Environment Research Council and operated by the British Antarctic Survey for the purposes of both research and logistic support. The vessel is named after broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough


Stamp:

Queen Elizabeth 90th Birthday s/s - Issued: 21-04-2016


Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on Expedition PS129

The expedition PS129 of the German research vessel Polarstern wanted to provide contributions to scientific projects encompassing physical oceanography, marine biology and marine chemistry, with the aim to investigate the water masses of the Weddell Sea and adjacent oceanic regions, and the ecological and chemical cycles within the regions. The expedition was another continuation of the long-term time series work in the framework of Hybrid Antarctic Float Observation System (HAFOS). The Polarstern  departed from Cape Town, South Africa, on 3 March 2022, taking a route across the Southern Ocean to Antarctica and back, and ended on 28 April 2022 in Stanley, Falkland Islands.

Source: https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/55571/1/Expeditionsprogramm_PS129.pdf

Stamps:

The Dangers of Climate Change - The Forest is Climate Protection - Issued: 07-10-2021
Definitive Series "Flowers" 0.10ct - Issued: 08-06-2017


Saturday, April 29, 2023

Canada: "Polar Bear Capital of the World" - Churchill, Manitoba

Churchill is a town in northern Manitoba, Canada, on the west shore of Hudson Bay, roughly 140 km (87 mi) from the Manitoba–Nunavut border. It is most famous for the many polar bears that move toward the shore from inland in the autumn, leading to the nickname "Polar Bear Capital of the World" and to the benefit of its burgeoning tourism industry. 

Stamps from the right:

Mammals - Issued: 27-10-1998
Landscape Images - Issued: 08-09-1972
Canadian Mammals - Issued: 28-12-1990


Many thanks to Marie!

Friday, April 22, 2022

Norway: Jan Mayen - "2. Cover"

My second cover from this tiny volcanic island in the Arctic Ocean. Many thanks to Rune for sending me this! 

You can find my first one here!

 

Stamps:

"Jan Mayen" - Issued: 21-02-2020

Friday, April 01, 2022

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on Expedition PS127

RV Polarstern departed 5 December 2021 from Bremerhaven, Germany and arrived on 4 January 2022 in Cape Town (South Africa) with a planned port-call in-between in Las Palmas (Canary Islands) 16 December 2021, on the expedition PS127. During the Expedition physical, biological and chemical seawater parameters as well as atmospheric measurement parameters have been measured. Also Training on hydroacoustic measurement systems have been conducted. Latest developed and newly installed measurement systems have also been tested.
 


Stamp:

The Lorelei - Issued: 01-10-2020


Tuesday, March 08, 2022

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on the Expedition PS113

The cruise leg PS113 coincided with the return voyage of Polarstern after finishing her Antarctic research season 2017/18. PS113 started on the evening of 08 May (2018), delayed by one day due to the somewhat difficult arrangements at the harbour of Punta Arenas, Chile. Tailwinds and a strong tidal current setting towards the Atlantic in the Strait of Magellan, but helped us to regain part of the lost ship time right at the beginning of the cruise. As planned, an intermediate port call at Las Palmas, Canary Islands, took place on 03 June for the exchange of personnel. According to schedule PS113 ended in Bremerhaven early on 11 June 2018.

Source: https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/48505/1/BzPM_0724_2018.pdf  

Stamp:

Baby-Animals (from a set of two) - Issued: 02-01-2018

Sunday, March 06, 2022

Belgium: Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Research Station

The Princess Elisabeth Antarctica, located on Utsteinen Nunatak in Queen Maud Land (71°57′00″S 23°20′49″E), is a Belgian scientific polar research station, which went into service on 15 February 2009. The station is named after Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant, the eldest daughter of King Philippe of Belgium. This Cover is from the Belare (Belgian Antarctic Research Expedition) of 2017 to 2018 and  shows the autograph of the Expedition leader.

Stamp:

King Philippe - Issued: 14-03-2016


Many thanks to Juanvi Garcia!


Saturday, December 21, 2019

France: T.A.A.F. - Dumont-d’Urville Station - L’Astrolabe

The Dumont d'Urville Station (French: Base antarctique Dumont-d'Urville) is a French scientific station in Antarctica on Île des Pétrels, archipelago of Pointe-Géologie in Adélie Land. It is named after explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville, whose expedition landed on Débarquement Rock in the Dumoulin Islands at the northeast end of the archipelago on January 21, 1840. It is operated by the "French Polar Institute Paul-Émile Victor", a joint operation of French public and para-public agencies.

This cover was carried by the french Icebreaker L’Astrolabe as you can see by the blue cancellation in the middle of the cover. The L’Astrolabe is used to bring personnel and supplies to the Dumont d'Urville Station.


Stamps:
Mawson's Huts - Issued: 02-01-2013
Logos of French South and Antarctic Territory - Year 2015 - Issued: 19-03-2015

Sunday, December 08, 2019

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on the Expedition PS117

Polarstern Expedition  PS117 focusses on providing contributions to scientific projects encompassing physical oceanography, marine biology and meteorology, with the general aim to better understanding  of  the  evolution of  the Weddell  Sea water  masses and the ecological and chemical cycles of the Weddell Sea. In addition to the immediate scientific program, this expedition also serves to resupply the German Neumayer Station, Antarctica to support the multifaceted scientific activities originating from there.

To realize these aims the Polarstern departed on 15th December 2018 from Cape Town, South Africa and crossed the Southern Ocean to Antarctica and back, to finally end on 7 February 2019 in Punta Arenas, Chile.

I'm very happy to receive this nice Cover with an extra Cachet Postmark from this Expedition.



Stamps:
Definitves "Eranthis hyemalis" - Issued: 08-06-2017
Stamp Day - The 150th Anniversary of the North German Postal District - Issued: 13-09-2018

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on the Expedition PS107-ARK-XXXI/2

The Polarstern expedition PS107 to the Arctic (Tromsø – Tromsø) started on 23 July 2017 and led particularly to study areas in the central and eastern Fram Strait. With this expedition it contributed to various large national and international research and infrastructure projects (e.g. INTAROS, FRAM, SIOS, OceanSITES) as well as to the research programme PACES-II (Polar Regions and Coasts in the changing Earth System) of the Alfred-Wegener- Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI). The cruise ended on 19 August 2017 in Tromsø, Norway.

Note the signature on the cover, I'm not sure from who it is, but I suspect its from the Chief Scientist of this Expedition Ingo Schewe.


Stamp:
EUROPA "Castles" - Issued: 11-05-2017

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Spain: Cover from B.I.O. Hesperides

BIO Hespérides (A-33), is a Spanish polar research vessel. It was built in 1990, by Bazán Shipyards of Cartagena (Spain). Hespérides is used to service the research bases in Antarctica, mainly the Spanish Juan Carlos I Antarctic Base, as well as to perform research voyages. It is operated by the Spanish Navy and the responsible of the scientific equipment is the Spanish National Research Council.

The Ship departed from its base in Cartagena back in December 2016 for its 30th Antarctic campaign. Throughout this campaign 17 scientific research projects took place. Many of these projects were related to research on climate change and global warming. It arrived back in Cartagena in the End of May 2017.



Stamp:
The 30th Anniversary of Spain as Member State of the European Union - Issued: 07-07-2016


Thursday, April 20, 2017

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on the Expedition PS 104 (Punta Arenas – Punta Arenas)

This is another great cover from the german Research Vessel and Icebreaker Polarstern. The Expedition PS 104 was planned to start on 6th February 2017 from Punta Arenas to the Amundsen Sea (Antarctica) and then return back to Punta Arenas on 18th March 2017. The main research programme of the Expedition PS 104 was aimed to use the so called MeBo seabed drilling system to drill a series of up to 70 m long sediment cores from the oldest to the youngest sedimentary sequences of the Amundsen Sea Embayment shelf.

For further Details of the Expedition check: http://expedition.awi.de/expedition/PS104?alias=null


Stamp:
Youth Philately - Indigenous Saltwater Fish (from a set of 3) - Issued: 04-08-2016 with Ship Cancellation of RV Polarstern


Thanks to the Crew of RV Polarstern for the excellent work!

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Antarctica: Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station

I received this special cover yesterday. It took a long way from Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. The Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station is a United States scientific research station at the South Pole, the southernmost place on the Earth. The station is located on the high plateau of Antarctica at an elevation of 2,835 metres (9,301 feet) above sea level and is administered by the Division of Polar Programs within the National Science Foundation under the United States Antarctic Program (USAP).

The original South Pole station, now referred to as "Old Pole", was constructed by an 18-man United States Navy crew during 1956–1957. It was then moved and rebuilt in 1975 as a geodesic dome 50 meters (160 feet) wide and 16 meters (52 feet) high, with 14 m × 24 m (46 ft × 79 ft) steel archways, modular buildings, fuel bladders and equipment.

The Amundsen–Scott South Pole Scientific Station is the southernmost habitation on Earth. It is continuously inhabited. Its name honors Roald Amundsen, whose Norwegian expedition reached the Geographic South Pole in December 1911, and Robert F. Scott, whose British expedition of five men reached the South Pole about one month later (in January 1912) in a race to become the first person ever to reach the South Pole. All of Scott's expedition perished during the journey back towards the coast, while all of Amundsen's expedition returned safely to their base on the seacoast of the continent.



Stamps:
3x Go Green (from a set of 16) - Issued: 14-04-2011
+ added at the South Pole Post Office (i guess) a special stamp with great cancellation!


This is also my 300th Post - many thanks to all for sending me nice cards and covers! Keep it up! ;)

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Germany: Research Vessel Polarstern on The Expedition PS 99 from Bremerhaven to Tromsø

Yesterday I got this great cover. It comes from the Research Vessel and Icebreaker Polarstern. It is the most important resource for German polar research and the flagship of the Alfred Wegener Institute. Commissioned on 9 December 1982, the Polarstern has since logged more than 1.5 million nautical miles, or roughly 2.7 million kilometres (as of 2014). Today she’s one of the world’s most advanced and versatile polar research ships in the world.

The RV Polarstern expedition PS99 to the Arctic started on 13 June 2016 in Bremerhaven and led to study areas northwest of Bear Island, south of Spitsbergen and in the central and eastern Fram Strait. The cruise ended on 16 July 2016 in Tromsø (Norway).



Stamp:
The 100th Anniversary of the Awarding of the Title of Professor tio Rachel Hirsch (1870-1953) - Issued: 02-11-2013


Thanks to the Crew of RV Polarstern for this great cover!

Saturday, January 30, 2016

Antarctica: McMurdo Station

Today I received a special cover. Its from the McMurdo Station, which is the main U.S. station in Antarctica. The original station was built in 1955 to 1956 for the International Geophysical Year. Today's station is the primary logistics facility for supply of inland stations and remote field camps, and is also the waste management center for much of the U.S. Antarctic Program. Year-round and summer science projects are supported at McMurdo. The station is the largest community in Antarctica, capable of supporting up to 1,258 residents.

Its also my first cover ever from Antarctica and I'm very happy it made its way to me.


Stamps:
2x Geometric Snowflakes (from a set of four) - Issued: 23-10-2015
Penguins - Issued: 01-06-2015


♁ 77°51' S, 166°40' E