Spain: Spanish Antarctic Research Station "Gabriel de Castilla" + BIO Hesperides

Gabriel de Castilla Base is a Spanish research station located on Deception Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. The station was constructed in late 1989. The station is named for Gabriel de Castilla, a 17th century Spanish navigator and according to some reports the first person to sight the mainland of Antarctica. BIO Hespérides (see my other cover) (A-33), is a Spanish polar research vessel. She was built in 1990, by Bazán Shipyards of Cartagena, Spain. Hespérides is used to service the research bases in Antarctica.

Stamp:

The 50th Anniversary of the Faculty of Computer Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid - Issued: 18-10-2021

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!

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

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

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!

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! ;)

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