NORWEGIAN SOUTH POLE EXPEDITION

2000-2001

The two member Norwegian Antarctic Expedition team of Rolf Bae and Eirik Sonneland set out from the Norwegian Troll Base in Droning Maud Land where they had over-wintered on the 20th of October 2000 and arrived at the South Pole exactly 2 months later on the 20th of December 2000. 

After staying a day at the South Pole the pair surprised many by not returning to Troll Station as previously intimated but instead setting out for Ross Island on the other side of the continent.  This meant a total trek of some 3,800 km unsupported, a distance never previously achieved in the history of Antarctic exploration. Despite problems with several of their communication devices, the pair successfully achieved their aims when they arrived at Ross Island on the 5th of February, 2001. The two 26 year old's were subsequently picked up by the "Akademik Shokalskiy' and brought to New Zealand from where they returned home to Norway on the 1st March, 2001 to a heroes welcome some 15 months after originally leaving home.

To see our range of photos (mostly exclusive) from the expedition click here.

Before leaving Troll Station Eirik and Rolf  autographed a number of philatelic covers mostly for people back in Norway.

At left they can be seen autographing some for  Norwegian Post which was a major sponsor and which produced a special pictorial postmark for Troll station specially for the South Pole Trek.

The envelope at right is one of only 10 of the Norway Post covers carried all the way across Antarctica in their sleds by Rolf Bae and Eirik Sonneland. These covers were numbered 1 to 10.

This cover is NOT for sale.

Note: the above cover is postmarked on 19 February in Christchurch after its arrival by air with other Scott Base mail.  It bears one of the Norwegian Expedition stickers.

Note: this is a similar cover to the previous one but it has the Base manager and the Norwegian expedition sticker on its reverse.

Note: The "Akademik Shokalskiy" brought the two Trekkers to New Zealand and arrived at Bluff on the 24th February, 2001, the date the above cover was posted at Bluff.