Arctic cover from German research vessel Polarstern on MOSAiC expedition

RV Polarstern (Polar Star) is a German research icebreaker of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) in Bremerhaven. Polarstern was commissioned in 1982 and is mainly used for research in the Arctic and Antarctica. On September 20, 2019, she sailed from Tromsø, Norway, for a 12 to 14 month-long Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expedition across the Arctic. She settled in an ice floe on October 4, 2019 and will drift in it past the North pole eventually reaching open water in the Fram Strait. This fantastic cover was sent on 13.12.2019. and i received this cover two months later.

 For the first time a modern research icebreaker will operate in the direct vicinity of the North Pole year round, including the nearly half year long polar night during winter. In terms of the logistical challenges involved, the total number of participants, the number of participating countries, and the available budget, MOSAiC represents the largest Arctic expedition in history. During its one-year-long journey, the central expedition ship, the research icebreaker Polarstern from Germany's Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), will be supported and resupplied by the icebreakers Akademik Fedorov and Kapitan Dranitsyn (Russia), Oden (Sweden) and Xue Long II (China). In addition, extensive operations involving helicopters and other aircraft are planned.


Thank you so much, Jens, for this fantastic cover!

Postcard from Norwegian archipelago Svalbard

Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Situated north of mainland Europe, it is about midway between continental Norway and the North Pole. While part of the Kingdom of Norway since 1925, Svalbard is not part of geographical Norway proper; administratively, the archipelago is not part of any Norwegian county, but forms an unincorporated area administered by a governor appointed by the Norwegian government, and a special jurisdiction subject to the Svalbard Treaty that is, unlike Norway proper, outside of the Schengen Area, the Nordic Passport Union and the European Economic Area. Since 2002, Svalbard's main settlement, Longyearbyen, has had an elected local government, somewhat similar to mainland municipalities. Other settlements include the Russian mining community of Barentsburg, the research station of Ny-Ålesund, and the mining outpost of Sveagruva. Ny-Ålesund is the northernmost settlement in the world with a permanent civilian population.

This two beautiful birds on stamps are White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe), issued on 3.10.2015. And there is fantastic postmark from main settlement Longyearbyen.


Thank you so much, Rune!

Canada's northernmost post office: Eureka - "The Garden Spot of the Arctic"

There's many interesting post offices in Canada, and this is one of them,  Eureka - "The Garden Spot of the Arctic".Eureka is a small research base on Fosheim Peninsula, Ellesmere Island, Qikiqtaaluk Region, in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. It is located on the north side of Slidre Fiord, which enters Eureka Sound farther west. Eureka was founded on April 11, 1947, as part of a requirement to set up a network of Arctic weather stations. On this date, 100 tonnes of supplies were airlifted to a promising spot on Ellesmere Island, and five prefabricated Jamesway huts were constructed. Regular weather observations began on January 1, 1948. The station has expanded over the years. At its peak, in the 1970s, at least fifteen staff were on site; in 2005, it reported a permanent population of zero with at least 8 staff on a continuous rotational basis. Of course, there is also post office which cancel your mail with this beautiful postmarks.

My friend Trevor used another Star Trek postpaid postcard for this, and this one is dedicated to another classic episode of original Star Trek show - The City on the Edge of Forever.

Thanks a lot, Trevor!

Sweden: Arctic Circle - Naisheden

Nice postcard from Arctic Circle "borderline" in Naisheden, Sweden. The Arctic Circle is the southernmost latitude where the midnight sun can be seen.

Stamps are Berries and Leaves, two from set of six, issued on 2014-08-21

Thank You very much Nina for this beautiful postcard!