Here we have a situation of going from true adventure with real danger and real knowledge expansion to superficial people and their bucket list. This is not to insult modernity, but perhaps just the way of the world. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
Todays stamp shows the dramatic scenery nearby Mawson station, the oldest continuously year round manned station in the Australian Antarctic territory. The scenery is a natural for the stamps but does much to attract tourism, which risks the last pristine and mostly unoccupied continent.
Todays stamp is issue A15, a 33 cent stamp issued by the Australian Antarctic Territory in 1984. It was part of a 15 stamp issue in various denominations. Stamps of the territory are valid for postage both in the territory and in Australia. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 45 cents.
The pioneering expeditions to Antarctica occurred early in the twentieth century. An early one happened in 1912-1913 and included a young geologist from the University of Adelaide named Douglas Mawson. Three men attempted to stay two years in the area around modern day Mawson station. Of the three men on the expedition, only one survived. One man fell into a crevasse and died while carrying much of the expeditions supplies. The second man died after being poisoned eating a dog’s liver. Mawson persevered not just to save his own life but to be able to provide the myriad scientific findings. Upon his return, Mawson was knighted and published many scientific papers and a popular book titled “Home of the Blizzard.” Among his findings was that windspeed averaged 50 mph and could go as high as 200 mph. He hypothesized that Antarctica was the windiest place on earth.
After WWI service and other Geology work in Australia, Mawson organized the much larger BANZARE expeditions of 1929-31. The expedition involved sea and air and was funded by three countries, Britain, Australia, and New Zealand with additional private funding. This expedition claimed the territory explored for Great Britain and occupied the rest of Mawson’s life editing 13 volumes of data. When he died in 1958, the work was not done and his eldest daughter Patricia took over the work only completing it in 1975. In 1933, Britain and Australia agreed to divide the territory claimed between themselves. See this American stamp I did a while back that goes into Antarctic treaties that governs various scientific stations now. https://the-philatelist.com/2017/10/25/celebrate-the-treaty-but-reserve-your-right-to-violate-it/.
Australia organized a permanent year round station named after Mawson in 1954. The Australian station consists of about 500 during summer and 80 during winter. There are more than 50 permanent buildings. There also now cruise ships that allow tourists to set foot on Antarctica, so far at least staying on shipboard. To show how reckless and unserious even the scientists have become lets recall a recent expedition organized by an Australian university. The university chartered a Russian icebreaker and took not only scientists but spouses and even some tourists who paid there way on. The ship got stuck in the ice and the call went to the Australian armed forces for rescue. These perfumed princes then demanded extra dangerous helicopter flights so they could leave the ship with all their luggage. Remember the wind? I hope none of these losers were knighted on their return, but today who knows. The Russian crew elected to stay with the ship till spring when it could be saved.
Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast Sir Douglas Mawson. Come again for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting, First published in 2019.