ARCTIC CHRONOLOGY

 

A Postal History Gallery of Related Events

1987-89





North Pole Drifting Stations

Since 1954, Russian stations have gathered ice information, atmospheric and pack ice data. In 1987, Ice Station 28 drifted as far as 86° 32'N. The station was supplied mostly by air during its life.

 


Rudolph Island Research Station

Ice Station 32 was located on Rudolph Island with a crew of six men performing meteorological studies.

 

Sterlegova Polar Station

Polar Station 20 was placed on the Taymir River estuary and provided a transfer point for mail from the various Arctic stations.



Soviet / Canadian Trans-polar Ski Expedition
1988

Six Russians and six Canadians comprised a joint team that walked over 1000 miles across the ice to the North Pole as a gesture of friendship. The trip, lasting three and a half months, started on March 7th from Anadyr, Siberia and ended at Cape Columbia, Canada.

 

 

A Congressional Visit to an Attack Submarine Above the Arctic Circle

The party visited the USS STURGEON on April 7-8, 1989, hosted by Admiral Bruce Demars. The still sensitive under-ice threat from Russia made this fact-finding trip important. An unofficial local stamp was applied to all covers. Ship mail was normally transferred to a servicing ship, such as the USS FRANK CABLE, for transfer to the regular mail service.

 

 

Cape Chelyuskin

A hydrometeorological observatory was established at the Cape, named for U.M. Fedorova, in 1989.

Mail was returned from the station through the Staten Island, New York post office.

(Exhibition pieces courtesy of George Hall)