Sunday, December 30, 2018

S is for Shackleton's Safe Arrival

In 2016 Royal Mail released a set of stamps about polar explorer Ernest Shackleton and the crew of the Endurance. This voyage, the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, saw the Endurance trapped in sea ice, at which point the crew camped on the ice until they could make their escape in lifeboats after the ice broke up. They traveled to Elephant Island, and finally South Georgia - an incredible 720 nautical mile journey of survival at sea.

 I received the stamp showing the expedition's safe arrival at Elephant Island. 

There are 7 more stamps in the set, and they are all based on photographs taken by the official photographer of the expedition, Frank Hurley. Here they are on a first day cover with a very nice postmark.



For more super stamps with an S theme, explore the links at Sunday Stamps.
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6 comments:

  1. JoyDecember 30, 2018 at 8:59 AM

    Its an incredible story of survival. I love Hurley's photographs and was lucky enough to visit an exhibition of them a few years ago.

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    1. FinnBadgerDecember 30, 2018 at 9:15 AM

      Hard to imagine what conditions would be like now, let along 100 years ago.

      Delete
  2. Mail AdventuresDecember 30, 2018 at 12:06 PM

    I received some of these. It is a great set, in my opinion. I hadn't seen the FDC, though. Love the postmark!

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    1. FinnBadgerDecember 30, 2018 at 5:12 PM

      Yes, I remember your post about it. A great set, not quite black and white, a sort of steely blue tone in person.

      Delete
  3. violet sDecember 30, 2018 at 12:25 PM

    Endurance was a perfect name for this expedition.
    (the FDC doesn't show, btw)

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    1. FinnBadgerDecember 30, 2018 at 5:11 PM

      You're right about that! And the FDC shows for me in 2 browsers and on my phone, so not sure why it doesn't work for you.

      Delete