Fridtjof Nansen - 150th Birth Anniversary

Deutsche Post came out with a special postmark to celebrate 150th Birth Anniversary of Fridtjof Nansen (1861 - 1930) - a Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In his youth a champion skier and ice skater, he led the team that made the first crossing of the Greenland interior in 1888, and won international fame after reaching a record northern latitude of 86°14′ during his North Pole expedition of 1893–96. Although he retired from exploration after his return to Norway, his techniques of polar travel and his innovations in equipment and clothing influenced a generation of subsequent Arctic and Antarctic expeditions.

The ship in the postmark is the 'Fram' - a ship that was used in expeditions of the Arctic and Antarctic regions by the Norwegian explorers Fridtjof Nansen, Otto Sverdrup, Oscar Wisting, and Roald Amundsen between 1893 and 1912. It was designed and built by the Norwegian shipwright Colin Archer for Fridtjof Nansen's 1893 Arctic expedition in which Fram was supposed to freeze into the Arctic ice sheet and float with it over the North Pole.

Fram is said to have sailed farther north (85°57'N) and farther south (78°41'S) than any other wooden ship. Fram is currently preserved at the Fram Museum in Oslo, Norway.

Many thanks to dear Friend, Wolfgang Beyer, Germany for sending me an envelope with this memorable postmark.

Text Source: Wikipedia

The Long Leg (1935) - by Edward Hopper

Date of Issue: August 24, 2011

Edward Hopper (1882 – 1967) was a prominent American realist painter and printmaker. While most popularly known for his oil paintings, he was equally proficient as a watercolorist and printmaker in etching. In both his urban and rural scenes, his spare and finely calculated renderings reflected his personal vision of modern American life.

The Long Leg (1935) - Few American artists are as popular or influential as Edward Hopper, whose beautiful, sunlit painting, The Long Leg, is the tenth entry in the American Treasures series. The work's title refers to sailing; a leg is one part of an alternating, zigzagging series of short and long tacks.

This painting shows Hopper's characteristic use of light to insulate objects, and reflects his love of the sea as well as his interest in architecture. The lighthouse in the painting is Long Point Light, at Provincetown. The boat is a "Knockabout" sloop, a type of craft commonly used for sailing, cruising, and fishing.

Thanks to friend, Chris Schofield, Canada for sending me this stamp on envelope.

Text Source: Wikipedia, USPS.com

SS Salier - special postmark

Displayed here is a special postmark issued for 125 years of German Naval and Marine Post, showing SS Salier, built in 1875 by Earle's Shipbuilding and Engineering Co.

On a voyage from Bremen to La Plata with passengers, SS Salier left Corunnna on the afternoon of December 7th, 1896, in rough weather. In the early hours of the 8th, in very heavy seas, the ship ran on to the Corona Reefs, Arosa Bay, and was wrecked with the loss of 281 lives, including Capt. Wempe.

Thanks to friend, Mr. Wolfgang Beyer, Germany for sending me this cover.

Text Source: wrecksite.eu

Card from Germany - Passat

Date of Issue: 02-06-2005

Passat - a German four-masted steel barque and one of the Flying P-Liners, the famous sailing ships of the German shipping company F. Laeisz. The name "Passat" means trade wind in German. She is one of the last surviving windjammers (A windjammer is the ultimate type of large sailing ship with an iron or for the most part steel hull, built to carry cargo in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Windjammers were the grandest of merchant sailing ships, with between three and five large masts and square sails, giving them a characteristic profile.

The windjammers were cargo ships designed for ultra-long voyages. They usually carried bulk cargo, such as lumber, guano, grain or ore from one continent to another, usually following the prevailing winds and circumnavigating the globe during their voyages. Several of these ships are still in existence — either as school ships, museum ships or restaurant ships.)

Thanks to Mechthild Heiduk, Germany for sending me this postcard.

Text source: Wikipedia

Commissioning of INS Shakti (A57)

Date of Issue: October 01, 2011

A Special Cover commemorating Commissioning of INS Shakti was issued by Andhra Pradesh Circle of India Post.

INS Shakti (A57) - a Deepak Class Replenishment Fleet Tanker built by Fincantieri, Italy, can carry 15,000 tonnes of different varieties of fuel for ships and aircraft and 500 tonnes of dry cargo, including ammunition and provisions for the fleet to take up multiple ship replenishment operations simultaneously. It also has workshop facilities to provide frontline support to fleet ships and can operate heavy helicopters.

It is equipped with state-of-the-art sensors an electronic warfare suite, most of it being indigenous. It was designed to operate as a command platform, according to the Navy.

Commanding Officer of the ship Capt. Ravi Malhotra read out the ‘Commissioning Warrant' and the naval ensign was hoisted on board for the first time and breaking the commissioning pennant as the National Anthem was played, marked the formal commissioning of the ship.

Text Source: The Hindu - October 2, 2011

Australia 1999 James Craig - Aerogramme

 

Date of Issue: March 19, 1999

Aerogramme issued by Australia with World Stamp Expo 99 Logo. Many thanks to my friend, Vera Radnell for mailing me this wonderful postal stationery.

The ship depicted is the James Craig, a three-masted iron-hulled barque built in 1874 in Sunderland, England, by Bartram, Haswell, & Co., she was originally named Clan Macleod. She was employed carrying cargo around the world, and rounded Cape Horn 23 times in 26 years. In 1900 she was acquired by Mr J J Craig, renamed James Craig in 1905, and began to operate between New Zealand and Australia until 1911. In 1932 she was sunk by fishermen who blasted a 3-metre hole in her stern.

Restoration of James Craig began in 1972, when volunteers from the 'Lady Hopetoun and Port Jackson Marine Steam Museum' (now the Sydney Heritage Fleet) refloated her and towed her to Hobart for initial repairs. Brought back to Sydney under tow in 1981, her hull was placed on a submersible pontoon to allow work on the hull restoration to proceed. Over a number of years the vessel was restored, repaired by both paid craftspeople and volunteers and relaunched in 1997. In 2001 restoration work was completed and she was able to set sail.

James Craig is currently berthed at Wharf 7 of Darling Harbor, near the Australian National Maritime Museum. She is open to the public, and takes passengers out sailing on Sydney Harbor and beyond. She is crewed and maintained by volunteers from the Sydney Heritage Fleet. The cost of maintaining her is approaching $1 million a year and the ship relies on generating income from visitors alongside, charters, events, and regular fortnightly day-sails with up to 80 passengers.

Source: Wikipedia