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Carl Anton LarsenNorwegian polar explorer and pioneer of Antarctic whale catching
Date of Birth: 07.08.1860
Country:  Norway |
Content:
Early Life and Career
Carl Anton Larsenwas a Norwegian polar explorer and pioneering Antarctic whaler. Born on August 27, 1860, in Östre Halsen, Norway, he became a renowned captain of the exploration vessel "Antarctic" during the Swedish Antarctic Expedition (1901-1904) led by Otto Nordenskjöld.
Exploration and Whaling
Larsen explored whaling opportunities while sailing as captain of the "Jason" (1892-94) and the "Antarctic" (1901-03). He also visited South Georgia on both voyages. After the loss of the "Antarctic" near the Antarctic Peninsula, the Swedish expedition was rescued by the Argentine corvette "Uruguay." Larsen then established the Argentine Fishing Company in Buenos Aires and supervised the construction of the first whaling station in Antarctica at Grytviken, which he managed from 1904 to 1914.
Life in South Georgia
In 1905, Larsen's wife, Andrine, joined him with their three daughters and two sons. The family obtained British citizenship, as Larsen declared in their petition granted by the British Magistrate of South Georgia in January 1910.
Larsen became a prominent figure in South Georgia's 20th-century history. He provided support to scientific expeditions, including those of his friend Ernest Shackleton. In 1905, he established meteorological observations in Grytviken. In 1911, he introduced reindeer to the island, which were later transferred to farms on the Falkland Islands. Larsen also built the first church in Antarctica, brought from the Norwegian town of Strømmen and erected on the outskirts of Grytviken in 1913.
Geographical Honors
Numerous geographical features in Antarctica bear Larsen's name:- Larsen Ice Shelf (eastern Antarctic Peninsula coast)
- Larsen Channel (between Joinville and D'Urville Islands)
- Larsen Harbour (part of Drygalski Fjord, South Georgia)
- Larsen Bay (eastern Antarctic Peninsula coast)
- Larsen Nunatak (eastern Antarctic Peninsula coast)
- Cape Larsen (South Georgia Island)
- Larsen Islands (near Coronation Island, South Orkney Islands)
- Larsen Peak (Thule Island, South Sandwich Islands)
- Larsen Peak (Victoria Land, East Antarctica)
Legacy
Larsen died at sea in the Ross Sea on December 8, 1924, and was buried in the Norwegian whaling town of Sandefjord. He remains a legendary figure in polar exploration and Antarctic whaling history.
