After graduating from nautical school in oslo and serving in the norwegian navy and merchant navy, he emigrated to canada in 1923, later becoming a naturalized canadian in 1928. The northwest passage is a sea corridor connecting the atlantic and pacific oceans through canadas arctic archipelago. Henry larsen is the author of the northwest passage, 19401942 and 1944. As a youth, he read the books of his national heroes nansen. In this film he relates anecdotes of his voyages in the tiny schooner, the st.
Scenes from this video were used in tvos 2014 the polar sea tv series. In 1609, the merchants of the dutch east india company hired english explorer henry hudson to find the northwest passage from the atlantic to the pacific. This is the record of a voyage through the canadian arctic across the northwest passage. Northwest passage now ice free and easier to traverse. Find the perfect northwest passage film stock photo. Henrylarsencollectiondescription by vanmaritime issuu. The navigator henry larsen, who made the second and third full northwest passage transits in the 1940s, made the first successful westtoeast completion northwest passage, using a route that. Northwest passage commemorative coffee table book added to exclusively crystal collection, benefitting arctic inuit communities as crystals second arctic transit embarks, travelers can swoon. For the second year, crystal serenitys 32day northwest passage voyage is captained by master birger j.
Roch an excellent one book introduction to the historical quest for the nw passage is farley mowats ordeal by ice. United nations convention on the law of the sea unclos 17. This journey was the second ship crossing of the northwest passage and the first from west to east. The captain was henry larsen and the ship was the st. John m bassett biography of the second man to sail the northwest passage, and the first to conquer the more northerly deepwater route in the rcmp patrol boat st. In search of the northwest passage amazing stories amazing stories heritage house henry hudson. Rising to the rank of sergeant, in 1940 larsen was ordered to attempt to navigate the northwest passage. End of the northwest passage, 19401942 and 1944, by henry larsen. Canadian sovereignty and the environment in the northwest passage are at risk 15. While the arctic may seem a wasteland to some, to henry larsen it beckoned as a. At the age of 15 he went to sea aboard a squarerigger and later served his compulsory two years with the norwegian navy. This was the real northwest passage, i felt, and it had never been navigated, larsen wrote in his book, the big ship. Roch, by henry larsen, is a mass market paperback, published by commissioner rcmp 1969.
Henry larsen author of the northwest passage, 19401942. The canadian government became concerned about asserting its sovereignty over the arctic seas, and decided that one way to do so would be to send a canadian ship through the northwest passage. Rcm police st roch completes first westtoeast northwest. The famous voyages of the royal canadian mounted police schooner st. As the anchorage here was dangerous so early in the season we did not linger long, but pushed on in order to round barrow point itself. Roch, into halifax harbour, having been the first to sail through the passage from west to east.
In 1942, following his first epic voyage through the northwest passage, larsen was promoted again to staff sergeant, and later to inspector. This journey was the second ship crossing of the northwest passage and the first from west to. The navigator henry larsen, who made the second and third full. The northwest passage 19401942 and 1944 the famous. The institute holds many archival collections which deal with the search for a northwest passage during the nineteenth century. The institute also holds archival collections for roald amundsen who made the first successful complete transit of the passage in 1906. Norwegianborn superintendent henry larsen of the royal canadian mounted police was the first man to navigate the northwest passage in both directions.
Roch through the northwest passage, the first to accomplish the feat from west to east courtesy maritime museum, vancouver. Henry hudson was an english navigator and explorer who set out to find either a northeast passage by the north pole to japan and china or a similar northwest passage. The route was nearly the same as roald amundsens 1903 coasthugging. Larsen, henry henry asbjorn 18991964 date of first publication. Inspector henry larsen aboard the rcmp patrol vessel, st roch, nwt, nd, circa 1944 courtesy library and archives canadac70771. Under larsen, called by the inuit hanorie umiarjuag or henry with the big ship, the st. Henry larsen married mary hargreaves on february 7, 1935 in vancouver, and they had three children, doreen, henry gordon, and beverly. Henry larsen, born in norway in 1899, set about building a career path to realize his dream to sail the northwest passage. Captain henry larsen and the northwest passage youtube. Roch was the first vessel to traverse the northwest passage from west to east 19401942, the first to complete the passage in one season 1944 and the first to circumnavigate north america.
A cruise ship exploring the northwest passage in the arctic also ran aground last week when it hit a rock that wasnt on the map. Roch by henry a larsen author see all 5 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Henry larsen would remain in command of st roch for the next two decades, during which time he and his dauntless schooner became legends in the north. The literature is comprised of books and pamphlet histories of. Ccgs henry larsen is a canadian coast guard improved pierre radissonclass icebreaker serving in the newfoundland and labrador region and based in st johns, newfoundland and labrador.
Henry larsen, departs from vancouver bound for halifax, nova scotia via the northwest passage. The northwest passage is a sea corridor through canadas arctic archipelago and along the northern coast of north america. In 194042 he made the first west to east transit of the northwest passage in the rcmp schooner st. Canadian sovereignty and the environment in the northwest passage are at risk 16. Henry larsen, not john franklin, is true canadas arctic hero.
Roch, into the fabled northwest passage, his boat was frozen in arctic ice. Canadian explorer henry larsen was the first to transit the northwest passage from west to east. Henry asbjorn larsen was born on 30 september 1899 in fredrikstad, norway. Henry larson, arrived in halifax after completing the first westtoeast crossing of the northwest passage. From vancouver to halifax, 194042 the northwest passage, a series of channels which wind their way through the arctic archipelago, has long been the object of attention for arctic explorers. Though neither passage was found, his attempts contributed.
In 1928, he joined the royal canadian mounted police rcmp. This volume reproduces three important documents offering diverse perspectives on the wartime voyages. Amundsen, the first to bring a ship through the northwest passage, and the leader of the first. Henry asbjorn larsen september 30, 1899 october 29, 1964 was a canadian arctic. The first ship to traverse the northwest passage from west to east 194042, it was the first to make the passage in both directions 1944. Henry asbjorn larsen september 30, 1899 october 29, 1964 was a canadian arctic explorer. Henry larsen, not john franklin, is true canadas arctic. Vorland, who last year entered an exclusive club of maritime explorers to successfully lead a vessel through the northwest passage, and joined norwegianborn sailors roald amundsen and henry larsen on achieving the professional milestone. Seeking the northwest passage in the footsteps of explorers northwest. Back home through the northwest passage, east to west 14. Kindle books kindle unlimited prime reading bestsellers kindle daily deal kindle monthly deals free kindle reading apps buy a kindle content and devices kindle.
There are numerous used copies online worldwide for just a few dollars. Roch patrolled the canadian arctic coast, often wintering in the north. Roch for various voyages including the 1950 voyage that circumnavigated north america. The polar medal has a separate bar for the 1944 northwest passage voyage of st roch.
Bellot strait, the northwest passage too often, we tend to talk about the. The northwest passage, 19401942 and 1944 the famous. Anyone relying on the fact that the northwest passage was navigated in the. The vessel circumnavigated north america in 1944 making an east to west transit of northwest passage. Following the same east to west route norwegian explorer roald amundsen made 38 years earlier, the crew reach halifax on oct. Born in fredikstad, norway, larsen took out canadian citizenship in 1927 and in 1928 he enlisted in the royal canadian mounted police.
The northwest passage, 19401942 and 1944 the famous voyages of the royal canadian mounted police schooner st. Larsen who had now obtained the rank of sergeant was ordered to leave from vancouver with supplies for eighteen months, to visit the northern outposts. The promise of a trade route connecting the atlantic and pacific oceans was an irresistible beacon for nations, which sought proof of a way through, and for. Roch by henry a larsen 1958, english, book edition. Shortly before his death about three years ago he wrote a book called fifty years below zero. November december 2012 by gerard kenney in memory of albert frenchy chartrand this year, 2012, canadians celebrate the seventieth anniversary of a canadian ship sailing through the northwest passage in the westtoeast direction for the first time ever. Northwest passage commemorative coffee table book added to exclusively crystal collection, benefitting arctic inuit communities as crystals second arctic transit embarks, travelers can. From henry hudson in 1611 to the doomed franklin party in 184548, the promise of prestige and discovery not to mention large prizes from the british admiralty drew men to. Larsen was born on a small island, herfol, south of fredrikstad in norway. He was mate to christian klengenberg in the arctic 1924 in the old maid. The ship operates in the arctic ocean during summer months. Im in my pjs and dads wearing the robe mom made him a zillion christmases ago. He said the coast guard ship henry larsen was nearby. Roch and its captain henry larsen were the first to travel the northwest passage from west to east and the first to do it in a single season.
Northwest passage commemorative coffee table book added to. We went through one of the most infamous washington post. In 1942, after two winters in the ice, staffsergeant henry larsen of the royal canadian mounted police guided his ship, the st. Sheer and edward omholtjensen, 1967 page 2 of 3 from the basic version of northwest passage has been navigated in. The northwest passage, 19401942 and 1944 by sergeant henry. Google books downloader ipad the north west passage 1940 1942 and 1944 the famous voyages of the royal canadian mounted police buy the northwest passage, 19401942 and 1944. Rcm police st roch completes first westtoeast northwest passage route 6 on october 11, 1942 under the command of sgt. Shortly thereafter he was assigned as master of the st. Entering service in 1988, henry larsen is the fourth ship and of an improved design over the rest of the ships in her class. Roch on her voyage through the northwest passage from west to east in 1942 and from east to west in 1944. The northwest passage is one of canadas most exciting chapters of discovery, history and exploration. The adventurous voyage tells the story of the rcmp schooners famous transits through the northwest passages during the second world war. Larsen immigrated to canada, and became a british subject in 1927 canadian citizen in 1947.
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