Carl Anton Larsen
| Carl Anton Larsen | |
|---|---|
Carl Anton Larsen
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| Born |
7 August 1860 Østre Halsen, Norway |
| Died | 8 December 1924 (aged 64) Ross Sea, Antarctica |
| Occupation | Sea Captain, Whaling manager, and Antarctic explorer. |
| Spouse(s) | Andrine Larsen, née Thorsen |
| Parent(s) | Captain Ole Christian Larsen and Ellen Andrea Larsen, née Engelbrightsen |
Carl Anton Larsen (August 7, 1860 – December 8, 1924) was a Norwegian Antarctic Explorer, who made important contributions to the exploration of Antarctica, the most significant being the first discovery of fossils, for which he received the Back Grant from the Royal Geographical Society. In December 1893 he became the first person to ski in Antarctica on the Larsen Ice Shelf which was subsequently named after him. Larsen is considered the founder of the Antarctic whaling industry and the settlement at Grytviken on the British-administered island of South Georgia. In 1910, after some years' residence on South Georgia, he took British citizenship. The Norwegian whale factory ship C.A. Larsen was named after him.
Carl Anton Larsen was born in Østre Halsen, Tjolling, the son of a Norwegian Sea Captain Ole Christian Larsen and his wife Ellen Andrea Larsen (née Thorsen). His family subsequently relocated to nearby Sandefjord, the home of the Norwegian whaling industry, where, at the young age of 9 he went to sea in a small barque with his father chasing seals and trading across the North Atlantic with Britain, only returning to go to school during the fall and winter. He would continue this for a number of years, until his curiosity for the sea was so strong he enrolled himself in navigation school where he passed the exam for foreign-going mate at the age of 18. Having been to Britain a few times in the previous years he realized the importance of having a second language and soon taught himself English and Spanish.
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