Finnsbu Explained

Finnsbu
Pushpin Map:Greenland
Pushpin Relief:yes
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within Greenland
Coordinates:63.38°N -41.3°W
Subdivision Type:State
Subdivision Name:Denmark
Subdivision Type1:Constituent country
Subdivision Name1:Greenland
Subdivision Type2:Municipality
Subdivision Name2:Sermersooq
Established Title:Built /abandoned
Established Date:1931 - 1933
Population As Of:2019
Population Total:0
Timezone:UTC-01

Finnsbu was a Norwegian hunting, meteorological and radio station (Finnsbu Radio/LMX)[1] located on the King Frederick VI Coast, Southeastern Greenland.[2]

Administratively the area were the hut stood belongs now to the Sermersooq municipality.

The station was located on the shore of Graah Fjord, in the much indented coast of southern Thorland.[3] Finnsbu was part of a sovereignty claims staked by Norway in Southeast Greenland between 60°30'N —just north of Nanuuseq, and 63°40'N —just south of Odinland.

History

See also: Adolf Hoel. In 1931 Norway sent two expeditions to establish hunting, meteorological and radio stations in Southeast Greenland. Finn Devold (1902 - 1977), Hallvard Devold's brother, on ship Heimen from Tromsø, led the bigger party of six hunters to establish a Norwegian station. Initially Devold went to Timmiarmiut Fjord, but then he moved north to Skjoldungen District and built the hut by a good harbor in southern Thorland, naming it Finnsbu after his own name. Devold's team built two other main stations, as well as a number of smaller huts in the same region.[4]

The other expedition, led by Ole Mortensen, went initially to Storfjord (Kangerlussuaq Fjord) on ship Signalhorn and built a hut there. Since hunting there was poor, Mortensen moved with his men south to Lindenow Fjord, where a station named Moreton was built which was later moved by Gunnar Horn to neighboring Nanuuseq Fjord and renamed Torgilsbu.[5]

On 12 July 1932 Devold was required by the Norwegian government to formally hoist the Norwegian flag at Finnsbu. An expedition sent by the government led by Gunnar Horn on ship Veslemari visited Finnsbu on 17 August the same year.[4] Together with Torgilsbu further south, Finnsbu became part of the Norwegian contribution to the International Polar Year 1932–33.[6] In July 1933 Finnsbu station sent meteorological data to the Decennial Air Cruise squadron of Italian seaplanes led by Italo Balbo.[4] Following the 1933 resolution of the Permanent Court of International Justice rejecting Norway's claims in Greenland Finnsbu was abandoned.[7] Relief ship Signalhorn evacuated the staff of the stations in the Storfjord and Skjoldungen area and brought them back to Norway in August 1933.[4] Torgilsbu, however, remained in operation until 1940.[7]

Currently there is a tide gauge in the location of the former Norwegian settlement.[8]

Bibliography

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. 'Jan S. Krogh.Nęrmere beskrivelse av kystradiostasjonene
  2. Web site: Finnsbu. Mapcarta. 7 September 2019.
  3. Prostar Sailing Directions 2005 Greenland and Iceland Enroute, p. 102
  4. https://docplayer.me/40081894-Recent-norwegian-expeditions-to-south-east-greenland-gunnar-horn-norges-svalbard-og-ishavs-undersokelser-meddelelse-nr-p.html Recent Norwegian Expeditions to Southeast-Greenland, Gunnar Horn
  5. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/polar-record/article/norwegian-expedition-to-southeast-greenland-1932/0AB0733AA8E0DABDB735444D911AB5D6 Norwegian Expedition to South-East Greenland, 1932
  6. William James Mills, Exploring Polar Frontiers: A Historical Encyclopedia, p. 321
  7. Spencer Apollonio, Lands That Hold One Spellbound: A Story of East Greenland, 2008, pp. 188-189
  8. https://www.tide-forecast.com/locations/Finnsbu-Greenland Finnsbu, Greenland Tide Station Location Guide