New Zeeland - The early days

120 years ago, the first expedition that wintered in Antarctica arrived on Stewart Island from Antarctica, and the Finnmark Finns Per Savio and Ole Must, who were part of the crew, had built e.g. the first sauna to Antarctica. The men were on their way to take care of Samoyed and Eskimo dogs. The sled dogs had been shipped from Hanko to London, and from there the journey continued on Norwegian explorer Carsten Borchgrevink's "Southern Cross" ship to Antarctica in 1898. On Stewart Island, the dogs were quarantined in March 1900, until the authorities relented and that's how New Zealand got its first sled dogs - via Hanko and Antarctica! At that time, the Finnish sailor Abraham Wäst, who was married to the daughter of the local Maori chief, was already living on Stewart Island (photo). Abraham, born in Bergö near Vaasa, had run away from a ship on the south coast of New Zealand in 1876 and ended up on Stewartinsaari. At that time there were also some Finnish sailors working on whaling ships in those waters. The first Finn to arrive in the waters of New Zealand was Herman Spöring from Turku, on James Cook's ship in 1769. Photos: George Wäst's album.