Arts & Events Calendar

Roald Amundsen - Discovering the Northwest Passage

Knut Oxnevad

Fri, Sep 9, 2005 at 7:30pm

Roth Nelson Room - map


At the beginning of the 20th century, a young Norwegian in a small fishing boat, the Gjøa, followed his childhood dream and discovered the long-sought seaway through the northern polar route to the Pacific.

Searched for from the 15th century, this Northwest Passage was expected to bring the riches of the Orient to Europe. Yet, it was thought to be impossible until Roald Amundsen made the hazardous journey, which he described in his book Amundsen’s North West Passage (1908).

The adventurer went on to become the first to reach the South Pole (in 1911) and the first to fly over the North Pole and map the unexplored Arctic Ocean north of Alaska (in 1925) before losing his life in a heroic attempt to rescue a colleague's dirigible in 1928.

Knut Oxnevad, First Vice President of The Adventurer’s Club of Los Angeles - a nonprofit benefit corporation dedicated to advancing global exploration, will tell the story of this extraordinary explorer at the monthly meeting of the American Scandinavian Foundation of Thousand Oaks.

Admission is free, and visitors are welcome. For information, contact Fred Tonsing at (805) 492-4427.

 Roald Amundsen - Discovering the Northwest Passage
Sponsored By

American Scandinavian Foundation

More Information
  • Contact: Fred Tonsing
  • Phone: (805) 492-4427
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