Roald Amundsen began a career studying medicine at the University of Christiana (now the University of Oslo), but dropped out in order to go to sea. His first Antarctic trip was in 1899 on the Belgica expedition when he was one of the first party ever to over winter in Antarctica as the ship became trapped in the pack ice and drifted until it broke out in the following spring. He established his credentials on this trip as a leader, ice master and as a resourceful expeditioner.
He led his first polar expedition in the Arctic from 1903 - 1906 in the Gjoa, successfully traversing the "North West Passage" an extraordinary achievement in a tiny ship that came after a century of attempts and the loss of literally hundreds of lives.
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