I just finished reading an account of the crew of the Endurance and in it the author mentions Norwegian whaling captains with decades of experience in the seas around Antarctica. Other accounts I have read also mention Norwegian whalers making up many of the whaling crews in the region. Why is that? Was it a climate thing? Did Norwegian crews simply have better experience in cold regions at the start of this industry?
I guess my post here (seeking to explain the Norwegian annexation of Queen Maud Land), at least in part, answers your question about the Norwegian presence there.