The Coolest Post Office in the World
2nd January 2025
The day started with an early-morning zodiac cruise around Port Lockroy where we saw several Weddell seals lazing on rocks and gentoo penguins swimming, nesting, and flying (oh wait no sorry those were cormorants, also black-white). Port Lockroy is home to the southernmost post office in the world so many of us took the opportunity to mail postcards home which will hopefully arrive at some point in 2025. The UK Antarctic Heritage Trust recruits a team to manage the post office and gift shop from November to March each year and so if living in a tiny hut in Antarctica with limited water, electricity, heating, and WIFI for 5 months is your thing, keep an eye out for adverts for the 2025/26 season.
After our Zodiac cruise we spent a bit of time uploading and formatting the data we collected over the last few days during bird and mammal surveys before heading out once more to the gentoo penguin colony at Damoy Point. This is home to a British hut built in 1973 but has since been annexed by some gentoo penguins which nest underneath it. We carried out behavioural observations before having a late lunch at the Fredheim restaurant for some much-needed burgers, fries and crepes.
We were soon sailing through the Gerlache Straight where we saw a few humpback whales, Weddell seals and gentoo penguins before a late dinner.
We then took full advantage of the ships facilities, dipping between the infinity pool, sauna, and jacuzzi on deck 10 all while enjoying the snow and humpback whale sightings. As some of the passengers set up camp and prepared for a night sleeping under canvas on the continent, we enjoyed a few cocktails from the explorer lounge.
written by Kirsty
You're telling me people get to work in Antarctica for 5 months, with limited contact with the outside world and only the wilderness to keep them company? Sign me up! Amazing to think that human creations have been left in Antarctica and that native species are using them for shelter. The facilities onboard the boat are quite remarkable. I was under the impression that the boat was a research orientated vessel. Does it instead double as a cruise vessel as well as providing space for researchers?