Lynda Smith celebrates her success of visiting Port Lockroy! It is a very important place on the continent. Besides being a museum, and having a gift shop area, it is a Post Office operated by the British and the ONLY Post Office on the continent of Antarctica.
It takes three postal workers to process the thousands of pieces of mail that come through their hands every year. The workers summer over at this location, but in winter they return home and the Post Office is closed down. I guess this answers my question over why Santa letters are sent to the North Pole! But wait one minute, it's not winter in Antarctica in December! Santa ought to rethink things. He could use the help of these three postal workers and that's for sure. AB
Geoff Smith at Port Lockroy with a little penguin busy body
Geoff Smith looks pleased to have finally made this landing. He ought to be. He fared well to date even holding up to the rough Drake Passage seas.
The chubby little penguin just can't believe these creatures called visitors. Top center of the picture, some penguins celebrate the landing as they gather around the British flag. AB
Port Lockroy Gift Shop
Here is an inside peek at the little gift shop at the Port Lockroy Post Office! Helen and Rachel sure know how to market the penguins we all love. They are placed everywhere! I notice the very basic look of the shop right away. The hanging light bulb and the coats on the sales staff remind you it's no shopping mall. I am sure most of the heat in the building is directed towards their living quarters.
No store to run out and grab what you run out of. When each comes for the summer season they bring all their personal, recreational, and food items. If you run out of Cheetos or Doritos too bad or have something to trade! Visiting ships are an excitement and being asked aboard for recreation is an honor. Writing, reading and knitting are the pastimes of the three residents. AB
Photos courtesy of Lynda Joy Smith
Permission granted for photos to be used for this project only. Contact Lynda Joy Smith via the message board for any permission and/or arrangments concerning further use of these photos.
