Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Antarctica - Port Lockroy


We approached Port Lockroy early in the afternoon, it's a couple of huts on a small island in a protected bay, occupied by the British late in the second World War, to thwart what was perceived as a US objective of owning the world.

It really does look small and remote:


The UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (see their blog here: http://www.ukaht.org/where-we-work/port-lockroy/blog) manages and is restoring the site, which is now protected by the current Antarctic treaty. 

Three ladies were managing the shop and properties when we arrived, they had sailed down in this small boat, again helping to set the scale:


We all visited the shops and enjoyed the penguin colony who as always were here are accompanied by Snowy Sheathbills:


Once we'd bought our souvenirs, we then were boated across to a second small island where they have breeding Antarctic Shags:



Here's a close-up:



and of course Gentoo Penguins:


Here displaying:


And feeding chicks:



We stayed a while in the harbour after the visit, it turned out as, as well as providing fresh fruit and vegetables to the team they also came aboard to make use of the shower facilities, which is a real treat for them....!   After an early dinner, they were disembarked back to the huts and we turned for the trip home.

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