Originally discovered in 1903 by a French Antarctic expedition, the port was named 'Port LaCroix' after Edouard LaCroix who helped finance the expedition. Over the years Port Lockroy found use as an anchorage by whalers and in 1944 became 'British Base A', the first of the more than 20 eventual British bases established in Antarctica. This base is now restored as a historic site which has a gift shop and the only public post office on the Antarctic peninula. Base A was part of a secret wartime project to monitor German shipping movements. After the close of World War II it functioned as a civilian research outpost and was eventually shut down in 1962. It sat abandoned until a British team renovated the historical site and opened it as a monument and museum in 1996.
The base is now manned by one man and three women (Rick, Jude, Laura, and Nikki) who all share one small room, each with a corner bunk. There is no running water at all on the base, so the residents have to rely on the kindness of visiting vessels for some of their basic needs. While we wanderd the gift shop and spent time with the penguins, the staff of Port Lockroy graciously took turns using the showers on our ship. They mentioned they were some of the nicest showers they'd used! While they're happy to be away from the temptations of the Internet and regular phone service, they use a satellite phone to send and receive emails and this turns out to be the favored method of keeping in contact with ships planning visits to the base, since it's tiring to constantly man a radio in an area where days can go by between transmissions.
All four stationed at the base are members of the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) and, in addition to their base duties, the three women are performing some observational research of the penguins who have choosen to nest on the island. Unfortunatly we don't remember all of the details of their research, but the idea was that with the historic site here, these penguins have seen more humans passing through than most, not the mention the four humans living among them. They are observing the effects of the human interaction on the penguins. We did not have to strictly follow the 15 foot rule with the penguins here though we were still asked to respect the penguins and their space and espeicaly not to disturb their nests. We personally still generally kept a comfortable distance from the penguins and only got closer if they came to us. So far the researchers have found no great changes among the penguins because of their human interaction, but I am not sure about how long they have been monitoring this.
For the past seven years, residents of Lockroy have kept a blog of sorts, and they mentioned our ship in their January entry. This is just part of the Port Lockroy web site. The Port Lockroy diaries are a nice read.
Port Lockroy - Historical Port Lockroy in Antarctica.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Sailing Antarctica - This is brave and crazy as far as I'm concerned.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Chained - Old chains on the rocks at Port Lockroy
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Hop On Rock - Gentoo Penguin resting on a rock at the shore of Port Lockroy, Antarctica.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Skimming - An Antarctic tern skimming the water likely looking for krill.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Port Lockroy - Base A - This is the historical Port Lockroy Base A, a restored British Antarctic research station. Abandoned in the 1950s it was restored and turned into a museum of sorts. The black exterior walls absorb light and heat during the day, where it never gets so warm that some more heat wouldn't be welcome.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Recruits, You are here for a reason... - New Gentoo penguin parents lined up on their nests at Port Lockroy in Antarctica.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Over-Looking - A snowy sheathbill or pale-faced sheathbill sitting on the roof of Port Lockroy in Antarctica. In an Antarctic wildlife book (actually written by the father of one of our guides, Tony Soper) these birds are described as "a dumpy, pigeon-like shore bird".
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Dreaming of an White Antarctic Christmas - Old skis left at the now historic Port Lockroy, plus a little Christmas cheer.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Close Your Eyes and Think of England - In the Port Lockroy gift shop stands a painting by the original overwinterers, 50 years old. Seems they never finished, and the model has had to soldier on without hands and only one arm!
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Another Gift Shop - Yup, lets count them folks, this is the third gift shop we encountered in Antarctica. We spent way more than we intended to when we head out to Antarctica. Plus an old port sign as wall decoration.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Lockroy Weather Station - Recording the barometric pressure and temperature throughout teh year, this was one of the most vital (and most expensive) pieces of equipment in the station.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Noisy Neighbors - Antarctic bases and Gentoo colonies share a common like for the rare bits of the Antarctic peninsula without Summer snow and so it's no wonder they're frequent neighbors!
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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The Bunks - Only 4 people stay here at Port Lockroy, 3 women and 1 man. It's not technically a working port, though the three women do some research and help the gentleman run the gift shop and post office at the historic port. They all share this one room as a bedroom. There is a bunk just like this one in each of the four corners of the room.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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General Post! - As one of only a few functioning post offices on the entire continent, Port Lockroy sends handles dozens of postcards a week, and almost nothing else. From here the postcards get ferried once every two weeks to the Falkland Islands, and from there to England, no matter where their final destination may be. We beat our postcards home by about three weeks, which is still pretty fast by Antarctic standards!
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Lockroy Kitchen - This is what Base W's kitchen might have looked like before 50 years of neglect. For comparison, here's Base W's kitchen today: www.flickr.com/photos/person/3462273806/
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Lockroy Stove - This is what Base W's kitchen might have looked like before 50 years of neglect. Marmite, anyone? For comparison, here's Base W's kitchen today: www.flickr.com/photos/person/3462273806/
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Mistletoe is Not Native to Antarctica - Port Lockroy was Base of all the British bases in Antarctica. Now it is a preserved historic base with the only public post office in Antarctica.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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You Lookin' At Me? - Gentoo penguin checking me out.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Maternal Contentment - With 24-hour days, you need to catch some sleep when you can, while still keeping the babies cozy and warm underneath you!
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Adorable Downy Chicks - Gentoo penguin chick cuddling with its sibling below its dedicated parent.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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British Penguin Pride - Gentoo penguins nesting under the British flag at Port Lockroy in Antarctica.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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I brought you something pretty! - Nothing says 'I love you' like stealing a pebble from someone else and bringing it to your partner (hopefully with full belly of krill for the babies).
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Against The Blue Sky - Port Lockroy Antarctica.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Ready... Aim... - Baby penguin butt below its mother. Their projectile pooing is impressive, this is not a safe place to stay for very long.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Two of a Kind - Two baby Gentoo penguins cuddled under their momma for warmth.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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A Nest With A View - Gentoo penguins nesting at Port Lockroy, Antarctica.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Behind The Camera - Kevin taking shots of the Gentoo penguins at Port lockroy.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Preening Penguin - Everyone has those hard-to-reach spots, and if a penguin can't reach it with their beak, they pretty much can't reach it at all.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Shut up shut up shut up - Somebody's *always* hungry!
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Got An Itch - Gentoo penguin.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Not from *my* nest, you don't! - Sometimes even sneaking up behind a penguin to grab a pebble doesn't work. This guy got a stern talking to!
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Adorable Ball of Pudge - A fat little Gentoo penguin chick.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Nestled In - Gentoo Penguin Chick nestling in to its parent for warmth from the Antarctic climate.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Future's so bright I gotta wear shades! - This is one of the rare pictures where you can clearly see the penguin's brown shaded lenses and tight, tight star-shaped iris.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Happy feet? - Since most of the Penguin's predators are inthe water, it's more important that their feet help them outswim a seal than win any landlubber beauty contests! Interestingly, though birds and seals will pick a Penguin carcass clean, nobody seems to be interested in giving the feet a try.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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HELLO!! - The Gentoo penguin's ecstatic display of greeting to its mate.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Flying into the hanger! - Sure is dark in here, but I know I left my lunch around here somewhere! Some penguin chicks are more eager to be fed than others.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Tim and Port Lockroy Base - I don't think that man can be outside in nature and *not* have a smile on his face! Incidentally, we found his father's book on Antarctic wildlife in the base gift shop. It now sits in our library!
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Honey! You're home! - A penguin celebrates the return of their (unseen) partner.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Someday, and that day may never come, I'll call upon you to do a service for me - Gentoo penguin watching out for the family.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Jesus Penguins - "Hey, I learned this new trick for walking on water." "You, too?"
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Feeding Time - You can see the threads of saliva (or something like it) from the tail end of the krill feeding this Gentoo chick just got.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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The Lockroy Neighborhood - A group of Gentoo penguins share space in the rookery, surrounded by such beauty.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Cross Country Penguin - Gentoo penguin running on the rocks of Port Lockroy
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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I think I found your keys, mommy! - Oh wait, that was just your tongue. But check out all the food behind it! How far does the rabbit hole go? And what's a rabbit?
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Penguin Yoga - Read the whole story of our trip: antarctic.fury.com/ - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Four eyes on the prize - Target locked on and aquired. Both chicks lunged for mom's mouth as soon as she opened her beak. Judging by her clean coat and round belly she's just back from fishing and has plenty for everyone.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Keeping Him Warm - Gentoo penguin chick an parent keeping the unhatched egg warm. It's not likely to hatch at this point in the season, but they are still trying.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Harmony - These penguins, along with hundreds of other breeding pairs, live comfortably amidst the station and its occasional visitors.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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This Way to the Baths Guys - Gentoo pengins heading to the shore for their turn to bath and fish.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Ready to Travel - Old sled and supplies left from when Port Lockroy was an active research base.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Erosion of Man - One striking takeaway from Antarctica is how it rejects the things of man. It's a constant battle to fight off the gradual dismantling of all things man on this continent, leaving only the natural ecosystem to continue as it has for millennia. Here's hoping that doesn't change.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Beautiful Day in Antarctica - The boat/storage house of Port Lockroy in Antarctica.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Read the next chapter: Bonus Chapter: Baby Penguins!
Table of Contents:
Introduction: Telling the Story posted Jan 10, 2009
Day 0: Positioning posted Jan 12, 2009
Leaving, on a jet plane posted Jan 12, 2009
Day 1: The Herc posted Jan 15, 2009
Day 1: Penguino posted Jan 16, 2009
Day 2: Chicken posted Jan 17, 2009
Day 2: Leopard posted Jan 19, 2009
Day 2: Snow Day posted Jan 22, 2009
Day 2: Shipwreck posted Jan 26, 2009
Day 2: Totally Tabular posted Jan 27, 2009
Day 3: Gentoo Cute posted Jan 29, 2009
Day 3: Lichen Shag Glacier posted Feb 3, 2009
Day 3: Palmer Station Visit posted Feb 9, 2009
Day 4: Icy Penguins posted Feb 11, 2009
Day 4: Adelie Awesome posted Feb 15, 2009
Day 4: Leopard Seal Attack posted Feb 17, 2009
Day 4: Kayak posted Feb 19, 2009
Day 4: Vernadsky Station Visit posted Feb 23, 2009
Day 4: Vernadsky Sunset posted Feb 25, 2009
Day 5: Antarctic Circle posted Feb 27, 2009
Day 5: Polar Plunge posted Mar 5, 2009
Day 5: Mouth of The Gullet posted Mar 13, 2009
Day 5: Ice Camping posted Mar 18, 2009
Day 6: Flamingos on Ice posted Mar 20, 2009
Day 6: Mountain Climbing posted Mar 24, 2009
Day 6: Ice Textures posted Mar 26, 2009
Day 6: Antarctic New Years posted Apr 2, 2009
Day 7: Crystal Sound Icebreaker posted Apr 9, 2009
Day 7: Abandoned Antarctica: Base W - Part 1 posted Apr 17, 2009
Day 7: Abandoned Antarctica: Base W - Part 2 posted Apr 21, 2009
Day 8: Bird Watching in the Fish Islands posted Apr 23, 2009
Day 8: Icee Day - Part 1 posted May 5, 2009
Day 8: Icee Day - Part 2 posted May 11, 2009
» Day 9: Port Lockroy - Base A posted May 20, 2009
Bonus Chapter: Baby Penguins! posted May 21, 2009
Day 9: Antarctic Humpback Whales posted June 3, 2009
Day 9: Dallmann Butt Sliding posted June 11, 2009
Day 10: Birthday Whales posted June 23, 2009
Day 10: Hannah Point Part 1: The Birds posted July 15, 2009
Day 10: Hannah Point Part 2: Elephant Seals posted July 22, 2009
More chapters posted every few days...
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