Why is Port lockroy special?
It is one of the most popular tourist destinations for cruise-ship passengers in Antarctica. The Trust collects data for the British Antarctic Survey to observe the effect of tourism on penguins. Half the island is open to tourists, while the other half is reserved for penguins.
Why do tourists visit Port lockroy?
Port Lockroy offers visitors much to enjoy: a well-preserved site that is home to the planet’s southernmost operational post office, a small museum, a well-supplied gift shop, and a number of breeding gentoo penguins who call the area home. The site is also of varied historical significance.
Where is Port lockroy located?
Wiencke Island
Port Lockroy is situated on the northwestern shore of Wiencke Island, one of the islands of the archipelago. The British military base in Port Lockroy was turned into a museum. The British military set up a base in Port Lockroy in 1944, which remained operational until 1962.
What is the southernmost post office in the world?
Port Lockroy
Port Lockroy is famed for having the southernmost post office in the world, which in 1996 was renovated to serve also as a museum. Among the most popular destinations for Antarctic tourists, the Port Lockroy post office is a common stop along the expedition cruise circuit.
What is the highest mountain peak in Antarctica?
Vinson Massif
An aircraft flies by Mount Vinson, which at 4,892 meters (16,050 feet), is Antarctica’s highest summit. Along with five other, nearby, tall mountains, it forms the Mount Vinson Massif. The highest mountain in Antarctica, Mount Vinson rises 4,892 meters (16,050 feet) above sea level.
How much rain does Antarctica get?
Antarctica’s Climate It is, on average, the coldest, windiest, and driest of all the continents on Earth. Technically, Antarctica is a desert because it is so dry there; with an average annual precipitation of just 166mm along the coastal regions, and even less when moving further inland.
Where can you find a post box in Antarctica?
Antarctica’s most popular tourist destination is a unique British post office located in the heart of the Antarctic Peninsula at Port Lockroy, about 700 miles south of Argentina and Chile.
What 3 continents are closest to Antarctica?
South America is the closest continent to Antarctica. The closest point of South America is shared by Argentina and Chile. The Argentinian station Vice Comodoro Marambio is on the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.
What would Antarctica be like without ice?
The weather will be fairly harsh even without the ice (six month “seasons” of summer sun and winter darkness), and Antarctica gets little precipitation, so will be quite dry and arid.
How much does it cost to climb Mt Vinson?
The cost is US$15,400 for a single climber. Please contact us for pricing for larger groups. This fee is in addition to the Vinson Massif fee but includes Aconcagua helicopter access and egress.
How did Port Lockroy in Antarctica get its name?
The bay was discovered in 1904 and named after Edouard Lockroy, a French politician and Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies, who assisted Jean-Baptiste Charcot in obtaining government funding for his French Antarctic Expedition. The harbour was used for whaling between 1911 and 1931.
Why was Port Lockroy chosen for British heritage?
Port Lockroy is a sheltered harbour on the tiny island of Goudier Island in the British Antarctic Territory. It’s a beautiful place studded with dramatic glaciers and was chosen for human occupation because of its strategic location at the meeting place of three sea routes.
Where is Port Lockroy in the Palmer Archipelago?
Food rations on display at the museum. Port Lockroy is a natural harbour on the north-western shore of Wiencke Island in the Palmer Archipelago in front of the Antarctic Peninsula.