Port Lockroy

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. During World War II, the British military Operation Tabarin established the Port Lockroy Station A on tiny Goudier Island in the bay, which continued to operate as a British research station until January 16, 1962.[https://www.bas.ac.uk/about/about-bas/our-history/british-research-stations-and-refuges/port-lockroy-a/ Station A] British Antarctic Survey

In 1996 renovation of the Port Lockroy base buildings was begun by staff from the British Antarctic Survey, funded by the Government of British Antarctic Territory.{{cite web |title=Port Lockroy - BAT |url=https://britishantarcticterritory.org.uk/heritage/port-lockroy/ |website=British Antarctic Territory |access-date=6 November 2021}} The United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust took over management and conservation of the site in 2006 and operates a museum and post office staffed in the Antarctic summer (usually November–March).{{cite web |title=UK Antarctic Heritage Trust - Port Lockroy: A Brief History |url=https://www.ukaht.org/heritage/port-lockroy-a-brief-history/ |website=UKAHT |access-date=6 November 2021}}

Image:Port-Lockroy.jpg

File:Food rations, Port Lockroy museum.jpg

It is one of the most popular tourist destinations for cruise-ship passengers in Antarctica. Proceeds from the small souvenir shop fund the maintenance of the site and other historic sites and monuments in Antarctica.{{cite web |title=Port Lockroy Station |publisher=British Antarctic Survey |url=https://www.bas.ac.uk/polar-operations/life-in-the-polar-regions/virtual-tours/virtual-trip-to-antarctica/port-lockroy/ |date= |access-date=2016-02-04}} 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. A staff of four typically process 70,000 pieces of mail sent by 18,000 visitors that arrive during the five month Antarctic cruise season.{{cite news |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/wanted-postmaster-at-the-end-of-the-world/ |title=Wanted: Postmaster at the end of the world |website=CBS News |date=2015-02-18 |first=Kim |last=Peterson}}{{cite episode |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/penguin-post-office/11498/ |title=Penguin Post Office |airdate=2015-01-28 |network=PBS |series=Nature |season=33 |number=9 |author=}}{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/blog/living-and-working-among-antarctic-penguins-post-office/ |title=What It's Like to Live and Work Among Antarctic Penguins |website=PBS |date=2015-01-21 |first=Liesl |last=Schernthanner}} A souvenir passport stamp is also offered to visitors.{{Cite web |url=http://travelblog.viator.com/penguins-and-postcards-in-port-lockroy-antarctica/ |title=Penguins and Postcards in Port Lockroy, Antarctica |access-date=2016-06-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170615234541/http://travelblog.viator.com/penguins-and-postcards-in-port-lockroy-antarctica/ |archive-date=2017-06-15 |url-status=dead }}

The historic importance of the site relates to both its establishment as an Operation Tabarin base in 1944, and for the scientific work performed there, including the first measurements of the ionosphere, and the first recording of an atmospheric whistler (electronic waves), from Antarctica. It was also a key monitoring site during the International Geophysical Year (1957). The site has been designated a Historic Site or Monument (HSM 61), following a proposal by the United Kingdom to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting.{{cite web |url=http://www.ats.aq/documents/ATCM35/WW/atcm35_ww003_e.pdf |title=List of Historic Sites and Monuments approved by the ATCM (2012)|access-date=2014-01-04 |publisher=Antarctic Treaty Secretariat |year=2012}}

• Jougla Point, forming the west side of the entrance to Alice Creek
• Lécuyer Point, forms the south side of Port Lockroy harbor entrance

• List of Antarctic research stations
• Operation Tabarin
• List of Antarctic field camps
• Crime in Antarctica

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |last1=UK Antarctic Heritage Trust |title=Base A Port Lockroy. Souvenir Guide |date=2018 |publisher=Jarrold Publishing}}

{{Commons category|Port Lockroy Station}}

• "[https://britishantarcticterritory.org.uk/heritage/port-lockroy/ British Antarctic Territory Government: Port Lockroy]"
• "[https://web.archive.org/web/20150304180512/http://www.ukaht.org/where-we-work/port-lockroy Port Lockroy ]", UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, Accessed 25 April 2010
• "[http://www.antarctica.ac.uk//about_bas/our_history/stations_and_refuges/port_lockroy.php British Antarctic Survey: Port Lockroy Station ]", Natural Environment Research Council, Accessed 25 April 2010
• "[http://www.pgoimages.com/gallery.php?gall=g_antarctica_portlockroy Images from Port Lockroy]"
• "[http://www.antarctic.eu/photos-videos-panoramas/antarctic-panoramas/antarctic-peninsula/port-lockroy.html Panoramas Port Lockroy]"

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Category:British Antarctic Survey

Category:Historic Sites and Monuments of Antarctica

Category:Museums in Antarctica

Category:Wiencke Island

Category:Ports and harbours of Graham Land

Category:Tourism sites in Antarctica

Category:Postal infrastructure

Category:Postal system of the United Kingdom