Penguin power and the 'dream job' in Antarctica

Kit Adams has just returned from his second stay in the snowy wilderness of Antarctica

"It was just the three of us on our tiny Antarctic island."

The search has begun for a crew of 21st Century adventurers keen to abandon home comforts for a snowy wilderness home.

Kit Adams from Newcastle, County Down, has sampled first hand the joys and occasional hardships of Port Lockroy.

He loved it so much that he has just returned from a second stint helping to run Bransfield House - lovingly nicknamed the Penguin Post Office.

The United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) is looking for volunteers to go on the trip of a lifetime.

A Nissen hut at Port Lockroy on Goudier Island, Antarctica, will be their home.

They might miss mains electricity and hot water - but the joy is in the company. They'll be sharing the island with a colony of Gentoo penguins.

It's breathtakingly beautiful but has its own challenges and is a harsh environment, the charity has said.

What a view... waking up to a true winter wonderland

For more than a century, Port Lockroy has been a home for explorers, whalers, scientists and sailors.

It is the cornerstone of UKAHT's efforts to conserve and preserve British Antarctic heritage for future generations.

The chosen team of volunteers for the coming season will need a passion for Antarctica, a can-do attitude, a good level of physical fitness, environmental awareness and a practical knowledge of minimum-impact living.

Sub-zero temperatures, dinner from a tin, an icy shower for emergency use only - it's worth it all, promises Kit.

The pandemic meant it was not possible to welcome visitors to Lockroy - but there were plenty of waves

Before the pandemic, Kit spent 112 days on the island - including Christmas Day.

He has just returned from a second stint of 62 days.

His latest visit was in Covid times - normally Port Lockroy welcomes two cruise ships a day and Kit and his companions would conduct tours of the museum as well as processing thousands of postcards bought by visitors on Antarctic cruises who visit the tiny island when the ice melts in the Antarctic summer.

But the pandemic meant they could not welcome the cruise ship travellers in person.

Lucy Dorman, Tank Adams and Kit Adams spent a more solitary stint in Antarctica this year

"It wasn't the same, but people still posted to us and we left the post for 72 hours and then processed it," said Kit.

On this latest expedition Kit and his companions - Lucy Dorman and Tank Adams - spent their time maintaining the building and museum, observing the wildlife, cooking and spending time together.

The Royal Navy dropped by to carry out welfare checks.

UKAHT is looking for volunteers to travel to snowy Port Lockroy for the next summer season

This trip was in stark contrast to 2019 when Port Lockroy welcomed about 18,000 travellers from around the world.

"Most of the time it is just the three of us on our tiny Antarctic island," he said.

"This time, we had more intimate moments with the wildlife and not just the penguins.

"It is so remote. As well as penguins, there are leopard seals and whales... the wildlife is truly wonderful."

The glamour of it all... the team digs out the path to their hut

Living up close and personal to the penguins means you soon get used to the whiff of penguin guano - scrubbing it from the rocks as the snow melts is just part of the job.

Being on an island the size of a football pitch means you have a unique view of the little birds.

"You get very very close to the penguins all of the time - when they are on their nests, you watch them.

"You see the penguins hatching. You see how they're developing," he said.

"You watch them seeing snowfall for the first time and how they are amazed by it... but then you see them going into the water and getting taken by a leopard seal.

"It can be brutal."

To those who are considering applying for a job at the Penguin Post Office, his advice is simple: "Be yourself. It's quite a hard place to be but it's a fantastic place to be... for anyone who is keen to give it a go, it is a very special place."

He also recommends sunglasses and sun cream because in summer in Antarctica it is very easy to get burnt.

He found that bringing a little something from his Newcastle home also helped.

Watching them, watching us, watching them ... and they're playing sardines!

In his case, it was wheaten bread mix and certain cheese and onion crisps.

If you like your luxury, then there is little of that, a situation that was compounded by the pandemic.

"I was going in with my eyes open. I knew what it would be like," said Kit.

"Normally, we'd go on to the ships and have a shower. We couldn't do that and had to use the sink a bit more.

"It is primitive but you get away from social media; you're not on the phone; no emails."

Mod cons? The web about here is between a penguin's toes

Being so far away makes you appreciate being close to family too.

Kit Adams has always been drawn to wild and scarily cold places. But now he is looking forward to the joys of being closer to home.

Those who would like to apply for the 2022/23 season in Antarctica, can find more on the UKAHT website.