Penguin Watch Talk

Red building

  • nthrockmorton by nthrockmorton

    "Is that the penguin post-office?" (Annika 3yr)
    [Where was this picture taken?] (her dad)

    Posted

  • yshish by yshish moderator, translator in response to nthrockmorton's comment.

    Hi Annika and her dad 😃

    No, I'm sorry, the red building you can see here is not the famous Penguin Post Office but a refuge hut on Petermann Island in the Antarctic peninsula. It was built in 1955 by Argentine government to provide refuge from the harsh Antarctic climate.

    (Here is a story about the hut which I wouldn't read that to Annika but you can find it interesting and pick up what to mention):

    'It has been used several times, but the most famous was in 1982. This hut is a reminder of the fragility of human life in the Antarctic. A cross stands as a memorial to three British Antarctic Survey scientists who disappeared in the early 1980s. They hiked across the pack ice for several miles in the hopes of climbing a nearby mountain. They were turned back by the weather and took refuge in this hut.

    There was (and is) food and water in the hut to last for at least fifty days, and the three scientists took up residence, while remaining in radio contact with their base, a mere 6 miles away, but impassible by ship or on foot due to poor ice conditions. After about 30 days, the men were not heard from again. Their station mates were able to reach the hut after about 50 days and the men were not to be found. It was clear that they had been at the hut. The rescuers found their journal, which indicated that the three men had taken off across the ice to get back to the station. They have not been heard from since.

    Petermann is the home to a study being conducted by the group Oceanities. Three scientists camp out during the summer months and carefully study the colonies of Adelie and gentoo penguins that live on the beautiful island. Petermann is accessable only during the (Antarctic) summer months and only by boat.' [source]

    As for the penguin Post Office, it is next to this boat shed (not visible on the images from this data set) in Port Lockroy.

    Thanks for your question and wish you happy counting 😃

    Zuzi

    Posted

  • nthrockmorton by nthrockmorton

    Thanks for the back story Zuzi! (And for the disclaimer so I didn't read the rest aloud to Annika!)

    Posted