Music Festival Worker Takes on Unique Role as Antarctic Postmaster

George Clarke, a 34-year-old festival worker from Bristol, prepares for a five-month stint at Port Lockroy, where he will serve as the Antarctic postmaster and interact with nature while providing postal services.

George Clarke, a 34-year-old from Bristol, is set to trade in his usual job of setting up big tops at music festivals for a remarkable role managing the world’s most southern post office located in Antarctica. Having had no previous experience in postal services, Clarke expressed excitement over this unexpected adventure. "I'm used to working away in crews, but nothing quite like this," he noted.

The selection process was anything but traditional, including "a series of weird and wonderful tasks," one of which required him to assemble a tent while blindfolded and clad in oven mitts. Clarke will live for five months on Port Lockroy, a site that also accommodates a colony of resident Gentoo penguins.

In an interview, he mentioned his longstanding passion for the outdoors, admitting that this opportunity felt like "a brand new adventure." His curiosity was piqued after reading about the previous Antarctic postmaster, motivating him to apply for the position. "What a great opportunity! Why not give it a go?" said Clarke.

His team will maintain the world's southernmost museum and post office on Goudier Island, a small piece of land off the Antarctic peninsula. The group has chosen to limit their internet use to fully immerse themselves in the remoteness of their surroundings. "Part of the joy about going to such a remote location is being slightly cut off from the world," he explained.

Clarke, who enjoys drawing, plans to engage in artistic pursuits while at Port Lockroy with fellow workers. They will also be swapping books, as they all agreed to bring their favorite novels and nonfiction books to share.

His responsibilities as postmaster will involve processing letters and postcards from an average of two cruise ships that dock at the tiny wooden museum daily. "I’ll be sorting through the mail, cancelling the stamps, and then sending them on via passing cruise ships," Clarke shared.

Consisting of five team members – wildlife monitor Maggie Coll, base leader Lou Hoskin, museum manager Aoife McKenna, and shop manager Dale Ellis – Clarke and his crew will soon leave the UK, initially heading to Argentina before making their voyage through the Drake Passage to Port Lockroy.

As he anticipates the unique experience ahead, Clarke expressed his eagerness for simple moments like enjoying morning coffee with a stunning Antarctic backdrop and the hope of having a chance encounter with a whale.