What Does a Post Officer Do in South Georgia? The Reality Behind the Job
It All Revolves Around the Ships
Everything revolves around the ships.
Either the cruise ships, full of lovely guests, or the Pharos, the Government fisheries vessel and provider of everything to South Georgia.
Getting to Work
On cruise ship days, you walk the (approximately) 1km track to Grytviken.
Do not forget your bodger. This is a long wooden handle, from a broom. It is your only way to protect yourself from fur seals or anything else that might be trying to kill you.
You bang it on the ground. You make yourself look big. And you always, always, always hold your ground. If you run, you are food.
Uniform and Essentials
Uniform is simple.
A Government embroidered jumper or T shirt, a hi vis padded jacket, and cheap waterproof trousers.
And your radio make sure you have it with you and have it switched on.
Cruise Ship Days: Controlled Mayhem
Ship days are wonderful.
Guests often arrive first at Shackleton’s grave, raising a toast with the Shackleton’s whisky, before making their way to the museum and the post office. The post office is tucked away behind the museum, a long, darkish heritage building where changes are not easily made.
You get the heating on. You check you have enough stamps pre-separated. We will be grateful later.
And then it begins. It becomes mayhem, in the best possible way.
The Post Office Experience
Guests search for a small bit of worktop to write postcards home. Some even send one to themselves. For some people it is the first time they have written a postcard and they need instructions!
A ship of 150 people can easily mean 300 to 400 postcards. You only get one chance to post a card from South Georgia.
Standard postage is £1.25 to send a postcard anywhere in the world (2025- 2026).
But many choose something more special, a little bit more money… A penguin. A baby fur seal. Shackleton himself. Proof. Look, I was here.
It’s Not Just a Post Office
The post office sells far more than stamps. Books, maps, Government embroidered clothing, South Georgia tartan ties and scarves, and the most expensive item in the shop, a South Georgia tartan blanket made in Lochcarron, Wester Ross ( a connection to home).
Then there are the smaller things. Magnets, pens, tea towels. Plenty to tempt guests.
If someone wants a bag, we will sell them a high quality bag for life. I will not spoil the shock. Start saving now.
The Questions Never Stop and I loved it!
We are constantly asked:
- How long will my postcard take to get home
- Do you live here all year
- When did you arrive
- How many people live here
- How do I get a job here
The guests are wonderful. I love their questions.
We take photos of them posting their cards. There is a bright red postbox inside, useful in the snow and dampness, and another outside for the classic photo.
No Break, No Pause
There are two Government Post Officers. When the guests arrive, we do not stop.
Expedition staff often come in early before their guests. Caps with the Government crest are always popular. The crew will come too, buying a little something special for themselves or their family. Some nationalities love using the rubber stamps, which we happily share (whales and albatross). We run a one way system when it is busy.
There is no toilet. No kettle. You have to be organised. Maybe a quick dash to the museum for a cup of tea or a pee.
Then back to it.
Days can run from 8am to 7pm.
After the Rush
When the guests leave, the work continues.
Restocking can take hours. Everything needs to be reset. And moping the floor, removing the damp and the snow.
Every postcard must be processed. Dates changed. Each stamp given a clean, crisp ‘cancel‘.
That cancel matters. It is the proof. And it is fun for guests when their postcard finally arrives and they see how long it took.
Biosecurity: Nothing Is Simple
What most people do not see is what happens behind the scenes.
Every single item that arrives in South Georgia is biosecured.
Everything is opened, turned inside out, and inspected in the biosecurity shed. Seeds, feathers, insects. Anything that could harm the environment. Imagine the horror if you find a feather or earwig! Only when it is completely clear can it enter South Georgia.
That includes shop stock, food, fruit, vegetables, and even our personal luggage. The same applies to post arriving on the Pharos. It all goes through biosecurity before we handle it.
Non Ship Days
On quieter days, there is still plenty to do. We process mail from philatelists, stamp enthusiasts from all over the world, with very specific requests.
When the Pharos is in port, the whole island prepares their post. We open the KEP post office for staff.
The Pharos might stay for a day, or sometimes up to two weeks. On average, around four days. Bags and Bags of post from the guests and staff have to be processed and loaded onto the ship.
The Challenges – What Does a Post Officer Do in South Georgia? Life Doing One of the Most Remote Jobs on Earth
The weather can change everything.
- Can the guests land
- Do they have to leave early
- Can we get to work
- Are there too many angry fur seals on the track
Nothing is guaranteed.
The Best Part of the Job
The guests.
The guests bring energy, excitement, and a real sense of occasion.
wee wild adventures
It is a joy to share South Georgia with people who may never see a place like it again.
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