The journey from the UKAHT base in Cambridgeshire to Port Lockroy takes about a week.
“We fly to Ushuaia via Buenos Aires in Argentina and we’ll probably have a couple of days to acclimatise slightly,” Clarke said.
“We’ll then jump on a ship that will take us south to the Antarctic Peninsula and it takes four or five days.”
Clarke’s colleagues are also excited to get the new season under way.
Base commander and RAF veteran Carole McCullough said: “I applied for the role looking for a bit of an adventure, and Antarctica is the ultimate adventure.
“The team work, the bonding, the appreciation of the place – it’s all going to make for the most wonderful experience.”
Wildlife monitor and museum manager Alice Parr added: “I actually applied for a role three years ago and was selected as reserve.
“I tried again – clearly persistence pays off! I’m incredibly excited to be managing the museum and counting penguins. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime.”
