Deception Island
Deception Island is an active volcano, which last erupted in 1970. It is a stark contrast to the snowy mountains of the Western Antarctic Peninsula. Yet it is just as dramatic, with the ash blackened hills striated with snow, creating a zebra like pattern.Early this morning the MS Endeavour managed to make an extra special landing at a place called Bailey Head. Due to the enormous surf that can build at this site, a landing usually occurs 1 in 9 times. Today, luck was with us, and the surf proved to be no match for our Zodiacs and staff, and the effort was well worth it.
The landing beach was teeming with activity: chinstraps going to and from the sea; chinstraps sitting around, looking miserable, and molting. The “teenage” penguins, those who have just shed their downy fluff, could not quite decide whether they wanted to go into the water yet, and what insued was a shoving match between the youngsters, until finally all of them were washed away in a swell. Ahhh the comedy of Antarctica. Not only was the beach full of penguins, but also fur seals, mostly non-mating males, practicing their sparing techniques. Sheath Bills also ran to and fro, looking for something to eat, even our life jackets looked appetizing to them.
Heading inland from the beach, the view became even more spectacular, as you walk into a virtual amphitheater of penguins. Deception is home to nearly 100,000 chinstrap nests, making the surrounding hills a bustle of adult and juveniles moving around the nests. This stretches out as far as the eye can see. Bailey Head is truly a special place. Our day had only just begun at this point. By 10:30 we were heading inside the collapsed caldera, through the narrow opening previously called the Dragon’s Mouth, and now Neptune’s Bellows. We headed to Telephon Bay for a quick hike to look at the actual crater. During lunch we cruised over to Whalers Bay named, after the abandoned Norwegian whaling station, Hektor. Only remnants of the place where thousands of baleen whales were processed remains. We were able to hike among the decaying buildings and the whale oil storage tanks. Some of us even took the opportunity to take a polar plunge where seawater and hot springs meet.
After a full day at Deception Island with outstanding landings . . . .We board the ship full of new experiences and perspectives, with still more to come as the MS Endeavour now heads for the Weddell Sea.
Deception Island is an active volcano, which last erupted in 1970. It is a stark contrast to the snowy mountains of the Western Antarctic Peninsula. Yet it is just as dramatic, with the ash blackened hills striated with snow, creating a zebra like pattern.Early this morning the MS Endeavour managed to make an extra special landing at a place called Bailey Head. Due to the enormous surf that can build at this site, a landing usually occurs 1 in 9 times. Today, luck was with us, and the surf proved to be no match for our Zodiacs and staff, and the effort was well worth it.
The landing beach was teeming with activity: chinstraps going to and from the sea; chinstraps sitting around, looking miserable, and molting. The “teenage” penguins, those who have just shed their downy fluff, could not quite decide whether they wanted to go into the water yet, and what insued was a shoving match between the youngsters, until finally all of them were washed away in a swell. Ahhh the comedy of Antarctica. Not only was the beach full of penguins, but also fur seals, mostly non-mating males, practicing their sparing techniques. Sheath Bills also ran to and fro, looking for something to eat, even our life jackets looked appetizing to them.
Heading inland from the beach, the view became even more spectacular, as you walk into a virtual amphitheater of penguins. Deception is home to nearly 100,000 chinstrap nests, making the surrounding hills a bustle of adult and juveniles moving around the nests. This stretches out as far as the eye can see. Bailey Head is truly a special place. Our day had only just begun at this point. By 10:30 we were heading inside the collapsed caldera, through the narrow opening previously called the Dragon’s Mouth, and now Neptune’s Bellows. We headed to Telephon Bay for a quick hike to look at the actual crater. During lunch we cruised over to Whalers Bay named, after the abandoned Norwegian whaling station, Hektor. Only remnants of the place where thousands of baleen whales were processed remains. We were able to hike among the decaying buildings and the whale oil storage tanks. Some of us even took the opportunity to take a polar plunge where seawater and hot springs meet.
After a full day at Deception Island with outstanding landings . . . .We board the ship full of new experiences and perspectives, with still more to come as the MS Endeavour now heads for the Weddell Sea.
