Deception Island
62°58’ S 60°30’W
Antarctica is ever-changing. The ice shifts and moves, the penguin’s come and go, and the sea rises and falls. Even day-to-day predictions during an expedition are difficult, often leading to one surprise after another.
Today we visited Deception Island. This inactive volcano last erupted in 1970, suprising the local occupants of the various research stations located in the caldera, and raining ash down on the surrounding hills. This Island is home to spectacular black and white abstract hills and glaciers, emerging from the combination of black basalt pebbles which coat the island, and the recent snowfall. It is a full visual experience.
Our first stop was on the outside of the island, at a landing called Baily Head. Unchallenged as Antarctica’s most difficult landing, when the seas are active, today Baily Head almost proved elusive. Arriving at 6:00am, the landing living up to its reputation. The wind was coming from one direction, the waves wanted to go another, leading to a headlong battle between the two. But knowing what Baily Head had to offer; we did not give up. We spent the early morning sightseeing around the island, enabling our skills as whale watchers, and allowing for a leisurely breakfast. Being tenacious we again went back at 8:30am for another look. We were not denied a second time.
It was definitely worth the wait!! As the guests of MS Endeavour stepped onto the beach, they were greeted with the raucous calls of 100,000 chinstrap pairs. This is one of the largest chinstrap nesting sites in Antarctica, certainly the largest on the peninsula. Before one can get to the actual nesting sites, you must first traverse the penguin highway. A plateau stretches back into the nesting site from the beach. There is a constant stream of penguins, coming and going, a steady rush hour. Continuing on the highway you suddenly come into the “Hollywood Bowl”, and are surrounded by hills covered with chinstrap penguins. This bowl stretches back for nearly a mile, and everywhere you look; there are penguins . . .and more penguins. At this time of year, there are mostly adults molting, and fledglings shedding their downy cover for a juvenile plumage. Back at the water’s edge, the fledglings were putting on a comical act rushing back and forth down to the water, barely getting their feet wet, before running back up the shore, not quite sure of their place in the water world.
This afternoon we entered into the caldera of Deception Island, also known as Port Foster, through a narrow opening called “Neptune's Bellow’s.” We first visited Whaler’s Bay, site of an abandoned whaling factory. As we looked at the rusting oil barrels, and deteriorating buildings, it was difficult to imagine that what is now a quiet harbor, was once a bustling factory area, with upwards of 100 men working there at a time.
After leaving Whaler’s Bay, we traveled further into the ancient caldera to Telefon Bay, which is the site of the most recent eruption in 1970. The guests were able to take a hike up to look down into the crater, and appreciate the enormity of a “small” eruption.
We had an incredible day, pleasantly surprised time after time. It is intriguing to imagine what tomorrow will bring.
62°58’ S 60°30’W
Antarctica is ever-changing. The ice shifts and moves, the penguin’s come and go, and the sea rises and falls. Even day-to-day predictions during an expedition are difficult, often leading to one surprise after another.
Today we visited Deception Island. This inactive volcano last erupted in 1970, suprising the local occupants of the various research stations located in the caldera, and raining ash down on the surrounding hills. This Island is home to spectacular black and white abstract hills and glaciers, emerging from the combination of black basalt pebbles which coat the island, and the recent snowfall. It is a full visual experience.
Our first stop was on the outside of the island, at a landing called Baily Head. Unchallenged as Antarctica’s most difficult landing, when the seas are active, today Baily Head almost proved elusive. Arriving at 6:00am, the landing living up to its reputation. The wind was coming from one direction, the waves wanted to go another, leading to a headlong battle between the two. But knowing what Baily Head had to offer; we did not give up. We spent the early morning sightseeing around the island, enabling our skills as whale watchers, and allowing for a leisurely breakfast. Being tenacious we again went back at 8:30am for another look. We were not denied a second time.
It was definitely worth the wait!! As the guests of MS Endeavour stepped onto the beach, they were greeted with the raucous calls of 100,000 chinstrap pairs. This is one of the largest chinstrap nesting sites in Antarctica, certainly the largest on the peninsula. Before one can get to the actual nesting sites, you must first traverse the penguin highway. A plateau stretches back into the nesting site from the beach. There is a constant stream of penguins, coming and going, a steady rush hour. Continuing on the highway you suddenly come into the “Hollywood Bowl”, and are surrounded by hills covered with chinstrap penguins. This bowl stretches back for nearly a mile, and everywhere you look; there are penguins . . .and more penguins. At this time of year, there are mostly adults molting, and fledglings shedding their downy cover for a juvenile plumage. Back at the water’s edge, the fledglings were putting on a comical act rushing back and forth down to the water, barely getting their feet wet, before running back up the shore, not quite sure of their place in the water world.
This afternoon we entered into the caldera of Deception Island, also known as Port Foster, through a narrow opening called “Neptune's Bellow’s.” We first visited Whaler’s Bay, site of an abandoned whaling factory. As we looked at the rusting oil barrels, and deteriorating buildings, it was difficult to imagine that what is now a quiet harbor, was once a bustling factory area, with upwards of 100 men working there at a time.
After leaving Whaler’s Bay, we traveled further into the ancient caldera to Telefon Bay, which is the site of the most recent eruption in 1970. The guests were able to take a hike up to look down into the crater, and appreciate the enormity of a “small” eruption.
We had an incredible day, pleasantly surprised time after time. It is intriguing to imagine what tomorrow will bring.
