Deception Island
This morning we landed through the surf at Baily Head and experienced a vast amphitheatre filled with a bustling colony of about 75,000 pairs of chinstrap penguins. Back aboard we watched a lazily swimming humpback whale from the bow of the ship before entering the narrow passage of Neptune's Bellows and the flooded caldera of Deception Island and the sheltered harbour of Whalers Bay.
In the past few days of exploring the Weddell Sea, we have become well accustomed to the expert ship handling of our Captain and officers, but we were all surprised at the choice of anchorage for our visit to Whalers Bay this afternoon. It was simply not possible to be any closer to the beach. The bulbous bow of the ship was gently nestled in the soft, black, volcanic sand which made for the shortest Zodiac transfer from the ship to shore. It seemed that we could have stepped from the bow, were it not for the 8 metre drop.
Once ashore, we explored the remains of the early 20th century whaling station that gave the bay its name. We soaked and steamed in the warmth of the thermal springs from the volcano which last erupted in 1970. With the water temperature a little over 100°F the improvised hot tub was gorgeous, while those who swam the short distance to the bow of the ship experienced the contrast with the 33°F water just a few metres offshore.
Leaving Deception we headed south to continue our exploration of the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula. We went to our beds replete with another day of varied and extraordinary experiences wondering what tomorrow would bring.
This morning we landed through the surf at Baily Head and experienced a vast amphitheatre filled with a bustling colony of about 75,000 pairs of chinstrap penguins. Back aboard we watched a lazily swimming humpback whale from the bow of the ship before entering the narrow passage of Neptune's Bellows and the flooded caldera of Deception Island and the sheltered harbour of Whalers Bay.
In the past few days of exploring the Weddell Sea, we have become well accustomed to the expert ship handling of our Captain and officers, but we were all surprised at the choice of anchorage for our visit to Whalers Bay this afternoon. It was simply not possible to be any closer to the beach. The bulbous bow of the ship was gently nestled in the soft, black, volcanic sand which made for the shortest Zodiac transfer from the ship to shore. It seemed that we could have stepped from the bow, were it not for the 8 metre drop.
Once ashore, we explored the remains of the early 20th century whaling station that gave the bay its name. We soaked and steamed in the warmth of the thermal springs from the volcano which last erupted in 1970. With the water temperature a little over 100°F the improvised hot tub was gorgeous, while those who swam the short distance to the bow of the ship experienced the contrast with the 33°F water just a few metres offshore.
Leaving Deception we headed south to continue our exploration of the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula. We went to our beds replete with another day of varied and extraordinary experiences wondering what tomorrow would bring.
