Deception Island, Mikkelson Harbor
The view this morning was one of stark contrast. The black mountains that make up Deception Island were covered in a fresh coat of snow. And as the National Geographic Endeavour sat outside of Bailey Head waiting for the scouting party to return, we could see the small black and white outlines of chinstrap penguins waddling down one of the largest black sand beach these eyes have ever seen. The constant flowing of white wash that would consume this beach every few seconds in melodic rhythm made it obvious that we would be admiring this part of the caldera from the ship.
Early this morning we passed through the Neptune’s Bellows, the narrow entrance to the bay inside the island. The remains of the whaling station at Whaler’s Bay was the only color that could be seen this morning, which stuck out from what one might see in an Ansel Adams scene. Below the water, however, there was an abundance of color. Bright orange brittle stars, sun-yellow amphipods, and blood-red sea stars littered the slope of lava rock that now rests below the surface.
Our vessel this afternoon brought us to Mikkelson Harbor, where we were able to witness firsthand the dynamic ecosystem that makes up this seemingly inhospitable part of the world. As we embarked the zodiacs, a swarm of krill floated by, which is the foundation for most of the life in the Antarctic. Gentoo penguins could be seen feeding their chicks that sat lethargically in the sun, and fur seals sat around the fringes of a small island, some returning from feeding while others would leave. Skuas patiently waited outside the colony, keeping a close eye on what could potentially be a next meal. And outside the channel some of us were able to get a more intimate look at some humpback whales, methodically surfacing for breath while occasionally lifting their flukes out of the water in preparation for a dive.
Our day ended with another contrast, and that was to what we saw this morning. Where there seemed to be a complete absence of color with our first view at Deception Island this morning, we were blessed with nothing but color with our final view this evening. A cobalt-blue sky towered endlessly above a quintessential Antarctic landscape of jagged mountain peaks covered in ice and snow that turned pink under the setting sun.
The view this morning was one of stark contrast. The black mountains that make up Deception Island were covered in a fresh coat of snow. And as the National Geographic Endeavour sat outside of Bailey Head waiting for the scouting party to return, we could see the small black and white outlines of chinstrap penguins waddling down one of the largest black sand beach these eyes have ever seen. The constant flowing of white wash that would consume this beach every few seconds in melodic rhythm made it obvious that we would be admiring this part of the caldera from the ship.
Early this morning we passed through the Neptune’s Bellows, the narrow entrance to the bay inside the island. The remains of the whaling station at Whaler’s Bay was the only color that could be seen this morning, which stuck out from what one might see in an Ansel Adams scene. Below the water, however, there was an abundance of color. Bright orange brittle stars, sun-yellow amphipods, and blood-red sea stars littered the slope of lava rock that now rests below the surface.
Our vessel this afternoon brought us to Mikkelson Harbor, where we were able to witness firsthand the dynamic ecosystem that makes up this seemingly inhospitable part of the world. As we embarked the zodiacs, a swarm of krill floated by, which is the foundation for most of the life in the Antarctic. Gentoo penguins could be seen feeding their chicks that sat lethargically in the sun, and fur seals sat around the fringes of a small island, some returning from feeding while others would leave. Skuas patiently waited outside the colony, keeping a close eye on what could potentially be a next meal. And outside the channel some of us were able to get a more intimate look at some humpback whales, methodically surfacing for breath while occasionally lifting their flukes out of the water in preparation for a dive.
Our day ended with another contrast, and that was to what we saw this morning. Where there seemed to be a complete absence of color with our first view at Deception Island this morning, we were blessed with nothing but color with our final view this evening. A cobalt-blue sky towered endlessly above a quintessential Antarctic landscape of jagged mountain peaks covered in ice and snow that turned pink under the setting sun.
