Deception Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Peninsula
This morning we arrived off infamous Deception Island. An active volcano, Deception is one of the most notorious and interesting islands of the South Shetlands archipelago. Originally discovered by American and British sealers in the 1820’s, the island’s name refers to its deceiving donut-like shape. The ‘donut’ has a very small bite taken out of it, which forms a narrow entrance into the flooded caldera of the original volcano, known as Port Foster. The entrance way is more specifically known as Neptune’s Bellows. Many early mariners sailed right past this narrow entrance without ever seeing the inner bay, hence the island’s name.
Once discovered, the island became a center of activity in the region precisely because of its large sheltered harbor. In the early 1900’s whaling companies used Port Foster as a mooring site for their floating factory ships. The shore whaling station was in use between 1911 and 1913. During the 1940’s and ‘50’s the British, Argentines and Chileans all built bases at the island. In 1967 a sizable volcanic eruption was recorded, and in 1969 another eruption badly damaged a British Base and partly buried the old whaling station in ash and cinders.
Our first landing was at Baily Head this morning, home to an enormous Chinstrap penguin colony. This is one of the most difficult landings in the area because of the high surf often present on the landing beach, but conditions today were ideal and we were all able to get ashore and stroll among the penguins. Their calls could be heard for miles and we explored the massive amphitheater inside a smaller cinder cone off the main part of the outer caldera’s wall. One month old chinstrap penguin chicks were alert and fun to watch and photograph.
Just before lunch, we entered the inner caldera of the island through Neptune’s Bellows. We landed at Whaler’s Bay, and walked among the old and derelict stations and whaling operations remains.
Further inside the caldera, we made yet another landing at Pendulum Cove. Geothermal activity here produces hot water springs along the shoreline, and conditions (tide, wind and wave action) were just right, so we had the chance to take a quick dip in Antarctic waters!
From the outside wall of the icy and ash-covered caldera, through the narrow entranceway inundated by sea water, and well into its depths and thermal pools. Deception Island provided us with a full day of surprises and adventures.
This morning we arrived off infamous Deception Island. An active volcano, Deception is one of the most notorious and interesting islands of the South Shetlands archipelago. Originally discovered by American and British sealers in the 1820’s, the island’s name refers to its deceiving donut-like shape. The ‘donut’ has a very small bite taken out of it, which forms a narrow entrance into the flooded caldera of the original volcano, known as Port Foster. The entrance way is more specifically known as Neptune’s Bellows. Many early mariners sailed right past this narrow entrance without ever seeing the inner bay, hence the island’s name.
Once discovered, the island became a center of activity in the region precisely because of its large sheltered harbor. In the early 1900’s whaling companies used Port Foster as a mooring site for their floating factory ships. The shore whaling station was in use between 1911 and 1913. During the 1940’s and ‘50’s the British, Argentines and Chileans all built bases at the island. In 1967 a sizable volcanic eruption was recorded, and in 1969 another eruption badly damaged a British Base and partly buried the old whaling station in ash and cinders.
Our first landing was at Baily Head this morning, home to an enormous Chinstrap penguin colony. This is one of the most difficult landings in the area because of the high surf often present on the landing beach, but conditions today were ideal and we were all able to get ashore and stroll among the penguins. Their calls could be heard for miles and we explored the massive amphitheater inside a smaller cinder cone off the main part of the outer caldera’s wall. One month old chinstrap penguin chicks were alert and fun to watch and photograph.
Just before lunch, we entered the inner caldera of the island through Neptune’s Bellows. We landed at Whaler’s Bay, and walked among the old and derelict stations and whaling operations remains.
Further inside the caldera, we made yet another landing at Pendulum Cove. Geothermal activity here produces hot water springs along the shoreline, and conditions (tide, wind and wave action) were just right, so we had the chance to take a quick dip in Antarctic waters!
From the outside wall of the icy and ash-covered caldera, through the narrow entranceway inundated by sea water, and well into its depths and thermal pools. Deception Island provided us with a full day of surprises and adventures.
