On Sunday we arrived in Whalers Bay at Deception Island,
a volcano.
A tender boat ride into shore...snow and steamy waters add to the adventure!
Natural black volcanic beach....Lava Beach
A portion of the volcanic caldera had collapsed, flooding the interior, making an perfect natural harbor. The ship entered through a 660 foot entrance known as Neptune’s Bellow (named for the winds that howl through). Whaler’s Bay was home to factory whaling ships as early as 1905. The British established Base B here during World War II in 1941. The last volcanic eruption in 1967 through 1969 destroyed the station.
A portion of the volcanic caldera had collapsed, flooding the interior, making an perfect natural harbor. The ship entered through a 660 foot entrance known as Neptune’s Bellow (named for the winds that howl through). Whaler’s Bay was home to factory whaling ships as early as 1905. The British established Base B here during World War II in 1941. The last volcanic eruption in 1967 through 1969 destroyed the station.
Larry and I observed only one chinstrap penguin and one Skua
(a big brown bird) while walking the flat black volcanic ash beach called Lava
Beach. About 50 of the passengers choose to participate in a polar
plunge…..brrrr.
An Irish friend....Fiona..... took the plunge!
It snowed on us the whole time we were here…small puffs of steam rose from the water and the smell of sulfuric acid reeked in the air. We hiked up a tall hill and took a gander at a cave that was below the rocky cliffs.
I never dreamed that Antarctica would have such massive rock formations.
The fun part was slip sliding down the slope to get back to the beach.
Up, uP, UP...warmed us up!
Deep snow along the beach
Once back on board the captain directed the boat on a tour of the inside of the caldera, a series of magnificent stone formations that towered above us. Two whales sent us on our way after cruising the bay.
This guy stood wet in the snowfall for a long, long time....he must have a great internal heater!
It snowed on us the whole time we were here…small puffs of steam rose from the water and the smell of sulfuric acid reeked in the air. We hiked up a tall hill and took a gander at a cave that was below the rocky cliffs.
The fun part was slip sliding down the slope to get back to the beach.
Once back on board the captain directed the boat on a tour of the inside of the caldera, a series of magnificent stone formations that towered above us. Two whales sent us on our way after cruising the bay.
What memories….cruising the inside of a sleeping volcano and
humpback whales! Awesome!
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