Matias, Deckhand​
Day 11
We wake up in Whalers bay, Deception Island. From the ship we can just make out the historical structures on shore. The wind, mixed with rain and mist make for pretty harsh conditions.
Despite this we decide to land and explore the remnants of the old whaling station, dating back to the 1910s.
It makes for a really otherwordly setting. Some fur seals, once hunted near extinction here, now give some life to this desolated landscape.
The wind is increasing, so we head back to the boat to weather the worst of the storm. Some gusts reach over 70 knots!
After that came the snow, and the landscape began to turn white. The wind calmed down and it was still snowing, so we decided to head back to shore for a completely different look at the same place, just a couple of hours later.
The seals were still around, happily playing in the snow. We watched how everything was now plastered in white, including ourselves. The changes of weather we have seen today have been surreal, very fitting for Antarctica.
Day 12
This morning we started early, and got further inside this giant volcano crater that is Deception Island. Stancomb Cove is the name of the specific place we ended up at. The ground still fresh with snow and the crisp air around us, we explored this strange water inlet.
After this we started on the usually uneventful journey back towards King George Island, where the air strip is.
I say usually, because this time was different.
When we least expected it, the orcas appeared.
First as a misterious blow and dorsal fin on the horizon, very different from the usual humpback shape. And then they came closer, swimming alongside the boat, looking at us as much as we looked at them.
They stayed about half an hour with us, sometimes swimming very close to the boat.
What a great gift for the last full day of the adventure.
Tonight we will sleep in King George Island, after having had our last dinner and received our adventure certificates!
Day 13
The last day on board. It feels like the end of a full cycle. It snowed on the first day, and it was snowing when we got back in the South Shetlands. In between, almost like a secret, we have had amazing sunny days. We saw countless beautiful landscapes and witnessed many animals emblematic of the peninsula. Gentoo, Adélie, and Chinstrap penguins; Crabeater, Leopard, Weddel, and Fur Seals, Humpback whales and Orcas, Giant Petrels, Skuas, Kelp Gulls, Snowy Sheathbills, and more.
These were two weeks to remember forever!
Fin
Matias Moana Guerrero
