We enter Deception island – an active volcano – in one year (2018) and left Deception Island in another. Pretty fantastic to spend New Years INSIDE a volcano!!!!!!!!
We entered Deception after an over night sail. The common fog of the island was present, so we started our landing at Whalers Bay in very thick ominous fog. It slowly rose and gave way to brilliant blue skies above – we saw Whalers Bay transform before our eyes. It’s the sites of many human activities in Antarctica. At first a basic sealing base of operations, then in the early 1900’s the base of a rather large whaling station. Tanks, buildings, whale bones, small boats – tell the tale of a past life in this bay. As whaling declined, the Brits took over in WWII as Base B and then used it as their center of airplane operations for Antarctica until the volcano decided to spew some ash in the late 1960’s ending this site as a safe place for airplane ops. Now the buildings show the wear of time, of snow, of wind, and many dark winters – paint almost completely peeled, a collapsed roof, Gulls taking nest atop old pressure cookers. Nature works her magic to reclaim the place.
In the afternoon we went to Pendulum cove where we indulged in a small foot spa – putting our feet into geothermally warmed waters!
And in the evening – we of course celebrated the new year, with a fantastic salmon dinner prepared by cook Sarah, a few rounds of Bingo, and good fun and laughter with our fantastic passengers!
Welcome 2019!
