Deception Island is actually a large volcano, with a sunken caldera that has now filled with ocean water and created a bay, so to speak. It is one of only three in the world. We will have the opportunity for 2 landings today, one on the outside coast of the island and one on the inside, after we’ve sailed through the entrance to the caldera.
The first excursion is “tricky”. There is a huge rookery of chin strap penguins here, living along the beach and up into the hills in what looks like an amphitheater. There are 3 options in the morning – a hike from the rookery across the mountains to the inside of the island where a zodiac will pick you up; a landing at the rookery; and a zodiac ride up the coast. The problem here is that it is a very rough water landing on the zodiac. During our briefing last night, Niko and Jerome made it perfectly clear you had to be absolutely fit to do this landing. No one will be there to help you –they will be holding the boat and telling you to go – and you have to be able to get yourself out of the zodiac fast before the waves hit.
The hike sounds great – except for the fact that it will take 2 1/2 to 3 hours, possibly through knee high snow (you won’t know until you get there), with places where you will be on your hands and knees crawling up hill, and other places where you will be on a very narrow track above a precipice. Hmmmm……this is looking less and less attractive. The final blow comes when we all learn that the landing and hike begin at 5:30am! Nope – not going there. Not even for the landing. After last night? I’m sleeping!
So, we sleep in (as much as one can with the zodiacs being lowered over our cabin) and wake to an overcast, snowy, frigid day. Ah, the Antarctic! Good weather – gone. Snow, rain, overcast – back. Sleeping in was the best decision we made! Phew!
Our morning progresses calmly, breakfast, coffee, up on deck to watch our entrance into the caldera. With all the snow and low visibility, its not much to see – although you can tell it would be totally dramatic if it were clear. We stop to pick up the hikers (who we later find out had to slog through deep snow, and make their way through a whiteout where Niko had to use his GPS because he couldn’t see any of his normal landmarks – oy!). A little later, we arrive at Telefon Bay and get ready for one of our last landings.
It’s still snowing and blowing, so we bundle up and make our way out back for the zodiac. The landscape here is like nothing we’ve seen – it is like walking on the moon – a snow covered moon! The fresh snow gives the normally black cliffs and hills of the volcano an other-worldly feel. It’s frigid here, the wind is blowing and gusting so hard you can barely stand up, not to mention make it up the steep incline to get to the top of the cliff for the views. Phew! We do make it (but we don’t know how some of these other folks will do it!) and it is gorgeous. After the first incline, you can look down into the crater with a stream running through it and craggy black peaks sticking up out of the snow. At the peak, you get a wonderful view of the bay and the valley we’ve just traversed, as well as more perspectives on the crater. This is probably one of my favorite stops – beyond the cold and the wind – it is so beautiful here with the stark snow and mountain contrast, the lack of any vegetation (as is normal for most of Antarctica) but also the lack of any animals – just earth, precipitation and sky. Totally different!
The walk back downhill is easier than we expected – and warmer with the wind at our backs. We’re actually a little hot by the time we reach the zodiac to go back to the ship. No need for warming up aboard so much as drying off for our next (and last – boo hoo) excursion in the afternoon.
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