2022 Antarctica: Antarctic Peninsula, Deception Island (12/17/2022)

Saturday, December 17, 2022 (continued)

At 14:00 we sailed through the narrow "Neptune's Bellows"
into the bay in the caldera of a still active volcano of
Deception Island, so-named because it looks like an island
but is actually a rim that is broken in one place

Once within Deception Island, we turned right
into Whalers Bay and anchored

In the lower center you can see the anchor chain (KSS)

The Zodiacs landed us near the beached floating dock
of a former whaling station

We opted to head right to Neptune's Window, and could
see the steam rising just above the black sands (KSS)

The warmer water serves to cook animal and plant
life that gets washed ashore

Stercorarius maccormicki/South Polar Skua

Pygoscelis antarcticus/Chinstrap penguins

Steamed Euphausia superba/Atlantic Krill

Pygoscelis papua/Gentoo penguin

Boiled kelp

Neptune's Window is the notch in the caldera wall

Whale bone, probably part of a vertebrae (KSS)

Approaching Neptune's Window

Remnants of barrels first used to hold whale oil

Conglomerate rock spewed by a volcano with
chunks of obsidian that has cooled rapidly

Kent hiking up to Neptune's Window

Whoa! The view through Neptune's Window,
with Zodiacs below

Neptune's Window view slightly W

Neptune's Window view slightly E

Weather station equipment

View back over Whalers Bay from Neptune's Window

Boiled Salpa thompsoni?/Salp

Trying to show the steam coming off the sand;
pushing your hand into the sand the length of your fingers
resulted in feeling quite a bit of heat (KSS)

Okay, now we see the steam! (by unknown)

Ophiomastus meridionalis/Brittle Star

Now for the Zodiac cruise heading outside the caldera

Nesting Leucocarbo atriceps bransfieldensis/Antarctic Shags

Up close with Antarctic Shags (by Roger)

Passing through Neptune's Bellows
in the Zodiac into rougher seas

View of Neptune's Window from outside the caldera

Glacial runoff

Blowhole activity

Baily Head and Sewing Machine Needles Seastacks

Chinstrap penguin colony where they climb
to the top of the mountain to breed

At the Recap and Briefing, we found out what passports
were had by passengers, crew and Expedition staff

Leaving the South Shetland Islands

Bar Talk: My Sailing Story (by Sarah Norbury, the English Expedition Coordinator, who sailed for the British Sailing Team Olympic Development Squad and competed at Olympic Class level).

Next: Drake Passage.