Time: 05:20, 62 degrees 58.04’ South, 61 degrees 09.28’ West, wind East force 5, overcast, dry at first fog, rain, sleet and snow later. Water Temperature 0.8oC, Air Temperature 3oC, Sunrise 2.59am, Sunset 11.55pm.
Inside the caldera on Deception Island, discovered by a Cork man!
We sailed into the caldera (flooded volcano) of Deception Island at about 7am this morning. There were large numbers of Chinstrap Penguins in the water near the entrance. Once inside the number of penguins and other birds to be seen dropped off dramatically. The volcano we were sailing over is considered still active with hot springs pushing up small clouds of steam from the south side.
Part of the flock of Cape Petrels that flew around the ship for some time.
As we left Deception we saw two Humback whales in the distance and then headed for Cuverville Island. We were escorted part of the way by a flock of over 30 Cape Petrel who flew laps of the ship. The weather gradually deteriorated and the distribution of ice had changed a lot since our last visit. On the way we had fantastic views of three humpback whales very close to the ship, their long white pectoral fins clearly visible in the crystal clear water. Many passengers managed to see them, which was great, the sounds of amazement rising and falling every time the whales surfaced. When we got to Cuverville it was raining heavily and the wind was gusting. Myself and other expedition team members spent over five hours in Zodiacs showing passengers the very large Gentoo colony and the indescribable blue icebergs. By the end of the day I was soaked to the skin with thermal underwear, pants, one pair of gortex leggings and a second pair or leggings over them failing to stop water reaching my skin. It was rather unpleasant for the passengers at times but it was good to see that most them were very excited about being out in some real Antarctic weather.
David Harrowfield, Expedition Historian.
Our Expedition Historian is David Harrowfield hails from New Zealand and I have asked him to give the reader of my blog some historical information of the places we will be visiting on this expedition. This is what he had to tell me about Deception and Cuverville. “Deception Island is a ring-shaped island in the South Shetlands first sighted and explored by the Irish born Edward Bransfield in January-March 1820 and again by the American sealer Nathaniel Palmer in November of that year. Large tanks for whale oil at Whalers’ Bay are associated with the Norwegian Hekla 1910-31 station of the Hektor Whaling Company. In November 1928, the first flights in Antarctica were made from here by Australian Hubert (later Sir Hubert) Wilkins and in February 1944, the British ‘Station B’ of ‘Operation Tabarin’ was established in some of the Norwegian buildings. Cuverville Island lies in the Errera Channel between Arctowski Peninsula and Bryde Islands. It was discovered by the Belgian expedition led by de Gerlache and named by him for J.M.A. Cavalier de Cuverville a vice admiral in the French Navy.”
Time: 22:31, 64 degrees 42.25’ South, 63 degrees 02.31’ West, Water Temperature 0.5oC, Air Temperature 0oC, snowing, wind Northeast force 6.
Sorry for delay in posting yesterdays blog, not internet connection on the ship last night.
