Roll With The Changes

"Oh you've got to learn to roll with the changes". REO Speedwagon

To sail into the cauldara of this active Antarctic volcano you have to be careful to avoid the Devil's Jaw. This means setting course straight for Neptune's Bellows on the opposite side of the narrow entrance and watching that cliff pass ever so closely by while simultaneously escaping the shallow rocks of the cursed jaw.

Once through the tightrope, we enter into Deception Bay, a miles wide body of water almost entirely surrounded by the volcano walls which last erupted in 1969.

Inside the cauldara, the water is calm even as the winds gust and the snow falls.

Deception Island, as this barren mountainous outcrop is known, was an active whaling station. Hundreds of thousands of whales were processed in the nearly hundred years that the whaling station operated, before closing in the early 1960's.

Whale carcasses line the ocean floor and litter the beaches. A haunting reminder of a less humane time.

Little snow accumulates on these black sand and ash beaches as the geothermal activity provides just enough warmth. The patches of snow that do accumulate on the rolling black, volcanic, hills provide a striking resemblance to the whales that where once slaughtered here.

We make landing at Pendulum Cove. If situated in the South Pacific these lush black sand beaches would be ringed with hotels. Here the remains of one of the destroyed stations, some whale bones and a single chinstrap penguin are our only companions.

Around 20 of us have decided to climb one of the more accessible hills. Devoid of snow, the soft volcanic sand provides better traction than the icy snow of yesterday's walk. At altitude the wind is a constant 50km with gusts that can knock you over. Snow swirling everywhere. As we near the summit, the soft sand turns to a larger more scambly volcanic scree. I make it to the sub apex, enjoy the view then say goodbye to Neil and the rest of the group as they make the last scramble up.

As I begin my decent I am thankful for the pole Neil was kind of enough to bring for each of us. The wind and snow batter my sunglasses-turned-goggles and I think about the conditions the people at these whaling stations endured. We don't get to the graveyard but there are 35 graves for people who lost their lives working in these bleak conditions here on Deception Island. If this is summer I am not sure I can fully imagine what winter feels like.

As is the reality with any trip to Antarctica, the inclement weather forces changes in plans. A second landing is deemed unsafe, so we are to depart the cauldara after lunch.

The view of Neptune's Bellows, those steep cliffs opposite the Devil's Jaw, are much better this afternoon, the red, waffled cliffs almost glow.

Then we are in the Drake. The boat begins to roll almost immediately, nothing intense but certainly the most motion since we arrived at the South Shetland's five days ago. We are told the first day of crossing will be considerably better then the second. Stay tuned.Leggi altro