Deception Island-South Shetland Islands

Deception Island is an island in the South Shetland Islands off the Antarctica Peninsula and an active volcano which last erupted in 1967 and 1969. It’s still very active with steam fissuals, hot springs, and numerous hot spots.
The center of the island is a caldera formed in a huge eruption which was flooded by the sea to form a large bay called Port Foster. Due to the caldera, Port Foster is one of the safest harbors in Antarctica. Whaling factory ships used a cove just inside the entrance as a base for many years. Remnants of the old structures can still be found in the cove, now called “Whaler’s Bay”. Today it’s now occupied by Fur Seals who are attracted to the calm waters and heated beaches where they can nap, play, and chill.

Spanning just 754 ft wide, the narrow entrance to the bay is called “Neptune’s Bellows” Entering the harbor can be very challenging due to an underwater obstruction (8 ft below the surface) in the middle of the channel, called Ravn Rock.

The original plan was to cruise around the island as it’s normally too hazardous for a ship the size of Octantis to enter, but the weather was surprisingly calm and the captain decided to go for it. Taking Octantis into the bay also offered the opportunity for a short landing allowing us to walk among the old whaling structure and get up close with the Fur Seals. (An unexpected and delightful surprise indeed!)

Leaving the bay offered one of the most spectacular views I’ve ever seen. The sun came out and shined upon the ship and cliffs. Words can’t describe the experience of passing through Neptune’s Bellows and sailing away. (I tried to capture some of it on video)Read more