What Is Deception Island? Part 1

From a distance, this island looks normal. However, when you approach, you recognize it is a former volcano (its caldera) filled with water. Therefore the name: Deception Ialand.

We are entering the caldera.

This ash betrays the island’s volcanic origin.

Sometimes, moss grows on the mountains. For anything bigger it is too cold.

The bay is protected from storms. That is why sailors considered it an ideal place to process whales. These tanks stored whale fat. Even though whaling ended in the 1950s, whales seem to remember it and never enter the bay.

We had company!

The boat next to the ship is called zodiak. One has to book a spot and then up to 100 people at a time can go on land from such boats.

Planes could land here. You can see the hangar.

In the foreground, a few manatees are relaxing.

The entrance into the bay. Penguins are sitting on the cliffs!

A skua, a penguin and a manatee

The red colour of the ground comes from iron.