3 Dec 25 - Antarctica 25 - Deception Island

The second morning at sea saw the Ortelius continuing to head South in the Drake Passage. We were heading for Deception Island, which lies at the South West end of the South Shetland Islands. The South Shetland Islands are a three hundred mile long chain of islands. They lie about six hundred miles South of the mouth of the Beagle Channel and are about seventy-five miles North of the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.

The visibility was limited first thing

It was hard work early on with the visibility down to as little as one hundred metres. Fortunately, the visibility improved as we got closer to Deception Island. The seas were still good for the Drake Passage, with a moderate two and a half metre swell. Due to the limited view from the bridge wings, I switched to watching from the bridge, which was a lot warmer as we were so much closer to Antarctica. On the downside, I was having to take photos through the bridge windows.

The bridge: One of the good things about Oceanwide Expeditions, is they allow the passengers to view from the bridge

We passed this impressive Fish iceberg

Humpback Whale: This was one of two Humpback Whales that I saw as we approached the South Shetland Islands

Chinstrap Penguin: As we approached Deception Island, we started to see Chinstrap Penguins in the sea

We arrived at Deception Island around late-afternoon. This volcanic island is about nine miles across in circumference. The sea has broken through to form a narrow five hundred metres wide entrance, which leads to a flooded caldera. There is a very shallow rock just below the surface in the centre of this entrance. The most recent volcanic activity occurred in the late 1960s. Soon we were inside the caldera and dropping the anchor in Whaler's Bay. The zodiacs were launched to allow us to head ashore to explore the old whaling base. It was going to be an interesting landing, as we had thirty knot winds and a snowstorm.

Heading for the entrance channel: There is a safe anchorage within the caldera

Deception Island nearly featured in the Shackleton story. When Shackleton and his crew put to sea in their three lifeboats, they were aiming for the recently established whaling station at Deception Island. They failed to reach Deception Island, as the sea currents were too strong and they finally reached Elephant Island, over two hundred miles to the North East of Deception Island. The crew spent the next four months on the beach at Point Wild on Elephant Island, while Shackleton and his five companions put back to sea in their attempt to reach South Georgia. Fortunately, they were successful. After getting a boat to South America, Shackleton made three attempts to rescue his stranded crew. He finally reached Elephant Island and rescued the crew, only a few weeks before they were due to attempt to reach Deception Island. Shackleton knew that if his attempt to reach South Georgia failed, then the crew had a chance of making it to the whaling base at Deception Island. In comparison, they had no realistic chance of rescue at Elephant Island, as it was well off the route of other whaling ships.

The zodiacs landed us on the beach near the old whaling station: This had only been in operation for a few seasons before Shackleton's Endurance expedition

This poor visibility made seeing the Ortelius difficult

The local Penguins were on the beach to welcome us. Unlike us, they looked unfazed by the cold, snowy weather.

Chinstrap Penguin: This monotypic species breeds on the Antarctic Peninsula & surrounding islands

Gentoo Penguins with a sole Chinstrap Penguin: This is the ellsworthi subspecies of Gentoo Penguin which breeds on the South Shetland, South Orkney & South Sandwich Islands, as well as, the Antarctic Peninsula

It was time to have a look around the old whaling base. It was a lot smaller than the South Georgia whaling bases I've seen at Grytviken and Stromness.

Looking right along the beach

Another zodiac lands: The crew were efficient at getting our hundred passengers ashore. When considering an Antarctica trip, the number of passengers is an important consideration, as only one hundred passengers are allowed ashore at a time. Larger ships have to land passengers in relays and ships with over five hundred passengers are not allowed to land passengers

The main Whale oil tanks with the whaling base beyond

The main part of the whaling base

More old Whale oil tanks

Looking back on the old Whale oil tanks

Kelp Gull: This is the austrinus subspecies which breeds on Antarctica & the surrounding Antarctic islands. It was nesting on top of the old Whale oil tanks

These old wooden huts wouldn't have provided much insulation from the cold conditions in the South Shetland Islands

The main office building: Visitors are not allowed to enter any of the buildings to protect them. However, they were too unsafe to enter

Before we arrived, there were plans to allow the passengers to have a polar dip, as the South Shetland Islands are considered as part of Antarctica. However, this was cancelled due to the strong winds and snow. A pity as I had gone ashore intending to do a polar plunge. Conditions were better on our return to the South Shetland Islands on our way back to Ushuaia. However, I had to skip that opportunity, as I was struggling to get over a nasty bug that had been going around the ship. We were back on Ortelius just before dinner. After dinner, I headed back to the bridge and saw two Fin Whales and four Humpback Whales as we headed for the Antarctic Peninsula.

It's a pity that the Beagle Channel Commerson's Dolphins didn't show this well earlier in the trip

Soon after it was dark, I was heading to bed as I had another early start planned as we would be around the Antarctic Peninsula and in range of an Emperor Penguin.

21 Jan 23 - The Antarctica Trip - Shackleton's Waterfall, South Georgia

We were stood down at our planned landing as the gale force winds hammering down the glacier were clearly too dangerous to put the zodiacs in the water. We headed off to breakfast in the hope that the wind speed would half from the sixty to seventy mph early morning winds. Sometimes that can happen in an hour or two. However, it was clear by the time that we were finishing breakfast, that this wasn't the case. As often needed in South Georgia, the Expedition Leader Ali had a plan B and we were soon heading onto the nearby bay at Stromness. Fortunately, we were the only Expedition ship in this part of South Georgia at the time and a change of venue could be quickly agreed with the South Georgia authorities. We arrived to find the wind was still strong, but it quickly calmed down enough to land.

The derelict whaling station: It was a much larger whaling station that the one at Prince Olav Harbour

Heading into the beach

Almost there

The view of the whaling station from the beach

The buildings aren't in great shape

Clearly the winds have taken their toll over the decades

It was certainly a large whaling station

There were some large propellers on the beach: Just as we saw at Prince Olav Harbour

We weren't going to be able to get any closer: Quite wise given the lack of maintenance with the whaling stations, as well as, the asbestos etc. But it will also reduce the risk of damage to these historical sites by tourists trying to explore them or maybe even to take items away as souvenirs

There were scattered groups of Antarctic Fur Seals and Southern Elephant Seals along the beach and with part of the beach being out of bounds, it meant individuals in that area weren't disturbed. But all the ones I saw weren't bothered by the visitors. However, earlier in the breeding season the Male Southern Elephant Seals can be more dangerous when they are fighting each other for the Females. There was a leucistic Antarctic Fur Seal pup which proved to be very popular, as it was very photogenic.

Antarctic Fur Seal: I had seen one of these leucistic Antarctic Fur Seal pups in the Prince Olav Harbour from the zodiac, but now we had a photogenic pup on the beach

Antarctic Fur Seal: This leucistic Antarctic Fur Seal pup was very popular as it was very photogenic

Antarctic Fur Seal: They looked very glossy when they had just come out of the water

After photographing the leucistic Antarctic Fur Seal and the whaling station at a distance, we had all the passengers ashore. One of the options was to walk to Shackleton's Waterfall with some of the Expedition staff. I was obviously keen on this idea, which also had the bonus of getting the chance to stretch my legs, even if it was only a three mile round walk. There were Penguins and Seals along the walk along the floodplain.

King Penguin: There were about one hundred and fifty King Penguins at Stromness

Gentoo Penguin: This Gentoo Penguin was just enjoying a kip in the sun

Antarctic Fur Seal: They have some sharp teeth on them. Another reason for keeping a good distance with them. When I went to the New Zealand Subantarctic Islands in 2001, one of the Kiwi Wildlife team was unlucky to be bitten by a Seal on Macquarie Island: it had walked up behind her without her realising. Maybe some Australian foreplay. Fortunately, not a serious bite, but an incident that always made sure I was keeping a reasonable distance from the adults

Southern Elephant Seal: They are beach body ready providing the beach is in the Southern Oceans

Southern Elephant Seal: There were Southern Elephant Seals scattered throughout the floodplain

Personally, I was happy with this change of venue as Stromness is an important site in the Shackleton story. It was the whaling station that Ernest Shackleton, Frank Worsley and Tom Crean finally walked into, after their epic boat crossing of the Drake Passage from Elephant Island. They finally reached South Georgia on the rough South coast at King Haakan Bay. Their small boat was sufficiently damaged in the landing to be unable to put back to sea in it.

Heading across the floodplain towards Shackleton's Waterfall

Shackleton took his two strongest companions and despite not having proper climbing equipment, they made the first crossing of South Georgia's mountains. Finally, after twenty-eight hours of walking, they heard the hooter at Stromness to call the whalers to work. But it was another eight hours of descending and walking before they finally walked into the Stromness whaling station. I wrote a Blog Post after my first visit about Shackleton, Wild, Worsley & Crean.

It was good to be able to stretch our legs on this walk

This was their first contact with the outside world since they left South Georgia, eighteen months earlier. A boat rescued Shackleton's three companions from King Haakan Bay the following day. It was to take three attempts over the next three months from South America, before Shackleton finally managed to rescue the rest of his stranded crew on Elephant Island. More of that in a future Blog Post.

Looking back towards the whaling station and the Plancius

There is still a way to go till we got to the waterfall

It was stunning scenery

Finally, we reached Shackleton's Waterfall.

Shackleton's Waterfall: This would have looked more impressive in Shackleton's day given the colder weather. Also, Shackleton arrived at Stromness in mid-May, so it would have been well into the Winter for him

Back on the beach, I spent some time photographing some of the Wilson's Storm-petrels that were feeding just off the water's edge.

Wilson's Storm-petrel

Wilson's Storm-petrel

Wilson's Storm-petrel

Brown Skua: This Brown Skua flew past close to the beach

Gentoo Penguin

Gentoo Penguin: This Gentoo Penguin was confident at walking through the Antarctic Fur Seal pups

We still had a bit of time left & I wasn't in a hurry to get back into a zodiac

The Expedition Leader Ali: Ali did an excellent job of running the expedition

Doc Marieke was a Dutch GP: The ship's doctor usually had a great time, when things were going well. But it can be a very tough role, if there is a major injury onboard and the doc has to tell the Captain to turn the ship around to head to the nearest proper hospital. Fortunately, I've not been on a ship where that has occurred, but I'm aware of a few instances where its happened

Boots cleaning is vital on every landing: We cleaned our boots on the ship before we landed. They were cleaned before reboarding the zodiac & cleaned again once we were back on the ship. This is designed to minimise transfer of plant seeds and bugs from one colony to another. It's will be even more important now that Bird Flu has reached the Southern Oceans

this was an easy departure from the beach: Sometimes the water can be quite rough and it's essential to get back onto the zodiac as quickly as possible, to help the expedition team who are trying to hold the zodiac at the water's edge

It had been a great morning and we were heading for Grytviken for the afternoon. If the weather held that would be fantastic to see Grytviken in the sunshine.