Day 13 – Deception Island & Leaving Antarctica
This morning we reached the South Shetland Islands – more precisely “Deception Island”. The island is the summit of an active volcano rising about 1,500 meters from the seafloor. The last eruption occurred in 1970.
During our – unfortunately last – landing, we also saw the remains of an old whaling station. From 1912 to 1931, the southernmost whale oil processing station in the world was located here. Even today, you can still see tanks, reactors, and old buildings.
After that, we explored one of the peaks and were also able to spot some of the last penguins.
Around 11:00 AM, we finally set off again towards the Drake Passage – and yes, we are almost looking forward to the rough waves and rocking again 😅
A summary of our total seven expeditions will follow soon, as well as an overview of the entire organization.
A quick note about the organization: everything is extremely well organized. The scientists on board put a lot of effort into sharing their knowledge and passion with us. At the same time, they ensure 100% that the environment and wildlife are protected and that we always keep a safe distance from the animals.
Before every operation, the Expedition Chief carefully evaluates the situation before we head out with the Zodiacs or go ashore.