Cruise to South Shetland and Deception Island

March 8th, 2005 

The cruise in Antarctica continues to South Shetland island group, and precisely, at Deception Island. Here the landscape is completely different than the previous days in Antarctica, with less ice and dark volcanic formations. The excursion to Deception Island begins disembarking at Whaler's Bay, a ghost Norwegian whaling station that was active until it did become uneconomical, and before a disruptive volcanic eruption that has partially buried or destroyed most of the buildings. Today it's still possible to visit the whaling station's ruins and take a nice hike all around. For the most braves, there is also an opportunity to have a swim in the hot waters along the beach (have you ever considered to bring your swimsuit during a cruise to Antarctica?)

Deception Island - having a bath
Deception island, on the South Shetland archipelago, is an active volcanic island. The fog on the beach is formed by evaporating water, because of the warm ground. Someone is trying to have a bath in the warm waters along the beach. It's really strange to travel to Antarctica, with a swimming suit in the luggage!
Norwegian whaling station Deception Island - South Shetland
Deception Island - South Shetland Abandoned whaling station
Whaling station in Atarctica Deception Island - Antarctica
Pictures of Deception Island and Whaler's Bay ghost town. Some ruins of the norwegian whaling station, where thousands of whales from Antarctica were processed to extract the oil.
South Shetland islands Abandoned base in Antarctica
Deception Island - South Shetland Abandoned base in Antarctica
Abandoned town in Antarctica - Deception Island
More photos of Whaler's Bay ghost village. Other buildings from the Norwegian Whaling base on Deception Island in Antarctica (formely, part of South Shetland islands). Everything was abandoned because economically not convenient and before a disruptive volcanic eruption. It really looks an abandoned town from an horror movie!
Fur seals
Cruise Ship at Deception Island Deception Island - Antarctica
Fur seals Fur seals
Pictures of fur seals now living freely on Deception Island, the same place where during the last century, thousands of whales where killed and processed to extract whale oil.



An hangar on Deception Island.
Whaling station on Deception Island Whaling station on Deception Island
More pictures of Whaler's Bay and the buildings damaged by eruptions and time.
Gentoo penguins Whaling station in Antarctica
Whaler's cemetery


Gentoo penguins, a frozen river and a small whaler's cemetery.
Deception Island South Shetland islands
Photos of Deception island and its volcanic landscape. I climb an hill for a view of Deception Island from the top. The ground has different colors and is made by pumice and other volcanic stones. A very unusual lascape for Antarctica!
Deception island South Shetland
Elephant seals
A group of Elephant seals are resting on a volcanic beach below a deep cliff.
Elephant seals
Lichen Lichen
Lichen growing on the rocks.
Deception Island - Antarctica Deception Island - Antarctica
Still other Fur seals resting between the ruins of Whaler's Bay.
Whales Whales
After the excursion to Deception Island and Whaler's Bay, the cruise to Antarctica resumes for the next destination, a lot of whales can be observed from the bridge in this channel separating Antarctica from the South Shetland islands (March is the best month of the year for whale watching in Antarctica).

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