Created 16-May-07
Modified 26-Aug-07
Entrance to Whaler's Bay is Neptune's Bellows. Our ship had 200 metres (330 feet) with which to navigate. This is where our sister ship the M.S. Nordkapp hit a rock and tore a hole in her hull.
Whaler's Bay was home to factory whaling ships as early as 1905. A shore station named Hektor was set up in 1912 to process the meat and bones left behind by the ships. The station closed in 1931.
Visitors land on Deception Island where they are given the opportunity to take a dip in the 2 deg C/36 deg F water. A certificate is given to all the brave dippers. The ship's crew digs a hole and fills it with water for a spa. In a few moments, the heat from the black volcanic rock on the shore heats the water to a pleasant temperature. Those with cold feet need only dig their boots into the sand to warm them from the heat escaping from subterranean volcanic vents. The island's sloping snow-covered walls, which reach 580 m, tower above the beach.
© Alice Coyl
