Antarctica - Part 3

Deception Island is deceptive. From the north side it looks like a big, mountainous, ice-covered mountain. From the other side one discovers it's hollow ... a blown out Volcano.

Deception Island from the north side ... is cold and uninviting. Ice flows come down to the ocean. There is no wildlife to be seen on the shore ... nor much shore, due to the ice. The Rotterdam cruised around the east side, heading to the south side ... ... and as we sailed we noticed that the Ice was thinning, revealing ... ... exposed ... ... rock. Frozen waterfalls are visible along the south eastern cliffs of the Island. Strange rock formations, tell-tell signs of traumatic events, are clearly seen. Something explosive has blown away the ice and snow at some point ... ... all the way down to the water line, rock is free of millennia of ice. Ah, yes ... there are Penguins on the shore line! Ice and snow drifts are re-forming, but the beach is mostly clear. The dark sand/rock is ... yes ... Volcanic! There are LOTS of Penguins on Deception Island. Looking up to the top, once can see that this is a tall volcano. Mt. Pond is, indeed, an active Volcano. Eruptions have cleared ice and snow off the south-side of the Island. And made a place for Penguins to nest! Lots and LOTS of Penguins. Huge rocks -- volcanic cores -- sit out in the waters. As the sun comes out, the ship rounds the last corner and ... ... the true nature of the Island becomes visible. Yes, the Island is hollow. It's center is a blown out caldera formed in a huge After the massive explosion, which blew out the south side of the volcano ... ... water flowed in creating a Neptune's Bellows and Whalers' Bay. Leaving Deception Island, the Rotterdam sails south town the Antarctic mainland. It's after midnight ... and still it's light outside. Even though it's overcast, one can see sunlight on the horizon ... at 12:15 am. Looking off the aft Lido deck ... at 12:30 am. True light.