Deception Island

Today we finally arrived in Antarctica! We first are in the south Shetland Islands. So beautiful, although it reminds me a lot of the top of Mauna Kea. The wind is fierce here. I have to bundle up so there is no exposed skin. We landed on Deception Island, which is actually and active volcano caldera that last erupted in 1969/70. Seemed pretty quiet today.

I saw my first penguin! It was a Gentoo penguin. He/she was alone on the beach looking a little lost. Sooo cute! We hiked to the top of a hill where you could get a pretty good view of the water-filled crater. There were also remnants of an old whaling community and research station. 

The Polar Plunge!
Because of the volcano, they said that the water was warmer and that we could go for a swim. Hahaha. I accused them that they only present this as a possibility to see how many stupid Americans would actually get in the water. It’s not like there was steam coming off the water to indicate that it is warmer than the outside air. So of course we had to do it. At the briefing they joked that they would have the defibrillator ready, and I was actually kind of nervous about that.  The worst part was stripping down to the swimsuit, with the wind. Oh my God. Ok that was fng cold. So I am one of the club, having survived my first Antarctic cruise hazing initiation. High five!

Deception Island Caldera with our ship.

Gentoo Penguin