After Barrientos

30 January 2014

it was time to find a place for the night and with the strong cold wind from the east we decided that Yankee Harbour would be the best choice. This is a beautiful sheltered bay with a small entrance and once you sailed in you have more space. At around 5:30PM we dropped two anchors and we had an afternoon drink and dinner. After dinner a few diehards went with the dinghy to shore. After about an hour they returned to warm themselves with a cup of hot tea. At 4AM the wind decreased and we lifted the anchors to depart. We could even set the lower topsail and fore staysail and headed for Hannah Point. There we made a nice walk to the Gentoo penguins and Macaroni penguins.
At night we walked at Walker Bay to watch the fossils. Luckily the wind was completely gone so this is really good for Deception Island. Therefore we heaved anchor at 2AM and set course to this (for us) infamous vulcano. The weather was good when we entered Neptunes Bellow’s. It is an exciting feeling to sail into a volcano! We anchored at Pendulum Cove and most of us put on their bathing suit for a swim in the warm volcanic water. But when you get out, you better put on some clothes as fast as you can!
After the swim we sailed further to Telefon Bay. There we had a nice walk up the hill to make some photos. But the day wasn’t over yet, as soon as everyone was on board again we sailed to Whaler’s Bay. This is an old whaler station near to the entrance of the crater (Neptune’s Bellows). We stretched our legs again after dinner and visited this place before it was time to go to bed.
At midnight we departed from Deception Island and we set sail for Trinity Island. Here a lot of icebergs hit the ground and this makes for a great landscape and there is a chance to spot Leopard seals here, but more about this tommorrow.