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Why
Deception Island
is special
 The horseshoe-shaped Deception Island sits just off the Antarctica Peninsula coast. The
bay in the middle of the island has an interesting harbor that has become a popular stop over
destination for Antarctica cruise ships.
Deception Island
tips & insights
The
land is a caldera, the remnants of a collapsed volcano. Characteristically, the middle portion of
the volcano sank, creating a depression while the remnants of the collapsed wall
formed a high barrier around the hollow.
The
volcano is still active. It last erupted several decades ago, destroying some
buildings, and forcing research scientists and military personnel to flee
Deception Island.
Subterranean
volcanic energy heats a few areas of the bay, particularly the one named
Pendulum Bay. Tourists don bathing suits and splash around in that bay while
their friends take their pictures (they know that being photographed in beach
attire in the Antarctica will be a conversation piece when they get back home).
Other
visitor activities include exploring the ruins of an old whaling station (the
once flourishing industry peaked around 1900), hiking up the caldera rim (great
views), and eyeballing the penguins (the environment teems with them).
Nature
created a narrow breach at one point of the rim. This let seawater flood the depression, creating a bay
spanning 9 kilometers (nearly 6 miles).
The
bay of Deception Island makes a natural harbor. The tall caldera rim blocks strong sea winds while
the narrow entrance allows ships to enter but keeps out Antarctica icebergs and rough seas.
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