Awoke to calm seas yet overcast skies. The lecture schedule continued, including tours of the ship’s bridge where we learned about the inner workings of our ship. Peter and Karin conducted IAATO briefings concerning our conduct on shore. We also learned about our life vests and how to properly embark into and out of the Polar Cirkle boats.
Chinstrap penguins swimming in the water welcomed us as we arrived at our first landing of the trip, Deception Island. The Captain steered our ship through the narrow opening called Neptune’s Bellows and dropped anchor in the caldera of this still active volcano.
We landed on the black volcanic sand beach. Some passengers elected to explore the ruins of the old whaling station and British base while others chose to climb a hill and marvel at the surrounding landscape. Some brave (or crazy?) people accepted the challenge for a quick swim at the landing site. All told, it was a fun first landing of our cruise.
