Whalers Bay | Deception Island: Antarctica's whaling past

On the morning of February26th we woke to a sunny day and the ship approaching an island with vastly different features than continental Antarctica. We were entering the mouth of a circular bay surrounded by exposed rocky craggy mountains and anchored to black sand beaches. On the shore stood historic looking buildings, what appears to be an old airplane hangar as well as rust colored tanks, worn by many years of Antarctic storms. This was a shock to the eyes after experiencing a week of shades of white, blue and grey. This landscape introduced reds, rusts, brown, black and tufts of small green patches. Our expedition leader came over the intercom announcing our arrival at Deception Island, more precisely: Fort Foster and Whalers bay. 
 Whaler's Bay's unique horseshoe configuration provided a natural shelter, making it an attractive anchorage for explorers of old and, unfortunately, whalers during the early 20th century. The island's rugged terrain, geothermal activity, and hauntingly beautiful landscapes create a setting that resonates with tales of exploration and exploitation. This shore landing had the promise of more extensive and strenuous hiking than we had done in over a week, mixed with lots of remnants of human history. We were incredibly excited to get ashore, stretch our legs and explore.

In the early 20th century, Deception Island became a hub for the whaling industry, drawing numerous vessels seeking shelter in its protected waters. The sheltered bay offered a convenient location for processing whale blubber and extracting valuable whale oil. The remnants of the whaling infrastructure, including rusting boilers and decaying buildings, still stand as eerie monuments to a time when the exploitation of marine life was a profitable venture. In addition to whaling, Fort Foster harkens back to the same Mission that established Port Lockroy. Deception Island served as a critical base for the British Mission Tabarin, playing a pivotal role in safeguarding the southern seas against potential threats during the war. Fort Foster Happens to be the Base B counterpart to Lockroy's "Base A."

As the whaling industry declined and scientific exploration took center stage, the remnants of Whalers Bay became a testament to the ecological impact of human activity. In recent years, conservation and preservation efforts have been underway to protect the historic sites on Deception Island, including Whalers Bay. The Antarctic Treaty System, established in 1959, prohibits military activity and nuclear testing in the region, emphasizing the commitment to peaceful scientific cooperation and the preservation of this delicate ecosystem.

As we walked among the whale oil tanks and machinery left behind from the whaling days, we could feel the enormity of the bustling industry at the time. Many humpbacks and blue whales were brought here for processing, an expert could process a blue whale in under 45 minutes. The oil was utilized for heating, lighting, even cosmetics and the industry was lucrative. The remains of these industrial structures are now maintained by the Antarctic Heritage Trust, but they are haunting in their state of disrepair and unsettling after days of no indication humans had ever touched this continent. 

After exploring the ghostly buildings, Taylor and I made our way to the other end of the bay to hike up one of the peaks. The walk across the beach turned quickly into a game of keep away as fur seals dotted the shoreline, eager to bark at us until we were sufficiently out of their line of sight. The hike up the peak brought us a panoramic view of the harbor and the shore below. Stunning on this rare sunny day. A detour down the side of the hill lead us to a break in the surrounding ledge that insulates the bay. This indent in the ridgeline is known as Neptune's Bellows due to the pervasive howling wind that funnels  through this narrow gap in the protective range. Looking through the bellows, we observed open ocean and whitecap waves awaiting our exit from the harbor. Far below, on a small black sand beach, a few chinstrap penguins appeared to be contemplating their next move.

After a good two hours of stretching our legs and exploring the bay, our expedition team called us back to the zodiacs for our final ride to the ship. From here, we would be entering stormy seas and what was shaping up to be a fairly rowdy Drake Shake for our return journey. Deception Island provided us a wonderful Antarctic farewell. As the Sea Spirit sailed quietly back out of the harbor into open ocean, the winds picked up and the ship began to sway. As we waved goodbye to the last bits of land we would see for two days, the Drake Shake was already kicking in, one final adventure for our group of intrepid explorers.