Day 14 MS Roald Amundsen

Wow. What a day! We started ( at the sensible hour) of 7 :30 when we sailed through Neptune’s bellows, a narrow straight in to the caldron that is the centre of deception island. We all got ashore to wander around the desolate landscape of the, apparently active , volcano. Some of the water is over 60c.  There is a deserted Chilean base, which was destroyed in the 1969 eruption. We had to miss the delicate plant growth. 

Eventually the time arrived, an Antarctic swim. Only one of us was silly enough to try! The water was so cold it hurt! Funny enough once out, the air seemed quite warm, or was it late hypothermia🤷‍♀️. 

Back to the ship for lunch then a few education lectures on seals, ice, and the workings of the ship by the very dry first engineer. Then the conference talks. All this was of course interrupted many time for the whales sightings. Even the staff are excited by the number of whales. 

The temperature continues to fall, there is more ice floating around us and the hills have ever increasing snow cover. A very busy but enjoyable day. Tomorrow could be even better.