Deception Island - the final Day in Antarctica with Swan Hellenic
By Cruising With Honey - 18:02
Telefon Bay, Deception Island Antarctica - Swan Hellenic
When I was about 10, my dad brought home this intriguing glass picture frame filled with coloured sand. It was on a swivel and the grains would slowly fall from the top of the frame to form intricate patterns. Once every grain settled, I would flip the frame and the process would start all over again. I was mesmerised by the swirling, mountainous scene that would form. Each flip of the frame would create a unique landscape, never to be repeated. I’d sit for hours admiring each design, knowing in a few minutes, a new world would be created.
Deception Island transported me right back to that moment. It was as if those landscapes created in two planes of glass had come to life in the most surreal and astonishing way.
When I was about 10, my dad brought home this intriguing glass picture frame filled with coloured sand. It was on a swivel and the grains would slowly fall from the top of the frame to form intricate patterns. Once every grain settled, I would flip the frame and the process would start all over again. I was mesmerised by the swirling, mountainous scene that would form. Each flip of the frame would create a unique landscape, never to be repeated. I’d sit for hours admiring each design, knowing in a few minutes, a new world would be created.
Deception Island transported me right back to that moment. It was as if those landscapes created in two planes of glass had come to life in the most surreal and astonishing way.
Deception Island
Cruising into Telefon Bay – our last landing on this voyage – hulking mountains of swirly black and white appeared. Barren of life yet exuding (dormant) volcanic power, Deception Island was intriguing and utterly beguiling.
Stepping on land, the otherworldliness was hard to absorb. Imagine a lunar landing but surrounded in water and almost pulsating with a deep energy.
I headed up the track marked by the expedition team, hoping to make it to the top of the hill - about a 5km trek - in about an hour. But my hike was impeded as I couldn’t walk for more than 3 mins without stopping to admire the beauty.
I had never seen anything like this before and I probably never will again. This was going to be a long walk and I was ready to take my time.
There would be no rushing today.
Up, up, up I walked up to meet Expedition Leader Carine who was standing at the summit. Despite the gale and the cold, her smile beamed as I huffed and puffed to her side.
Looking up and out, I lost all ability to describe the view. I'd have to create new words, as no superlative could do it justice.
Incredible, breathtaking, stunning, ethereal, awesome – all weak words.
From the high snow-capped peaks to the deep volcanic crevasse, I stood agog, scanning the vista over and over again.
I wanted to stand here as long as possible and etch every detail into my memory, for this was a moment in time that I knew would never be repeated.
Leaving Deception Island was the end of my Antarctic journey. Yes, there were two more days aboard Swan Hellenic Vega, but this was the last landing. It was a bittersweet moment, and I knew the overwhelming experience of the last week would take a long time to absorb.
Misty-eyed I watched Deception Island slowly shrink away. I knew that if I was lucky enough, I’d be retelling a captivating story one day to my grandchildren.
The story of a woman who sought adventure and travelled to the bottom of the world to discover the icy secrets of a foreign land, only to realise that she had in fact discovered herself.
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