Deception Island part1

Dawnbreaker
Lars Alfredson
Sat 21 Jan 2012 00:31
Pos 62:58.82S 60:33.45W Whalers Harbour, Deception Island



Starting with Urban followed by Bob



Hej !



Vaknar till att Peter kommer in och väcker mig och Lars. Vi draggar, ankarlarmet piper. Lars går upp. Det som hänt är att vinden vänt. Lars kommer in och ställer frågan. Det är rätt vind för att gå till Deception Island. Ok , då lättar vi ankare och seglar iväg. Upp med ankaret. När jag står där tittar jag på klockan. Vad har Peter ställt till med? Klockan är runt 6. Men det är inte helt fel. Det är ca 90 nm till Deception Island.

Hissar segel och vi gör god fart. Snabba beslut sker en gång till. Nu startar två timmars vakt. Vinden dalar till inget under några timmar. Vinden kommer och vi loggar 9 knopp i snitt. Vattnet mellan Deception Island och Murry Harbor heter Bransfield Strait. När vi har två timmar kvar kommer Ton Ton upp. Vill ni ha lunch får ni ett val. Reva och ni får lunch. De var inget svårt val. Två rev och rullar in genua 2 till hälften. Vad gör man inte för att få mat. Senare dyker kocken upp med soppa och smörgåsar.

Infarten till Deception Island sker genom en liten infart som heter Neptunes Bellows. Infarten är ungefär 200 meter bred.. Mitt i sundet ligger det förrädiska grundet Ravn Rock, täckt med bara ett par meter vatten. Väl inne i kratern är det 5 nm till Telefon Bay som är dagens ankringsplats. Bredaste stället i kratern är 3.5 nm. Med hjälp av en ritad karta hittar vi in till en lugn liten krater vik. Det är sent så det blir middag och i säng i tid. Här lär varken vind eller isbitar störa nattsömnen. Sista vulkanutbrotten i mindre skala har skett på 1990 talet. Man får ju hoppas att det inte sker där vi befinner oss just nu. Men det är ju klart att om vattnet blev 25+ skulle man ju kunna ta ett morgonbad.



Varma hälsningar Urban





18012011 Murray Island



Its not far to go so we start at a reasonable hour. A light snow is falling and as we head out into wind its bitterly cold.



Capitulating to the cold I've added long-johns to ski-socks, T-shirt, Fleece Shirt, Fleece lined Jacket, and waterproof outer jacket. With of course a neck warmer, Balaclava, Ear muff Hat and the Jacket hood with Thermal socks. Needless to say it takes a little time to get kitted up in the morning and when you to this the time it takes to stuff you now elephantine size let into your wellies after you put your waterproof trousers on.



For a real laugh try doing this with the yacht canted at 25 degrees and add a bouncy wave or two. Then for good measure put one leg in your wellies and the waterproof trouser around you knees. Don't ask about going to the loo!



With the snow the cloud base was very low chopping off the mountains at 500feet making it like driving through a fluorescent lit tunnel of erie gloom as we make our way through the Graham Passage.



We arrive at the bay to find and iceberg blocking our passage so we continue around island sneaking in the back way. There are several very large bergs grounded inside and at the on other entrance sit a great aircraft shaped one threatening to attack us come high tide.



Feeling our way around with all eyes on the depth sound which sudden shoots from 40metres to 5metres we try a different spot. There is very little exposed rock to tie our extra lines and we need a depth of less than 20 metres as we only have 90 metres of chain. Woolies mean you let out more chain because of their unpredictable force and set stern lines, our max is around 120 metres each.



Finally, safely moored we have the Anchordram to restore the circulation and settle down for a night with Mexican train.



Bob the Blog



19012012 Early Risers



The rattling of the anchor chain, general noise on deck and a visit from the skipper as he sneaks into my cabin (To get to the engine room) wake me into action. As you will now appreciate this takes a little time.



Up on deck we cast off and take in the stern lines, weighing the anchor. During the night with the rising tide, the berg have been on the move and the great aircraft carried has split and is bearing down us.



Feeling our way out of these uncharted water (Darrell's sketches come in very handy), decide as its so early, we'll run for Deception Island This is massive active volcano with its 10 kilometre crater open to the sea via "Neptune's Bellows".



Oh did I mention early? Once the excitement was over, a discussion ensued about Peter's anchor watch and how he'd woken Lars at five am. Lars, now up decides we might as well get an early start. I look at my watch its 6:30 and we've been on deck nearly an hour !!!



He and I (I'm already in shock so theirs no point in going back to my bunk especially in view of the effort taken to kit up) take the watch.

At 08:30, suitably frozen with the wind dropping and seas rising as we leave the shelter of the islands we call for Peter and Thomas (Who slept through the whole episode) to take over. Peter has to be prised out of my bunk that he jumped into when we went on a port tack and fell off his settee berth.



While were getting our well earned rest, the wind dropped to zero, then before we surfaced, it pick up, driving us along well heeled at 11knots in 35 knots of wind. As the wind increased we take in a reef and half the Jib and we're still doing 10 plus



Deception island is the most incredible sight as we run along part of the rim to make entrance through "Neptune's Bellows" which as we find out is most aptly named as the wind funnels through this small gap into the crater.



The smell of penguins hits us and we see the colony on the cliffs forming the entrance. Once through it's a very odd mix of the volcanic heights part cover in snow.



The bay is enormous with many coves and anchorages, an old whaling station, with its rusting tanks and boilers and several countries base stations. As we enter the bay a cruise ship is anchored at the old whaling station and we can see the orange clad "Penguins" wandering amongst its ruins until we their radio calling them back aboard.



We're heading for "Telephone Bay" at the far side of the volcanos sea. As we approach another yacht the "Santa Maria Australis" with 10 passengers is anchored in one of the three connected coves that make up this bay.



We ease our way into the small inner one surrounded by ash hills with embedded ice fringed with black sand beaches. Finally tethered, we feed the full force of the woollies which continue through the night, trying their best to wrench us from our mooring.



The scenery is absolutely amazing so tomorrow we off exploring



Bob the Blog





19012012 Early Risers



The rattling of the anchor chain, general noise on deck and a visit from the skipper as he sneaks into my cabin (To get to the engine room) wake me into action. As you will now appreciate this takes a little time.



Up on deck we cast off and take in the stern lines, weighing the anchor. During the night with the rising tide, the berg have been on the move and the great aircraft carried has split and is bearing down us.



Feeling our way out of these uncharted water (Darrell's sketches come in very handy), decide as its so early, we'll run for Deception Island This is massive active volcano with its 10 kilometre crater open to the sea via "Neptune's Bellows".



Oh did I mention early? Once the excitement was over, a discussion ensued about Peter's anchor watch and how he'd woken Lars at five am. Lars, now up decides we might as well get an early start. I look at my watch its 6:30 and we've been on deck nearly an hour !!!



He and I (I'm already in shock so theirs no point in going back to my bunk especially in view of the effort taken to kit up) take the watch.

At 08:30, suitably frozen with the wind dropping and seas rising as we leave the shelter of the islands we call for Peter and Thomas (Who slept through the whole episode) to take over. Peter has to be prised out of my bunk that he jumped into when we went on a port tack and fell off his settee berth.



While were getting our well earned rest, the wind dropped to zero, then before we surfaced, it pick up, driving us along well heeled at 11knots in 35 knots of wind. As the wind increased we take in a reef and half the Jib and we're still doing 10 plus



Deception island is the most incredible sight as we run along part of the rim to make entrance through "Neptune's Bellows" which as we find out is most aptly named as the wind funnels through this small gap into the crater.



The smell of penguins hits us and we see the colony on the cliffs forming the entrance. Once through it's a very odd mix of the volcanic heights part cover in snow.



The bay is enormous with many coves and anchorages, an old whaling station, with its rusting tanks and boilers and several countries base stations. As we enter the bay a cruise ship is anchored at the old whaling station and we can see the orange clad "Penguins" wandering amongst its ruins until we their radio calling them back aboard.



We're heading for "Telephone Bay" at the far side of the volcanos sea. As we approach another yacht the "Santa Maria Australis" with 10 passengers is anchored in one of the three connected coves that make up this bay.



We ease our way into the small inner one surrounded by ash hills with embedded ice fringed with black sand beaches. Finally tethered, we feed the full force of the woollies which continue through the night, trying their best to wrench us from our mooring.



The scenery is absolutely amazing so tomorrow we off exploring



Bob the Blog