Antarctic Islands- Deception Island

[Isotope]

Here are some pics and galleries from Antarctica. I was conducting some penguin research and collecting snow samples for a climate study on the National Geographic Explorer.

Deception Island is an island in South Shetland off the Antarctic Peninsula, which has one of the safest harbours in Antarctica. The island is the caldera of an active volcano, which caused serious damage to the local scientific stations in 1967 and 1969. The island previously held a whaling station; it is now a tourist destination and scientific outpost, with research bases being run by Argentina and Spain. Various countries have previously asserted sovereignty, but it is now administered under the Antarctic Treaty System. You enter the caldera through Neptune's Bellows.



Passing through Neptune's Bellows in a brisk 90mph breeze. It was blowing so hard that you had to turn your back to the wind to talk.










Some lost Gentoo Penguins


Skua's and an old whaling boat


National Geographic videographer Jim getting some action video


Jim and Mike at work
















Whaling wreckage damaged by an eruption in the 1960s


Blubber boilers



















Full gallery at this link, let me know what you think...
http://williampaulpatterson.smugmug....0325&k=527vq2R

[99Bandit]

Wow! That makes me cold just looking at your pictures. When was this trip? Awesome pictures.

[Isotope]

Originally Posted by 99Bandit

Wow! That makes me cold just looking at your pictures. When was this trip? Awesome pictures.

Thanks, we actually went swimming that day, the water was -1.5°C, about 30°F...feels a LOT colder than ice water, and the 90mph wind didn't help. Shouldn't have worn shorts to the island either?!?

[Skowinski]

Great pics, thanks for taking us there. Good to see someone doing work like that. I recently returned from Kenya, never thought about posting pics of the office!





Sorry, not trying to hijack...

[Isotope]

Originally Posted by Skowinski

Great pics, thanks for taking us there. Good to see someone doing work like that. I recently returned from Kenya, never thought about posting pics of the office!





Sorry, not trying to hijack...

No worries, Kenya looks great! Have to get there sometime soon!

[Daz-o-matic]

Amazing images - both of you. Cheers!

Isotope - I grew up in SK (Coleville; just north of Kindersley). Where ya from?

- Darren

[Isotope]

Originally Posted by Daz-o-matic

Amazing images - both of you. Cheers!

Isotope - I grew up in SK (Coleville; just north of Kindersley). Where ya from?

- Darren

I'm from Youngstown Ohio, the murder capital of the USA for most of the 80s and part of the 90s. Moved to Canada in 2002. It's less trouble here...

[MrBob]

Thanks for sharing. It's refreshing to see photos of howling winds and freezing temps while were having weeks of 95 degree weather in Colorado. I was impressed with how close to shore your vessel was moored.
Don't blame you for moving to Canada.

[Isotope]

Originally Posted by MrBob

Thanks for sharing. It's refreshing to see photos of howling winds and freezing temps while were having weeks of 95 degree weather in Colorado. I was impressed with how close to shore your vessel was moored.
Don't blame you for moving to Canada.

Thanks, I rode through Colorado this summer on my way back north from my Rt 66 ride...well, more like clipped Colorado. Next year I hope to spend more time there.

[squonker]

Very cool Isoptope! Did you run into Katherine Snell, a penguin biologist for the British Antarctic Survey while you were down there?

[Isotope]

Originally Posted by squonker

Very cool Isoptope! Did you run into Katherine Snell, a penguin biologist for the British Antarctic Survey while you were down there?

I don't know Katherine, she might have been based at McMurdo or one of the other research stations. I was mobile on the ship, though we stopped by 4 stations.

[blackx70]

Very cool. Thank you for the pictures.

[Skowinski]

Love the penguin pics! Amazing to see birds that went back to the sea, and they move through the water like fish!

"Here are some pics and galleries from Antarctica. I was conducting some penguin research and collecting snow samples for a climate study on the National Geographic Explorer."

Stable isotopes, oxygen? Are these ice cores?

[Isotope]

Originally Posted by Skowinski

Love the penguin pics! Amazing to see birds that went back to the sea, and they move through the water like fish!

"Here are some pics and galleries from Antarctica. I was conducting some penguin research and collecting snow samples for a climate study on the National Geographic Explorer."

Stable isotopes, oxygen? Are these ice cores?

We measure oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen isotopes in the eggshell carbonate and membranes. We also measure hydrogen isotopes in the feathers. The eggshells we find are as old as 44,000 years. The snow samples are collected for oxygen and hydrogen isotopes to track modern storms.