Page 353 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

Case Study 19

Deception Island

Hot Times on a Chilly Continent

Ted Brattstrom visitors aboard IAATO (International Association
of Antarctic Tour Operators) vessels landed.
Introduction Between 2200 and 5000 of them landed at
Pendulum Cove (IAATO, 2008).
Located 110km north of the Antarctic Peninsula
and 860km south-south-east of Cape Horn,
South America, Deception Island is part of the A visit to Pendulum Cove
South Shetland Islands group and one of only two The typical ‘swimming in Antarctica’ activity
active volcanoes in Antarctica (Antarctic Treaty begins with the expedition ship mooring in Port
Signatories, 2005). Deception’s drowned caldera Foster. Visitors board zodiacs and are tendered to
gives the island a roughly doughnut shaped the thermally active area of Pendulum Cove.
appearance. The secret kept by the forbidding Non-swimmers visit the former Chilean base. As
coastline is what gave Deception Island its name. water temperatures vary, expedition guides
If a captain navigated his ship to the proper carefully assess the beach area to determine the
position on the south-east side of the island and place with proper water temperature that day.
braved the narrow channel known as Neptune’s When found, the swimmers switch from their
Bellows, he would enter the large calm bay in the Antarctic gear to regular swimsuits, an exciting
o
island’s centre called Port Foster, a welcome respite proposition when the air temperature may be 0 C
from the fierce weather of the Furious Fifties.
Between 1967 and 1970 a series of volcanic
eruptions occurred within Port Foster, on the
right side of the bay known as Pendulum Cove.
These eruptions destroyed the nearby Chilean
research station and created a hydrothermal area
within the Cove’s shallow waters with temperatures
occasionally exceeding 70°C (Antarctic Treaty
Signatories, 2005). The unique opportunity to
‘swim in Antarctica’ quickly turned into a must do
tourist activity and photo opportunity. Today,
Deception Island is one of the most visited
destinations along the Antarctic voyaging route
and visitor numbers are increasing. During the Figure CS19.1 Volcanic hot springs rising through the
2004–05 voyaging season, about 12,000 visitors sand make for a memorable experience on the Antarctic
arrived on the island. Three years later, 25,668 Island of Deception Bay

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