John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
Approaching Deception Island on a misty morning. This is looking through "Neptune's Window" just before turning into the caldera through "Neptune's Bellows" from the outside.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
The eastern side of Neptune's Bellows, a narrow gap in the caldera that serves as a nautical entrance (so named because of the tremendous winds that are sometimes funneled through it).
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
Almost through Neptune's Bellows and looking into Whaler's Bay.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
The edge of the caldera wall from inside Whaler's Bay, a small bay immediately inside the east edge of the caldera entrance used, as the name implies, as a whaling station back when whaling was allowed.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
The black sand beach at the east end of Whaler's Bay, the slopes of the caldera wall in the background.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
The black sand beach of Whaler's Bay. Note what looks like steam; that's what it is. This is, after all, still an active volcano, last erupting in 1970.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
Neptune's Window from Whaler's Bay just inside the caldera.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
Remnants of the whaling station to the left of the previous picture.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
Looking the opposite direction (south) along the beach to the caldera wall surrounding Whaler's Bay, the eastern margin of the entrance to the caldera.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
After walking south to the end of the beach, we cut up-slope to the east to Neptune's Window. This and the next two photos are looking through Neptune's Window, here the left side (east).
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
This is the right (western) side of Neptune's Window
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
The eastern side with a broader view out to sea.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
Seemingly confused chinstrap penguins not sure which way to go. It's almost impossible to look at penguins without laughing, or at least smiling, and wondering, in an anthropomorphic way, what they're thinking!
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
A chinstrap penguin surveying the lay of the land (and water)
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
A chinstrap penguin on its way out (or at least thinking about it).
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
Penguins swim under water using their wings and feet. They also swim sort of duck-like.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
Chinstrap penguin returning to the beach.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
A Weddell seal at the southern end of the black sand beach. They are closely related to leopard and crabeater seals.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
A Weddell seal.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
A leopard seal, based on the spots and relatively longer flippers.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
The southwest caldera wall to the left of the entrance through Neptune's Bellows. There may be a lake inside what looks like a crater.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
The southwest caldera wall to the left of the entrance through Neptune's Bellows.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
Slopes of the southwest caldera wall.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
The southwest caldera wall looking across the caldera from Whaler's Bay.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
The mid-southwest caldera wall looking across the caldera from Whaler's Bay.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
The northwest caldera wall looking across the caldera from Whaler's Bay.
John and Carol Stull
Photo Date: 
12/28/2018
Looking out of Neptune's Bellows as we head out of the caldera.