History Deception Island

1829 map

the first authenticated sighting of deception island british sealers william smith , edward bransfield brig williams in january 1820; first visited , explored american sealer nathaniel palmer on sloop hero following summer, on 15 november 1820. remained 2 days, exploring central bay.

palmer named deception island on account of outward deceptive appearance normal island, when neptune s bellows revealed rather ring around flooded caldera.

whaling , sealing

over next few years, deception became focal point of short-lived fur sealing industry in south shetlands; industry had begun handful of ships in 1819–20 summer season, rising hundred in 1821–22. while island did not have large seal population, perfect natural harbour, free ice , winds, , convenient rendezvous point. men lived ashore in tents or shacks short periods during summer, though no archaeological or documentary evidence survives confirm this. massive overhunting meant fur seals became extinct in south shetlands within few years, , sealing industry collapsed had begun; around 1825 deception again abandoned.

in 1829, british naval expedition south atlantic under command of captain henry foster in hms chanticleer stopped @ deception. expedition conducted topographic survey , scientific experiments, particularly pendulum , magnetic observations. watercolour made lieutenant kendall of chanticleer during visit may first image made of island. subsequent visit american elephant-sealer ohio in 1842 reported first recorded volcanic activity, southern shore in flames .

the second phase of human activity @ deception began in twentieth century. in 1904, active whaling industry established @ south georgia, taking advantage of new technology , untouched population of whales make rapid profits. spread south south shetland islands, lack of shore-based infrastructure meant whales had towed moored factory ships processing; these needed sheltered anchorage , plentiful supply of fresh water, both of found @ deception. in 1906, norwegian-chilean whaling company sociedad ballenera de magallanes started using whalers bay base single ship, gobernador bories.

other whalers followed, several hundred men resident @ deception during antarctic summers , many thirteen ships operating in peak years. in 1908, british government formally declared island part of falkland islands dependencies , under british control, establishing postal services appointing magistrate , customs officer island. magistrate ensure whaling companies paying appropriate licence fees falklands government ensuring catch quotas adhered to. cemetery built in 1908, radio station in 1912, hand operated railway in 1912, , small permanent magistrate s house in 1914. cemetery, far largest in antarctica, held graves 35 men along memorial 10 more presumed drowned. these not constructions; factory ships of period able strip blubber whales , not use carcasses, permanent on-shore station established norwegian company hvalfangerselskabet hektor a/s in 1912 – estimated 40% of available oil being wasted ship-based system. successful shore-based industry ever operate in antarctica, reaping high profits in first years. number of exploring expeditions visited deception during these years, including wilkins-hearst expedition of 1928, when lockheed vega flown beach airstrip on first successful flights in antarctica.

the development of pelagic whaling in 1920s, factory ships fitted slipway tow aboard entire whales processing, meant whaling companies no longer tied sheltered anchorages. boom in pelagic antarctic whaling followed, companies free ignore quotas , escape costs of licences. rapidly led overproduction of oil , collapse in market, , less profitable , more heavily regulated shore-based companies had trouble competing. in 1931, hektor factory ceased operation, ending commercial whaling @ island entirely.

scientific research

deception remained uninhabited decade revisited in 1941 british auxiliary warship hms queen of bermuda, destroyed oil tanks , remaining supplies in order ensure not used german supply base. in 1942, argentinean party aboard primero de mayo visited , left signs , painted flags declaring site argentinean territory; following year, british party hms carnarvon castle returned remove signs. island reoccupied in 1944 party of men operation tabarin, british expedition, established permanent scientific base named station b. occupied until 5 december 1967, when eruption forced temporary withdrawal. used again between 4 december 1968 , 23 february 1969, when further volcanic activity caused abandoned.

in 1955, chile inaugurated station pedro aguirre cerda @ pendulum cove, refuge site @ gutierrez vargas (es), increase chilean presence in sector claimed nation. same year, falkland islands , dependencies aerial survey expedition established @ deception survey antarctic peninsula, operating aircraft hunting aerosurveys ltd.

in 1961, argentina s president arturo frondizi visited island show country s interest. regular visits made other countries operating in antarctic, including 1964 visit of coast guard icebreaker eastwind, ran aground inside harbour.

however, volcano returned activity in late 1960s, destroying existing scientific stations. both british , chilean stations demolished, , island abandoned several years. final major eruption reported russian bellingshausen station on king george island , chilean station arturo pratt on greenwich island; both stations experienced major falls of ash on 13 august 1970.

argentine base decepción (2016)

in 2000, there 2 summer-only scientific stations, spanish gabriel de castilla base , argentinian decepción station.

remains of previous structures @ whalers bay include rusting boilers , tanks, aircraft hangar , british scientific station house (biscoe house), middle torn out 1969 mudflows. bright-orange derelict airplane fuselage, of de havilland canada dhc-3 otter belonged royal air force, recovered in 2004. there plans restore airplane , return island.

the russian cruise ship mv lyubov orlova ran aground @ deception island on 27 november 2006. towed off spanish navy icebreaker, las palmas , later became ghost ship in north atlantic.