Deception Island & Polar Plunge
One word: Volcano.
It’s surprising, but Antarctica has active volcanoes, and Deception Island is one such volcano. Instead of the usual snow covering, the island is covered in volcanic ash. It is populated by a few hot springs pools. A lot of seals are here too – crabeater seals. Although named such, crabeater seals don’t really eat crabs, funny enough. The seals came really close to the Zodiac. One was just a meter away from me!
Legend has it that Neptune’s Window, an arc of islands, was the first place the explorers saw the Antarctica continent. After hiking to where the volcano last erupted, we made it to the shore and did a Polar Plunge! With bare feet, we skittered and submerged ourselves in the ice-cold water. It was great fun, although it sometimes felt like cold water needles across the body. The best thing was seeing penguins swimming right next to us.
Return, Cape Horn & Beagle Channel
Before we knew it, it was time to return.
People were all on the decks as we parted from the Antarctic shore trying to gather thoughts and take in all that had happened the past week. As we withdrew from this magical place at the world’s edge, I couldn’t help but think I must bring back something. Seeing Deception Island and the whaling industry’s leftovers juxtaposed with the wonders of Antarctica, I wanted to instil in people a sense of protective love for nature and a desire to preserve it all for the next generation. Slowing sailing away with the memories of all that happened, I promised to return someday again. That day the skies were clear, echoing a saying I once heard: “If you leave Antarctica and it’s good weather, that means the place will welcome you back.”
The People
At Antarctica, we witnessed the gathering of many people, many different cultural backgrounds, beliefs, agendas, and life experiences, for the shared purpose of inspiring the next generation to esteem and preserve nature’s treasure, challenging the young to learn from man’s past mistakes and aim for a better future. Like a flag, Antarctica proved to be the rallying point for our efforts to usher in a better world. People across governments, academia, private sectors, and schools are breaching the usual divisions of life to exchange ideas and inspire one another to act locally.
We will forever share a bond with the 180 people on this trip with us. And to know that there are such amazing people around the world who are pushing for a better world inspires us to do better every day. Finally, a big thanks to sir Robert Swan for making all this happen. The spark of one person once shared can truly inspire change. This is why we at 2041 Hong Kong will strive to share and teach as much as possible, so others may too someday carry this spark.
