Frozen Toes What is it that you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

     We sail through Neptune´s Bellows..the inlet leading to Desolation Island...a collapsed volcanic cone (it last erupted in 1969) that is a natural harbor.  Excitement fills the air at lunch as we anticipate our swim in the Antarctic waters!  We grab swimsuits, towels and board zodiacs before heading for steam on the black beach.  3 penguins greet us as we land.  I thought this would be a hot pool removed from the main body of water, but it is actually a part of the bay that hidden vents of this volcano have been heating for years.  We get to the beach, strip down to our suits and apprehensively, yet quickly lie down.  I dig myself a hole to nestle my body into so I´m closer to the heat (this is the coldest part).  It is actually quite warm being nestled in the sand, although every once in a while, cold water direct from the Drake Passage quickly sneaks up from behind and I frantically dig deeper.  The Germans have brought a bottle of champagne and a glass is passed down as we all lie on our bellies in a line, heads facing the beach and call out like a bunch of seals in the sand!