Date of Entry: February 16th 2016
Date of Writing: March 29th 2016, Bla Hostel, El Calafate, Argentina.
Yesterday our group split in two the other half of us going sea kayaking while we explored enterprise island and got to try out tobogganing for the first time in many years. Today is the day I’ll get my first chance at sea kayaking in Antarctica. But first things first. It’s morning, everyone’s hungover and so I wake up and make some blueberry pancakes for breakfast, and I’m thrilled to find the tilt-able galley stove is actually ideal for making pancakes.
After breakfast the same first group heads out in the morning kayaking while the tobogganers from yesterday enjoy another zodiac ride out and around the bay. The weather is a bit better this time around which is good for everyone involved, though the ocean currents have surrounded our boat in ice which is interesting and makes navigating the kayaks out a little more difficult.
Once the kayakers are gone and the breakfast dishes are done we head out with Darrel in the Zodiac knowing that in the better weather we’ll be able to explore much further out into the open, searching for whales as well as penguins and seals just off of enterprise Island. We also get to see some of the cool and rare clear dark ice that looks so different from the rest of the floating ice chunks everywhere.
As we continue out of the bay past glittering icebergs and monumental snow covered mountains looming all around us I lose myself in the impossible beauty of this world. I find myself wondering if they’ll be a time in the future where we actually inhabit antarctica, not just for scientific and military bases, but whole cities and societies coming there. Could be a fascinating future.
We eventually head back in towards the bay and wreck and quickly enough find the kayakers floating around and enjoying the scenery. I’m excited to give it my first try down here later this afternoon but for now I content myself with taking some pictures of them before shifting my focus to a few gentoos standing and looking out at huge walls of impossibly blue ice.
Once we’re back on the boat I take the chance to do a quick workout again up on deck as lunch is being made and enjoyed. I’m once again joined by turns and penguins, the turns seem to be nesting in the rusted ruined wreck of a whaling ship which provides a great backdrop for some of the photos.
But after the workout now it’s time to kayak, which actually involves a good deal of preparation. Josh helps me find a dry suit to fit and even cuts the rubber seal on the neck so that I don’t suffocate while kayaking. The drysuits are quite a production to get into and talcum powder on the wrists and neck helps minimize the discomfort, it’s also a good idea to where crocks to avoid wearing out the smooth rubber feet, as well as to keep your feet warm.
Out on deck Tash, Enora, myself and Josh get everything ready and one by one Josh helps us figure out how to slide into the kayaks from the sugar scoop of the boat (yes boat terminology is awesome). It’s quite a procedure, but eventually were in the kayaks and ready to try to force our way out of the thick chunks of ice surrounding the boat. It proves tricky so in the end Darrel lends a helping hand, towing us out with the zodiac on his way to shore with the non kayakers for some more tobogganing like we did yesterday.
Kayaking is… majestic. In reality it’s hard to explain the incredible feeling you get in the silence save for the occasional thunderous crack from the glacier. Everything is white and we are truly blessed, because as we continue out towards the open water the sky clears to a dazzling blue and all around us Antarctica shines. The pictures don’t quite show the extent of the sunlight, I think I had my go pro on some weird setting but at least they’re better than nothing.
I still think the go pro is overpriced but it’s certainly nice to have, and while I foolishly forgot to clear my SD card which means I run out of storage halfway through our two hour long paddle I still do manage to take a video or two. Unfortunately it’s before we head over close to a bunch of fur seals, penguins, and our other friends careening down ice covered hills at breakneck speeds in red sleds. I’ll admit I was tempted to bring my real camera with me, but the chances of getting it wet were way too high, so here’s one video of the kayaking though I hope to eventually add another to the post next time I encounter decent internet.
Even the video doesn’t quite capture the magic of this experience, the only downside being my feet and hands getting cold as the time wears on. I’m growing more and more comfortable in a kayak after doing some kayaking in Vietnam and in Puerto Maldonado Peru.
It’s a special feeling being out in the southern seas with just three other people paddling nearby and shows another advantage of having come to Antarctica on a small ship. On the big cruise ships kayaking is an added cost of between 750 USD to 1000 USD and you’re doing it in huge groups (well a few dozen at least). Much like camping. On the Spirit of Sydney the opportunity to both is included, though Ulises and Mariana who booked the journey ahead of time do have priority. Still this won’t be the only kayaking I do on this trip.
We eventually head back to the Spirit of Sydney, Josh helping us climb out of the kayaks which can be a little tricky the first time around. We then take the time to put the kayaks back up on deck, tying them down carefully, as leaving them tied up in the water can be risky as you never know when a storm might roll in. Then we put away the dry suits and head inside to get warm after a long but incredibly fulfilling day in Antarctica. Tomorrow we’ll be reaching the peninsula proper for the first time and everyone’s very excited.
But the evening is not without one unpleasant surprise when Josh realizes he can’t find his go pro and feels sure it must have fallen into the ocean which is just over 10 meters deep where we are anchored. He’s fairly sure it happened when helping us out of the kayaks and I can’t help but feel bad. Luckily Josh has spent years working as a professional diver of many different types, and this sets up an interesting morning tomorrow. Stay tuned.
