Paradise Bay

Woken by Al at quarter to five we had managed to grab just a few hours sleep. The sun was already high in the sky as we layered up and undertook the familiar obstacle course; climbing down the small rope ladder at the back of the ship, across the zodiac and sliding into our kayak. We had anchored in Paradise Bay in front of the remains of Almirante Brown Base on the edge of the continental mainland. The base had been burnt down in 1982 by the station’s leader who didn’t want to stay another winter. The Argentinean flag was painted on the roofs of the small huts, but a colony of Gentoos were now its only inhabitants. As we paddled through the bay and around the icebergs we broke through the layer of surface ice, creaking and cracking and as we forced our way through. 

On the mainland

The only other sounds in the bay were the huge crashes from the avalanches of built snow precariously overhanging the ice and the squawking of the various Gentoo colonies. After a rest stop we navigated our way around the ice crammed into the bay, and headed back to the ship. The landscape changed dramatically we travelled up to the Melchior Islands. The packed ice flow and icebergs of every size gave way to larger stretches of open water with icebergs the size of the ship. The dramatic mountains of the peninsular were replaced with smaller hills, still covered in snow and ice. We got our kayaks ready for their final trip. Paddling across the open water we circled several of the smaller islands. The swell and surf took some getting used too after the glassy conditions we had been lucky enough to enjoy on our past few outings. Somewhat reluctantly we paddled back to the ship, sponged out our kayaks and hung up our dry suits. As the ship pulled up its anchor and set off for the long voyage across the Drake Passage we watched the final ice covered peaks disappear as we said goodbye to Antarctica.

Base A

The British Antarctic Base built in the 1940’s at Port Lockroy was known simply as Base A. As we got back into our drysuits again we paddled across to Base A from the ship and pulled up in the middle of a colony of Gentoo Peguins. Climbing up the slope and across the deep packed snow of the ‘Penguin Highway’ we looked around the base, parts of which had been carefully restored to their operating days in the 1940’s and 50’s. Staff at the base operate a small shop and mailbox from which we could sent our postcards – approximate delivery time 4 – 6 months! 

From the base we kayaked around the ice again and past another Gentoo colony and nesting blue-eyed Cormorants, sitting on their eggs. Returning to the ship we had ice cream cones and hot chocolate on the deck as we watched the sun setting near midnight. The beautiful appearance of pink ice coloured the landscape as we continued to the Lemaire Channel, our furthest point south.

Kayaking in the Ice

Kayaking around Enterprise Island

An amazing day! We awoke early to clear blue skies, bright sunshine and the glaciers and peaks of the Gerlache Strait surrounding us. After dropping anchor in Wilhelmina bay we dressed into our dry suits and climbed into our kayaks. The bay was full of icebergs and pack ice. Gazing into the depths of the crystal clear water we could see the incredible size of the icebergs beneath. Eagerly we began paddling through this surreal landscape. Our passage through the ice took us around the neighbouring Enterprise Island. We passed the occasional penguin, drifting on an iceberg as well some Crabeater Seals, baking in the sun.

Cruising up the Neumayer Channel

Paddling around the huge icebergs and ploughing over some of the smaller ones took us to a rocky area on the edge of the Island, where we hauled up our kayaks and reenergized with tea and chocolate. Continuing our kayaking around Enterprise Island we ran into pack ice which blocked path ahead so we began a fast paddle back around to make it to the ship in time for lunch. As we ate on the deck of the ship enjoying the sunshine, we travelled across the Gerlache Strait and into the Neumayer Channel with its beautiful glaciers and ice cliffs. Pods of Orcas escorted us through the Channel as well as several Minke whales.

Reaching Antarctica

A yawning Elephant Seal

An Adelie Penguin

Finally after what seemed like an eternity at sea, we made it to Antarctica. Navigating through the South Shetland Islands and around the Ice covered peaks of King George Island, where many of the Antarctic research stations are based; we landed at the appropriately named Penguin Island. Once again the wind and waves provided too much for our kayaking plans, so we jumped into a zodiac and bounced across the surf to the rocky beach. Welcomed by our first sighting of Weddell Seals we managed to avoid the huge Elephant Seals and solitary fur seal as we hiked across the snow to the Chinstrap Penguin colony. We spent several hours watching the Penguins (including some Gentoo and Adelie) as they returned from their big swim and waddled across the snow up to their nests. Oblivious of our company they shuffled along past us often less than a metre away. To transverse slopes they would flip onto their front and gracefully slide down, before standing upright once more and shuffling across the snow. The Elephant Seals had a larger problem, occasionally finding that their huge mass would lead them to unexpectedly slide down the slope causing frantic self correction using their front flippers. From Penguin Island we continued south through to the Peninsula.

Returning to Sea

After spending almost a day in a category eight storm the trip down from South Georgia has been far from smooth. Waves over eight metres came crashing down on the deck as objects flew out of drawers and across the cabin. The heavy swells slowed our journey south as our speed stalled to just four knots. For sometime the ship had to travel towards Australia to avoid damage in the storm. Meal times became an exercise in balance and grip as we made our way across the ship to the dining room hanging on with two hands as we went; then attempting to eat and drink normally as the ship rocked heavily. After the storm slowed and passed we picked up speed as we approached the Antarctic Peninsula. 

Gentoo Penguins swimming in front of the ship

Our whale spotting activities from the deck and the bridge were rewarded with sightings of Fin, Sei, Minke and Humpback during the voyage. The shadow of Elephant Island appeared on the horizon as night approached, our next landing will be in Antarctica tomorrow. 

Cooper Bay

A Macaroni Penguin

Our last day of landings in South Georgia was meant to be a busy one. In morning we pulled into Gold Harbour on the south east side of the island. Hoping to get out for a paddle or at least a landing by zodiac, the strong winds didn’t help and we had to move along to coast to plan B, Cooper Bay. With winds still too strong for kayaking we did at least manage to get out by zodiac and close to the fourth type of Penguin we had seen so far, the Macaroni. With their striking yellow haircut they were busy nesting in their colony on the steep slopes overlooking the bay. Further cruising along the shoreline Giant Petrels swooped along side us and Elephant Seals growled at us from the beach. After an engine alarm sounded in our zodiac we had to make an early return through the choppy waters and back to the ship. In the afternoon we powered up the dramatic Drygalski Fjord facing its katabatic winds and spectacular kilometre high cliffs, sheltering the Snow Petrels. 

Drygalski Fjord

The huge glaciers all around us plunged into ocean whilst the melting ice created waterfalls that with the gale force winds appeared to be raising rather than falling. From here we set off south west for the long trip down to Antarctica. 

A Giant Petrel takes off

Whaling Station

An Elephant Seal Pup

The following day we arrived in Grytviken, the largest settlement on South Georgia which has a resident population of 4, but with the British Antarctic Survey huts can accommodate 18. The sea was calm and the water a brilliant turquoise. We layered up, put on our dry suit and pogies (large paddling gloves) and headed out to the back deck ready for our first kayak of the trip. After climbing down a rope ladder from the ship and across a zodiac we slid into our kayak and started paddling. There are 39 passengers on the Polar Pioneer and almost as many crew. The Kayaking group totalled 9 including ourselves, so we had 4 doubles and a single. Our group leader Al took us off across the bay and around King Edward Point. We avoided the fur seals and penguins and headed around the coast. At one point we had clearly invaded the territory of a rather possessive Elephant Seal, so Nicole and I paddled swiftly whilst the seal (about the same size as two Land Rovers) came up behind us, remaining just a metre or two off the back of the kayak for sometime. 



We had a calmer paddle back to Grytviken and pulled up onshore to wander around the rusty remains of the whaling station, where thousands of whales and seals were processed into oil. The huge storage tanks for the oil were still in place as were many of the remains of the processing plant. We wandered around the small museum, the Norwegian Church and up on the hill to Shackleton’s grave, which overlooked the bay, before paddling back to Ship. In the afternoon we headed for Godthul a large bay about two hours south of Grytviken. We went out for our second paddle of the day and around the bay where the curious fur seal pups came out to play in the water jumping and diving around us, occasionally knocking the bottom of the kayak. After a stop for some hot chocolate the angry older fur seals on land didn’t want to let us past, so we warmed ourselves poised on the rocks at the waters edge. More King Penguins, Gentoos and Albatrosses passed us by as it grew late and we paddled home back across the bay.