Iceberg in Antarctica
Antarctica cruise and kayak

Antarctic travelogue

Danco island

Day 5 (continuation)
  • Position: Argentinian islands
  • Hour: 7:00pm
  • Latitude: 65°12’S
  • Longitude: 64°10’W
  • Distance: 744Nm
  • Air temperature: 1°C
  • Water temperature: 1°C

Antarctica kayaksOn board zodiacs we rapidly join the other passengers who set foot on Pleneau island where several Gentoo penguins colonies live. The skuas seam more active than on Petermann island, probably because the chicks are very young, two weeks old at most, hence more fragile. They represent good opportunities for the predators and require a lot of attention from their parents.

This time we desembark in our kayak suits, it is therefore not that easy to walk, especially with the kayak skirt around the waist. The snow keeps on falling and the wind doesn't ease up. The staff decides to start our way back to professor Multanovskiy so we can head rapidly to Danco island where we were not supposed to go but in Antarctica it's the meteo who leads the expedition! Our team leader thinks Danco bay might be protected from the winds.

The storm goes on as the vessell sails, we are only 5 on the top deck, struggling against the elements: 45 knots wind, snow and cold. Crazy? no, just willing to meet real Antarctic conditions!
We reach Danco bay by 5 pm and surprise, the water is flat, the wind is gone! Everyone gets ready either for zodiac cruise or kayak adventure. I must say I really feel privileged to be in the kayak team, I can steer my kayak whereever I want, get closer to nature than in zodiac (less noise, fewer people). Kayak is the ultimate means to discover Antarctica.

I had just started to paddle when I heard the characteristic sound of a whale blowing air. The excitement is at its peak, we are about to kayak with whales! We rapidly spot two humpback whales at the end of the bay.

This first kayak/whale approach will remain as one of the strongest images of my journey in Antarctica.

After we reach the bottom of the bay we stop paddling all senses aroused. And there after 2 or 3 minutes, silence is broken by a huge noise to our left whereas we were watching to our right: a whale just surfaced to blow air 10 meters from the kayaks! Waow! Think of our frail kayaks compared to this 10 ti 12 meters and 25 tons mammal. We remained silent and bemuzed for a while, all the more than the second whale followed the first one a few minutes later. This is a unique show in an enchanting scenery of snow and icebergs. This is exactly what I hoped to see, to feel during my Antarctic journey, all my wished are fulfilled!

After a while the two whales left. We started to kayak along the bay, avoiding the big icebergs, paddling in the icefields, meeting with swimming Gentoo penguins, sealions and finally Minke whales.

This first kayak/whale approach will remain as one of the strongest images of my journey in Antarctica, as well as the great sensation when kayaks seem to break the ice while crossing icefields... simply magical!

[Continuation] Neko harbour and paradise bay