Gliding along the surface of the water, dodging tiny bits of brash ice, I aim our kayak at the large iceberg in the distance. There are some black specks on it. Could it be penguins?

The water is only a degree or two above freezing here in Cierva Cove, Antarctica; but the air is warm, with temperatures actually warmer than back home in Canada. No, that isn’t a global warming thing, it is typical weather along the Antarctic Peninsula during the November – March tourism window, when temperatures are often above freezing.

It makes the kayaking more enjoyable, as we don’t have to deal with fear of frostbite. With hand pogies on our paddles it is actually quite warm paddling, and I find myself occasionally dipping my hands in the water to cool down. 

The preparation process for kayaking in Antarctica is somewhat arduous. We’re all bundled up with many layers, and are prone to overheating on the ship before we get to actually go out on the water. A base layer, a fleece layer, a winter jacket shell, two pairs of socks, a toque, a buff, some kayak gloves, booties and a dry suit make up the Antarctic kayaking outfit. Once assembled, we pretty much walk the same as the penguins around here.

We’ve had a couple of false starts to our kayaking adventure, which is very common down in the southern ocean. It takes time to pile on all this gear, unload the kayaks and get our small group of a dozen paddlers out on the water. With vast open spaces and soaring mountains, weather in Antarctica is constantly changing, without any reliable forecasting. Katabatic winds coming down off the surrounding mountains and glaciers can whip up at any time, turning a scene of serenity into one of white water and misery. 

A bonus is that sometimes us kayakers get to be the first to leave the ship and start exploring, while everyone else who is going direct to land, to hike or see penguins, has to wait. We still get to join up with them after and tend to have more than enough time to commune with the penguins, seals and enjoy the land activities too.

Today, Cierva Cove remains calm and puts on a wonderful display of nature. In an overcast sky, with the sun struggling to pierce through the mist, the cove is slow to reveal itself to us. We paddle quietly along, scraping past small icebergs called bergy bits, always on the lookout for seals, penguins or whales. Some of the tiny icebergs here appear black, as they’re clear in the water. My paddling partner spots one she wants to keep, it’s shaped like heart.

In the distance we spot two tiny black specks on one of the larger icebergs. Anything that isn’t white here stands out, so we paddle over to investigate this anomaly and discover two Gentoo penguins perched atop this large chunk of ice. We can’t help but wonder how these small flightless, awkward birds managed to get atop such a big iceberg?

The water is flat, like glass, enabling me to pull out the DSLR camera and snap a few photos without fear of getting wet. Cierva Cove isn’t done with us, as we soon come upon a sleepy fur seal who pokes his head up, wondering who dares approach his piece of ice.

Out here on the water, dotted with icebergs and bits of ice of all sizes, we’re all alone. The rest of the travellers from our ship have gone off on zodiac cruises further away. Aside from the sounds of our paddles in the water, it is pure silence. We take a moment to soak it all in.

Indeed we have been the lucky ones on this day, with our close encounters with the fur seal and penguins as our non-kayaking counterparts only had fleeting glimpses of wildlife on this afternoon.

We’ve kayaked at spots on South Georgia Island, and now along the coast of Antarctica. penguins have porpoised out of the water around us, we’ve pulled up onto mini icebergs for a rest, and we’ve even had some snowball fights. It’s truly a weird and wonderful setting.

At Neko Harbour, the next kayaking experience is a bit more boisterous, and a bit more icy. The ice here is slushy, with some new ice creating a thin layer on the surface. Larger pieces have a bit of snow on them, as fluffy flakes have been falling. It is truly a winter wonderland scene out on the water. The thin layer of ice is easily broken by the bow of the kayak or our paddles, creating an otherworldly-like paddling experience. There is a calming satisfaction to “crashing” through the ice with our kayaks. 

We’re enjoying a spontaneous kayak snowball fight when our fun is interrupted by what sounds like a rolling thunderstorm approaching. It turns out to be a large chunk of glacier calving into the ocean off in the distance. Minutes later a small wave bobs our kayaks up and down about 15cm; had we been kayaking at the foot of the glacier we would have all been swallowed up and capsized by 6m surge.

Icebergs are generally only 10% above the water, meaning you miss out on seeing most of these majestically carved ice creations. We steer clear of anything of decent size (anything taller than the bow of the kayak must be given a wide berth according to our kayaking guides Ewan and Sophie). For low-lying bergs and smaller bits, we have fun maneuvering our kayaks beside, through, and onto them. Peering down into the depths of the Antarctic Ocean you can see the entire immensity of these white and blue-hued bits of ice. 

Antarctica toys with your imagination, making it difficult to portray to others. Kayaking past oddly shaped icebergs and glaciers, with funny animals swimming around you gives everything a bit of a Dr. Seuss-esque vibe in Antarctica, just without any crazy bright colours. Despite the mostly monochromatic scenes, you still experience sensory overload, as everything is on a grander scale here. 

Nowhere is that more apparent than when you’re gliding along in a tiny kayak.

Side notes:

• Not all expeditions to Antarctica offer kayaking
• Kayaking groups are small, typically 10-15 in size, and tend to sell out early
• While some experience is preferred, kayaking is only done in favourable conditions
• I travelled with Polar Latitudes, one of the most respected travel operators to Antarctica
• Depending on the length of your trip (and number of changes to go kayaking) it should cost between $600-1,000. Whatever the cost, it is worth it!