A Night Ashore in Antarctica – Camping on the Last Continent

Imagine finishing a delicious dinner onboard our expedition vessel and then jumping into the Zodiacs for a runashore with your sleeping bag and bivy sac. What’s this? Your opportunity to camp in Antarctica!Picture it…you are lying in your sleeping bag listening to crackling and grumbling of glaciers, the splintering oficebergs and the soothing sounds of water and brash ice washing onto the beach. Perhaps you might even hearthe blow of a whale, feeding in the bay near your campsite. Who said that sleep would come easy? But when itdoes, you drift away knowing that you are breathing pristine air and experiencing something very few haveexperienced before.After your night ashore, we will take you back to our expedition vessel so that you can enjoy a hot shower,perhaps a sauna and a delicious breakfast in our dining room.

Who can do it?

Directed at any passenger with an adventurous spirit and an ability to “rough-it” for a night, our Night Ashore inAntarctica has proven very popular. Sleeping under the midnight sun, ashore in Antarctica is something to writehome about. Our experienced expedition team will select a camping site that is snow covered and isolated fromany breeding wildlife.

What is provided?

We will provide all of the camping gear required for your night ashore. Although we do not expect night-timetemperatures to drop below -3° Celsius (27° F), our sleeping bags are rated to -12° C (10° F). We do have sometents for use ashore however we do recommend the true experience of sleeping out under the midnight sun in abivy bag. Warmer than a tent and much easier to set up, the bivy bag doesn’t block out the incredible scenery allaround you.Our sleeping pads are more than a simple foam pad. Called the Ridgerest and made by Cascade Designs, theyhave high insulating value and combine comfort and warmth to enhance your experience.We even have a small outhouse tent, with a privy in it.

What you need to bring?

We recommend that each passenger comes ashore with a dry pair of socks and if possible, wear a set of drythermal underwear ashore so that you are not bringing any of the days moisture into the sleeping bag with you. Agood hat or “toque” as we say in Canada, really helps you to feel warm and cozy through the night.

Antarctic sea kayak adventure

Gliding smoothly across a glassy sea, the silence broken only by the splash of the paddle rhythmically dipping into the crystal depths of a quiet bay. Your excited shout breaks the silence as a penguin porpoises out of the water in front of your kayak, seemingly on a collision path with you but passing smoothly underneath your kayak, fully in view as it flies through the water. This is Antarctica!

Sea kayaking can be a fantastic way to experience Antarctica. As part of this program, you will join a relatively small number of people who have paddled in Antarctica. With our guides and safety boat, we will endeavor to share with you a safe, fun, exploratory and unique experience.

Your first day at sea after leaving Ushuaia will include (for the kayakers) a meeting with the expedition kayak guide. During this session, you will learn how our kayaking program operates, what equipment we use, how to prepare for excursions and our safe operating procedures. In addition, you will have the opportunity to meet fellow kayakers and be issued with your drysuit and other paddling accessories.

Upon arrival in Antarctica, we will start a busy program of excursions to various bays and islands, focusing on wildlife sites (penguin rookeries), historic sites and sites of scenic interest. Prior to each excursion, your kayak guide will explain the options available to you and entice you out into the kayaks, instead of the Zodiacs®, which will run concurrently.

Your guide will endeavor to provide you with sufficient information in order to make the best choice of activity during each landing.

Enrolment in the sea kayak program is required at the time of booking. This can be done through your agent and will be finalized upon receipt of the Sea Kayak Questionnaire.

Program Overview

Wind and weather permitting, we will offer the sea kayaking option on most landings. We encourage all passengers to participate in the first excursion by Zodiac in order to become accustomed to the mudroom, gangway, boarding Zodiacs and getting into and out of the Zodiacs at the beach. From this point forward we will offer the sea kayaking option during any excursion where wind, weather and geography permit. In order to cater to various site characteristics and varying paddler interest, a kayak excursion can take one of two forms.

A kayak only excursion will be offered where the prime focus of the excursion is water- based. The duration of a kayak only excursion is generally two and a half to three and a half hours. While on the water, the kayakers will paddle in a loose group, with a guide leading the way and a rescue boat following at a distance behind. Where site characteristics permit, a kayak and landing excursion will be offered. This will allow paddlers to start off their excursion with a paddle, ending up at the landing site, where they can leave the kayaks on the beach and explore onshore. Depending on the circumstances, the kayakers may paddle back to the ship following this excursion, or return to the ship by Zodiac.

As with all our expeditions, safety is our top priority. For that reason weather, ice or other conditions may require us to change our itinerary and shore excursions as we go but that is half the fun of Polar exploring. Predictability is a word that has no relevance in this environment.

What We Provide

Your personal comfort and safety is our number one priority. The paddling gear that we have chosen is designed to support this statement.

During your excursion, you will be wearing a Gore-TexTM drysuit, with latex gaskets at the wrists and neck, and integrated Gore-TexTM socks to keep you dry. The waterproof, yet breathable nature of this drysuit will keep you more comfortable as you paddle. On your feet and over the drysuit socks, we will provide neoprene boots, ideal for warmth and comfort while paddling. A kayaking-specific lifejacket (PFD) will be provided and a neoprene hat and neoprene pogies (paddling mitts) will finish off the protective clothing.

Paddling accessories include an adjustable touring paddle, spray skirt and a paddle leash (so that you don’t lose your paddle while taking a photo). In addition, we will provide a safety kit for each kayak that contains a paddle float, bilge pump, sponge, whistle and a rope. An additional item of practicality is a waterproof kayak deck bag that can be clipped to the kayak forward of the cockpit, allowing waterproof storage of personal items (camera, sunglasses, sunscreen, bottle of water) and easy access while paddling.

Our fleet of kayaks consists of single and double polyethylene sea kayaks, all with rudders to assist with steering. The kayaks have been chosen for their combination of seaworthiness and stability with the aim of keeping you dry, comfortable and allowing a stable enough platform for photography, while still permitting you to cover a few miles each excursion. Flexibility is a priority and all of the paddlers will have an opportunity to paddle both single and double kayaks.

In addition to a certified and experienced guide, we also provide a backup Zodiac®. This boat will assist in the kayak embarkation and disembarkation process and follow the kayaks during the excursion. The driver of this Zodiac® will endeavor to keep the boat far enough away to not be noticed, yet close enough to offer any assistance required. All of our expedition staff are linked by marine VHF radios.

What You Need To Bring

Other than a sense of adventure and excitement for paddling in Antarctica, you will need to bring with you the following items to be used during the sea kayak excursions.Layers – Under the drysuit, you will need a layer of thermals (polypropylene or silk) and on top of that an insulating layer (fleece or wool). You will need both tops and bottoms for these two layers. When selecting clothing, remember that you need room to move in these clothes. Ideally they should be loose fitting around the armpits and not too bulky in the arms. It is not recommended to wear cotton under a drysuit, as this material tends to absorb moisture, rather than wicking it to the Gore-TexTM membrane. A warm pair of socks is a must and a weatherproof hat can make all the difference. Sun protection – Of course, during any water-based activity, sunglasses and sunscreen are required.

Experience Recommended

This may be the only time in your life that you paddle a kayak in Antarctica. In order to ensure that you are able to participate and get the most out of this program, we recommend that you have prior experience in a sea kayak. If you have never kayaked before yet remain interested in this program, we would suggest that you enroll in a beginner sea kayaking course at a local kayak outfitter. A list of national paddling association websites can be found at the end of this document. If you are not able to find an appropriate instructional course that suits your needs, please feel free to contact us through your agent and we will provide some suggestions.

Your agent will send you a Sea Kayaking Questionnaire upon your expression of interest in the program. The questionnaire does not need to be returned to us or the agent but is designed to give you an idea of the type of experience required. Upon commencement of the voyage, the kayak guide will ask you to complete the same questionnaire again and will discuss the results with you. We do not consider that there are any wrong answers to this questionnaire as long as they are truthful. Your kayak guide will use this information to help tailor the excursions to the experience level of the group. The kayak guide on the ship has the right to exclude any person without sufficient experience from the kayaking program. A partial refund will be offered.