HMS Endurance Kayak Team Blog

17 February
We left the ship at 16:00 and our start location was S63 55.439 W057 45.589. The Captain and many of the Ship’s Company wished us well and waved us off. Even though our first plans were dashed; we were all still very excited to get on the water.

Just leaving the ship

We paddled to Martha’s Bay and set up camp site at S63 55.949 W057 40.163.

By 20:00 all are in our sleeping bags, ready for an early start in the morning. Up at sunrise 05:15 and on the water at 07:00. Our destination is Devil’s Island to the north of Vega Island which will be amazing because there are waterfalls in that location.

18 February
We rise with the early morning sun but are in the shadow of Devil’s Island; it’s icy cold and smelly as the remains of the penguin colony…stink!

0530: Getting up and out of a warm sleeping bag with frost on the tent requires a certain motivation; but the brilliant clear blue skies and view of the ice filled Prince Gustav Channel provides it and we start the morning routine.

We set off a little later than planned, leaving at 07:45 instead of 07:00. For the first half hour, we are all quite silent as we shake off the stiffness and get back into our paddling routine. The paddles rhythmically splash the water and are the only thing to be heard on a glassy sea. There isn’t a breath of wind to be had; just brilliant sunshine. Made reasonable headway into the circumnavigation of Vega Island.

The backdrop is stupendous. To the left Erebus and Terror Gulf stretches away and to the right the cliffs of Vega Island stand tall. What a day to be alive and on the water.

The channel has been fairly well filled with icebergs; it is amazing how they all seem so different. They range from wind and sea sculpted pieces to blocks of frozen snow. We have seen icebergs as large as 2 miles long and in a range of colours white, blue, black, and completely clear. Every few minutes there is something new to see. We have seen fur, Weddell and leopard seals, and a lot of Adélie Penguins. Even the icebergs do interesting things as they have an intimidating habit of inverting or cracking apart with little or no warning!

We stop for a group photo under a glacier and then early elevenses by a sparkling waterfall. Cape Gordon faces east and is glorious in the sunshine and all the local wildlife knows it too. Birds swoop, seals sunbathe, small fish dart on the mirror surface and then whoosh, a minke whale blows and we turn to look transfixed as it surfaces and dives beside us.

As we round the Cape we get the first glances south. Fog rolling in from the Weddell Sea; but still a few hours away yet. We stop for lunch on the flat sea ice. Everyone ravenously attacks biscuits brown; a basic military 24 hour ration staple carbohydrate. Your appetite changes when you are hungry as your body adapts to the strenuous exercise. Everything seems to taste better - so not even crumbs are left!

After lunch Matt decided to play and hauled his kayak to the summit of the icy island and surfed down into the sea - all on video of course. Still got to make the crossing back to JRI, some 13 miles so back to paddling. The ominous fog rolls over us in an icy silence; only paddling keeps us warm.

As we launch back into the water, disaster strikes! As Pete reverses off the ice, he gets caught and tips over. Upside down, half on and off the ice, he can’t roll back upright. Pete bails out and Matt shouts for help. Everyone changes to high gear. Pete has clambered back onto the ice and Matt beaches yet again. BV recovers the boat. A dry hat and gloves are thrown by Mike as Pete starts star jumps, cursing his luck as he tries to rewarm. Towny shouts instructions to Matt to check Pete out for the onset of hypothermia and frostbite. Meanwhile, BV and Mike quickly pump out Pete’s kayak.

The group starts to calm down; crises averted. A stark contrast to lunch a few playful hours before. Paddling gets us warm again. There are only 5 nautical miles left but the gloom refuses to lift and we constantly refine our navigation with GPS. As the coast slips out of the murk, spirits raise and soon a campsite is identified.

This first real day of paddling here has made all our training and hard work worth while. Although the last day of paddling on the Falklands was great fun and taught us all a thing or two; today has been truly spectacular.

20.00: Most people are tucked up in their sleeping bags as the temperature passes zero on the way down. Can’t believe how eventful the day has been. But as we plan tomorrow, we’re just look forward to 10 whole hours in it (‘it’ being our sleeping bags).

Personal note: To my Mum, Linda and brother Laurence. I hope you have both had fantastic Birthdays and I look forward to seeing you both when I get back. To all at home: thinking of you all and look forward to going through some of my photos with you. Matt.