ANTARCTICA 2000

Date: February 2000.
Expedition members: Stan Chladeck, Nigel Dennis and Tom Burgh.

The excitement of another expedition is upon us, Antarctica. Although the area has been well visited over the years there has been very little kayaking done in this hostile environment. The questions that ran through my mind were: How cold would it get? Will we be able to land easily? Have we got enough fuel, even if we have to melt ice for drinking water. This was the first expedition that made me feel a little apprehensive. In the past I have known most of the answers to my questions before setting out. This time none of us new exactly what to expect. Our destination was the Outer Shetlands located approx sixty miles North of the Antarctic peninsular. A small group of Islands that are home to a number of scientific research stations. Even so when kayaking we would have no communications with the outside world or see anyone until we returned to base camp.

The flight down to Ponta Ranus had been long and tiring, but all expedition members had final met and we rested and waited for the all clear to board a Chilean military Hercules for our final leg of the journey. We waited for three days before the weather finally settled. We sat in line on bench seats made of nylon webbing along with approx twenty other passengers. We could see our luggage on pallets loaded high positioned towards the rear of the plain. The noise increased, nobody could talk or see through the tinny windows in the side of the plain. For three hours we sat in silence, finally we descended and landed on a short dirt air strip at the Chilean camp on King George Island. As we filed off the plain I was grateful for the thermal underwear that I had hunted Ponta Ranus for before departing.

My first impressions did not inspire me. The wind was cold and a mist hovered over the higher ground. No vegetation at all, to me it was what you would expect the surface of the moon to look like. Military personal walked around in full thermal suites with goggles and balaklavas. I can remember thinking we must be insane.

We managed to secure a lift to The Great Wall of China Research Station in an open lorry as we were still five miles from the sea. On arrival we assembled our three piece kayaks and packed for the next three weeks. I had enough food when rationed to last twenty four days. Between us we took two two man tents and two stoves. In hind sight four expedition members instead of three would have made the logistics of carrying all the equipment and rations easier.

Four hours latter after a welcome meal at the station, we set off for Nelson Island. The weather was good in fact it was to be the best day of the expedition. 10 deg C in the sun and out off the wind. Our base camp was situated on Nelson Island at what is probably the smallest and most basic of Antarctic research stations. We had a seven foot six inch square shed at our disposal. Although small this was to be a very welcome home.

It became apparent that our kayaking plans would have to be modified, Stan had injured his arm and our plans were viewed with scepticism by all who we met. Our station was extremely concerned as to who would rescue us or how would they know if we were in trouble. Finally it was agreed that a circumnavigation of Nelson Island together with a number of day expeditions would be acceptable. Nelson Island would involve an approx 40 mile paddle. For the next two days we set off on day expeditions primarily to make sure that our choice of clothing was correct. For the first time I was kayaking in a dry suite. We had all chosen Kokatate Gortex suites. The suites were heavy duty complete with latex booties. A piece of fuel pipe cut to the right length and joined with a timber plug, kept the dry suit seal off my neck. This could easily be remouved if I expected a possible capsize but it did provide ventilation and reduced that terible chaffing that you get from latex seals. After experimenting I was serprised to find that all I needed was one set of medium waight thermals underneath the dry suite. This was addequate provided we kept kayaking at a reasonable paceand extra clothes were put on imediatly we stoped . Poggies and a good thermal hat with ear protectors was a must. Our average air temporature was .5 deg C to 1.5 deg C out off the wind. The water tempriture varied but was usualy at about 1.5 deg C.

Our first day expedition, was out to the Pacific coast. We paddled out through the straight’s seporating Nelson Island and King George Island. The tide was running at 4 - 5 knotes against us so we picked our way through the rocks ferry gliding and using the eddys. As we paddled the mist would lift every now and again to reveil giant Icebergs floating in with the wind. All along the coast were volcanic rocky islands with jaged pinikels and sea stackes rising into the mist. This was good as any Pacific swells that we may encounter would be brocken up and landings on this coast should not be a problem. Between the areas of baren land lie long stretches of ice cliffs and glacias rising verticaly out of the water. In these areas we would not be able to land. We rounded into a shelterd rockey bay and landed. Heards of Elephant seals lay huddeld together some completely obliviouse to our presence. Some of these magnificent creatures must have weighed two to three tons. Approaching cairfully on foot we were able to get within 20 feet. As we got nearer they would start to make there presence known by raisng heads and reveiling teeth. There barks were deep and long and the pugnent smell of their breath filled the air. These areas of ice free rock were ritch with wildlife. We must have each used two or three films. At one point Stan had tried to paddle in through a gap in the rocks at the same time two large Elephant seals had tried to swimm out. I’m not sure who was more surprissed as both the seals and Stan froze neather being able to escape. I hesitated wondering what to do but then decided to take some photographs as whatever happend the shots would be good.