Thinking about going snorkelling in Antarctica? Here's a first-timer's experience exploring ice-speckled bays on a recent Antarctic Explorer expedition.
It is no ordinary swim, but excitement trumps the cold. It is so exhilarating snorkelling around these magnificent icebergs or sliding off them!
The waters are a chilly -1degrees but with the right equipment – and Aurora does kit you out with all that you need - you stay warm, you stay dry (oh how I loved my dry suit) – and you stay in wonder of this fascinating place to explore.
The waters are so crystal clear that you get the BEST view of all there is to see. The ICE. Feel the formations below the surface and see how deep they go. The scale blows your mind. PENGUINS porpoise by you and SEALS pop in too(only the friendly ones - the fur seals did, but I was always on the lookout for the leopard seal) ....INCREDIBLE!
You do not need any experience to do this this, you just need to know how to swim. It couldn’t get more appealing. And what an opportunity to get into the water in this truly unique environment.
I will never forget that exhilarating feeling of that ice cold water I let hit my face that wasn’t covered by the mask when I put my face down into that purest of water for the first time. I’m pretty sure when I got out that I looked five years younger!
It was my first ever dry suit experience. This state-of-the-art suit was my best friend. It is super comfortable. Yes, I even hiked to the top of a mountain in it! And I can let you know it gets easier and quicker to put on each time. But the dry suit (my BFF) doesn’t work alone - I layered up…!
In my zodiac with my fellow snorks - seven of us -I was asked, how many layers did I have on? OK, I took the prize on one of the days when I had four layers on! Important to note, I feel the cold, so I wore three to four mid layers, ski pants and three pairs of socks (yes, I am used to tropical snorkelling). And with this layered comfort I was totally, blissfully immersed in Antarctic waters…and you just are in such awe of all around, that you forget how long you have been in as your guide calls you back to the Zodiac.
I seized every opportunity possible to snorkel during the days we had. I went twice daily for 6 days in a row. It was an epic experience. And as my expert guide said “Snorks have more fun…and that we so DID”
By Hayley P-G.
