The sea bubbled as a humpback whale broke through the icy water. It was our last day in the Antarctic, and my lifelong dream of kayaking with whales was about to finally come true. My smile grew wider as I heard the unmistakable sound of a blow before being showered with droplets of water. The barnacle-covered head of a 20-foot calf was within five feet of my kayak. We had been paddling close to the Melchior Islands when we spotted the 40-foot mother and her two calves. We sat quietly, waiting and hoping these graceful mammals might come to us. Our colorful kayaks were certainly of interest. Time and again they would approach, dive just enough to glide underneath us; they were so close that we could almost touch them. Magical!
We had started our month-long charter from Ushuaia, the capital of Tierra del Fuego and the southernmost tip of South America. This was to be a family affair. My wife, Melanie, sons Tim and Olly and Tim’s girlfriend, Lucy were all part of Icebird’s nine-strong crew, along with our Australian skipper, Cath Hew, Spanish first mate, Alex Jara, the mountain guide, Phil Wickens and Victor, a Ukrainian hitchhiking to the Ukrainian Antarctic base.
When we arrived in the Argentinian city, the wind was blowing 40 knots through the marina; Tierra del Fuego’s nickname, ‘The End of the World’, certainly seemed apt. Cath explained that in the Drake Passage, the wind would be blowing 60 knots; we would have to wait 24 hours for the wind to moderate before heading into the Southern Ocean.
Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av Yachting Monthly.
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Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av Yachting Monthly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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I WAS THE ONLY SAILOR ON OUR FAMILY CHARTER AND IT HAD TO GO WELL
Crystal waters, cliff tombs and sunken outboards lain Willis wanted to ensure plain sailing for his family’s first charter around Turkey's Lycian Coast
HOW IT WORKS SEAWATER PUMP
The water and oil seals on a water pump shaft will eventually wear with time, leading to pump-shaft corrosion or loss of engine oil.
THOUSANDS OF MILES ACROSS THE INDIAN OCEAN
Floris and Ivar battled severe weather and cross swell to sail from Australia to South Africa, but there were beautiful islands on the way
The secret of yachts with enduring appeal
Fashions come and go, but J-Boats remain a safe choice for great sailing boats, whether you want to own it for ever or sell it
Tragic sinking of Bayesian; Italian prosecutors investigate
The sinking of the Bayesian superyacht in reportedly only 16 minutes and the tragic loss of seven lives has sent a shudder through the sailing community and beyond.
THE ADVENT OF MARINE AI TECHNOLOGY
Fonathon Savill reports on the revolutionary impact artificial intelligence is about to have on all areas of life at sea
IMPROVING SINGLE-LINE REEFING
Martin Watts explains how to reduce the friction on the reefing lines of newer yachts
The secrets of skippering a successful cruise
Setting off on a cruise is easy, but planning a route that keeps your options open and ensures the enjoyment of all on board is more of an art
CRUISING THE KINGDOM OF THE ISLES
Joanna Martin and her husband Mark sail across the Irish Sea to the legendary sea kingdom and to draw the wonderful wildlife there
MOODY DS48
Can a boat built for long-term, long-distance cruising and offering one-level living still deliver an enjoyable sailing experience? Theo Stocker sets sail across the English Channel to find out
