Home | Polaris Tours - Kayaking...2011/04/18  · Bellamypark 9 4381 CG Vlissingen The Netherlands T...

e General information for passengers• Basickayakexperiencerequired,physicalfitnessisessential• Maximumnumberlimitedto15kayakerspervoyage• Between3to4kayakoutings(morningorafternoon)possible!• Kayakingissubjecttoweatherandprevailingiceconditions• Oceanwidekayakguidesareexpertsintheirfield,qualifiedandexperienced• Essentialkayakequipmentavailableforfreeonboard(fromheadtotoe)• Kayakersonlybringtheirpersonalweatherprotectivegear• Kayakingisfreeofchargeduring“BasecampPlancius”voyages.Otheractivitycodedvoyages requireasupplement:Pleaseseeourdates&ratesforkayaking

KayakingisoneofthemostamazingwaystoexploretheremoteArcticandAntarcticcoastlines.Kayakersaccompaniedbyakayakguidehavetheopportunitytogooffthebeatentrack.Paddlingbetweenicebergsorpackice,observinganimalsintheirnaturalenvironment,theonlysoundyouheariswaterdrippingfromthepaddles.Kayakinginpolarareasaddsgreatlytotheexperienceofbeinginanunspoiledwilderness.

OceanwideExpeditions offers optional kayak excursions in addition to thenormal expeditionprogram.Oneverycruisewithakayakoptionwehopetoscheduleupto4kayakexcursions.However,itmustbesaidthatthePolarRegionsareunpredictablewhenitcomestotheweather.Thismightleadtolessorevennokayakexcursionsaskayakingcanandwillonlytakeplaceinsafeweatherconditions.Undernocircumstanceswillthesafetylimitsbecompromised!Allkayakexcursionswilltakeplacewithinasafedistancefromtheship,andatalltimesazodiacwillbeonstandby.Thekayaksusedarestablesingleseatanddoubleseatseakayaks.Intotal14passengerscanjoinakayaktrip,dependingonthenumberofguidesinvolvedandthekayakskillsoftheparticipants.Thekayakingwillsolemnlybedoneasagroupactivity.Atleastonekayakguidewillleadthegroupandazodiacwillfollowforassistance.Kayakexcursionsnormallylastthreetofourhours.Theobjectiveiswildlife,scenery,icebergs,etcChancesofmeetingwildlifewhilepaddlingarehigh.

Basic kayak experience required Theseakayakprogramisdirectedatanyadventuremindedpassengerswhobringbasicpaddlingexperience.Pleasenotethaton“BasecampPlancius”voyagesevenbeginnerswithpaddlingabilitycantryout.Totakepart inthekayakexcursionspassengersarerequiredtohavesufficientphysicalfitnessandpriorbasicseakayakexperiencewouldbehelpful.Itmustbeclearthatkayakinginpolarareasinvolvessomepotentialrisks,especiallyhypothermiabecauseoftheverycoldwater.Thesetripsarenotsuitableforbeginners.Basicskillsshouldincludenormalhandlingofakayakinmoderateweatherandseaconditions.Itisnotnecessarytobeabletodokayak“Eskimo”rolls,butyouhaveto feelcomfortable inaseakayak.Kayakparticipantswithaclearlackoftheseabilitiescanbedisqualifiedforfurtherkayakingonourkayakexcursionsbecauseofsafetyreasons.Ifyouhaveanyquestionsabouttherequiredskillspleasecontactouroffice.

Kayaking

e Arctic(Spitsbergen&Greenland)Which season and where do we go? Whichseasonandwheredowego?Ourvoyageswithakayakingoptionrunparallelto the regular program. Our summer voyagesonm/vPlanciusarecarriedout fromJuneuntilSeptember.Thevoyages takeus toSpitsbergenandGreenland.Checkthedifferentitinerariesfordetails.

What are the weather conditions?Frommid June tomidSeptember the regionofSpitsbergen and Greenland is accessible forwildlife cruises.The weather is relatively mild,themidnight sun remains above the horizon atmidnight and temperature only drops slightlyduring the day. In general temperatures in theArcticvaryfrom5to15°C(JunetoSeptember).Seawatertemperaturesarenormally(just)above0ºCelsius(33,8ºFahrenheit).

e AntarcticaWhich season and where do we go? The kayak option will be offered on Planciusvoyages. The season in which these voyagestakeplacelastsfromDecemberuntilMarch.Thevoyages will explore the Antarctic Peninsulaswestern coasts and sometimes the northernpart of the Weddell Sea. Check the differentitineraries for details. Please note: Althoughweexpecttobeabletoventureintowildplaceslike theWeddell Sea, nature does not give usa guarantee. Pack-ice is unpredictable andmayprevent our ships to complete theplanneditinerary. Kayaking is subject to weather andin Antarctica (only at specific sites) activitymight alsobe limitedby IAATO local sites andenvironmentalregulations.

What are the weather conditions?In the austral summer around the coasts ofAntarctica, temperatures are generally close to freezing in the summer (December-February) months, or evenslightlypositiveinthenorthernpartoftheAntarcticPeninsula.ThetemperaturesinAntarcticavarybetweenabout-5and8°C.Togetherwithastrongwindtheselowtemperaturesfeellikerealsub-zerotemperatures.Thisiscausedbythewind-chillfactor.Warmandefficientclothing(andaflexibleattitude)arethebestmeanstoovercomethesesometimes harsh conditions. Exploring remote andwild regions likeAntarctica requires a sensible and flexibleapproach.Althoughtherecanbebrightskieswithsunshinetheweatherisunpredictable.Catabaticwinds,causedbytheicecapsandglaciers,canpickupsuddenlyandareafierceopponentforpolartravellers.Thismightleadtothecancellationofplannedkayakexcursions.Activitycanandwillonlytakeplaceinsafeweatherconditions. Safety: Oceanwidekayakguides&supportzodiacSafetyduringactivitiesisimportanttous.Kayakguidesareexperiencedandqualifiedinstructorswhowillsupportourpassengers.Theexcursionswillbetailoredtotheskilllevelofthegroupandtheseaconditionsencountered.Asupportzodiacwillbeinthevicinityofthekayakgroup,justaradiocallawayincasesomeonefeelstiredandwishestoreturntotheship.

e EquipmentandclothingfortheArctic&AntarcticaAsconditionscanchangerapidly,makesureyouhaveclothingandequipmentsuitablefortheworstweather.SincethewaterinthePolarRegionsisaroundfreezingpoint(between-2and+3°C),goodkayakclothingisessential.

Important personal clothing to bring:Kayakersonlybringtheirpersonalwaterproof,windproofandbreathableoutershells(jackets,pants,hats,gloves)andthermalclothingtokeepwarmanddry.

Important personal kayak clothing and gear to bring (these items are not on the ship):• thermalunderweartoptobottom(forunderthewetsuitforhygienicpurposes)• fleecevestorjackettowearoverthethermals• breathable,windproofandwaterproof(e.g.Gore-Tex®)jacketorpaddleanorak/jacketandtrousers• warmfleecehat• turtleneck(neckgaiter)• gloves(GoreTex®outsideandThinsulateinside,preferablyski/snowboard/mountaingloveswith somegrip)• thicksocks• goodsunglasses• sunscreen/sunblock• waterproofbag(forcameraequipment)

The following items will be provided by Oceanwide Expeditions on m/v Plancius• 5singleseat&5doubleseatseakayaks(PerceptionHorizonIIandPerceptionSeaYak)• Paddlesincludingantidriprings• basic(thickneoprene)long-johnwetsuit(askforsizes)• kayaksplashskirt/spraycover• life-jacket/kayakvest(Palm)• Neoprenebooties• Neoprenecap

Important equipment notesDonotwearcottonclothinglikenormalT-shirtsandjeans!Whenwetthiswillnotinsulatemuchandwillthereforeincreasethechanceofhypothermia.Besidesitisalsonotverycomfortablewhilekayaking.NormalgloveslikeGore-Texorleatherarenotappropriateforkayaking.Neopreneglovesarenecessaryforkeepingyourhandswarminthefrigidwater.

e FrequentlyAskedQuestionsWhere do we go?Thekayakingprogramrunsparalleltotheregularprogram.Sowhenthenon-kayakersgoforalandingorzodiaccruisethekayakersgokayaking.Thismeansyoucanalwaysjointheregularprogram.Thekayakingisdonenearbythelandingplacesoftheregularprogram,asmentionedinyouritinerary.Astheitinerariesaredifferentforeachtripyouhavetolookatyourprogramtofindroughlytheareawherethepaddlingwillbedone.

Are there any extra kayak clothes on board?Thebasickayakequipmentisavailableonboard.Beforeyouleavemakesurethatyoursizesarereserved.SpecialkayakgearisgenerallynotavailableforsaleinUshuaia.

Where do I buy neoprene gloves and booties?Theseitemsaresoldindivingshops,kayakshopsandsurfingshops.Nospecialisedkayakgearisnecessarythough,surfglovesandbootieswilldo.

Do I need special skills for paddling?Totakepartinthekayakexcursions,passengersarerequiredtohaveafitphysicalhealthandbasickayakexperience.Basicskillsshouldincludenormalhandlingofakayakinmoderateweatherconditions.Itisnotnecessarytobeabletodokayak“Eskimo”rolls,butyouhavetofeelcomfortableinakayak.Kayakparticipantswithaclearlackoftheseabilitiescanbedisqualified for further kayakingonour kayakexcursionsdue to safety reasons. If youhaveanyfurtherquestionsabouttherequiredskillspleasecontactouroffice.

How long are the kayak excursions? Kayakexcursionsnormallylastthreetofourhours.Weleaveafterbreakfastorlunchandarebackonboardoftheshipforthenextmeal.Thekayakexcursionsrunparalleltothenormalexpeditionprogram.

How often do we go out?Oneverycruisewithakayakoptionwehopetoscheduleupto4kayakexcursions.However,itmustbesaidthatthePolarRegionsareunpredictablewhereitrelatestotheweather.Thismightleadtolessorevennokayakexcursionsaskayakingcanandwillonlytakeplaceinsafeweatherconditions.

e ContactusOceanwide Expeditions, Head OfficeBellamypark94381CGVlissingenTheNetherlandsT+31(0)118410410E+31(0)118410417Einfo@oceanwide-expeditions.comWwww.oceanwide-expedtions.com

Oceanwide Expeditions, USA & Canada Reservations15710JFKBlvd,Suite285Houston,TX77032–USAT+18004537245or+12819879600F+12819871140Eusa@oceanwide-expeditions.comWwww.oceanwide-expeditions.com Ph

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Kayaking Manual, version: 18April,2011©OceanwideExpeditions