I had warned Christopher in advance that I had wanted to kayak. Luckily, he was game.

On our boat, the silver endeavor, there are two excursions per day (one in the morning and one in the afternoon) and 16 slots are available for each excursion, weather permitting. Each afternoon we received a briefing for the next days excursions and at the conclusion could sign up for one of those 16 slots. At 9 PM each evening, the names were posted on the observation deck bulletin board.

We were quick to sign up and as luck would have it we were chosen for the very first excursion. A morning paddle on New Year’s Eve!

We suited up, loaded into the zodiac, received our safety briefing, and transferred to the kayaks not too far from the shore.

We saw gentoo penguins —that’s them porpoising in the water and on shore—an Antarctic shag or cormorant, and a snowy sheathbill.