Icy Immersions
Take the Polar Plunge at Deception Island, Antarctica
Take the Polar Plunge at Deception Island, Antarctica
Head to Antarctica’s Deception island, strip down to your swimming shorts, and prepare yourself for the coldest few minutes of your life. A sensation that can be likened to swimming in a giant gin and tonic, this icy immersion will spike your adrenaline and leave you feeling positively euphoric as you retreat to your yacht’s on-deck Jacuzzi.
Superyacht crews have one word of advice for those taking the plunge – make it quick. The water is so cold you can't afford to spend more than a few seconds in it. Wading in slowly isn’t an option here – the best way to experience this total body shock is to take a running leap from your yacht’s tender, then climb back out to heated towels, courtesy of your waiting crew.
Doing the infamous Polar Plunge has become something of a rite of passage for adventurous travelers to Antarctica. After all, where else in the world can you have the unique opportunity of swimming in Antarctic waters, let alone in a Volcano? For Horseshoe shaped Deception island is the exposed peak of an Active Volcano, one that has erupted several times since humans first set foot in the South Shetlands around 1820. The island gets its name from its easy-to-miss opening into the flooded caldera, known as Neptune’s Bellows.
There is a slightly less extreme version of this experience, for those in the know. Ask your crew to tender you to Pendulum Cove, located on the north-eastern side of Whaler’s bay, a place where sulphurous steam rises inexplicably off the beach. Here you can dig your feet into the sand and feel the warmth of volcanic vents, deep below the surface. With the help of your onboard expedition guide, you might just locate one of the thermal springs along the shorelines, where warm water of temperatures of up to 158 degrees mixes with the icy ocean water to create natural hot tubs.
View more inspiration for your yacht charter in Antarctica
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