The PaddlerUK magazine July 2015 issue 3 | Page 52

The closer we get to
ThePaddler 52

the tip of Estro Peel, the more testing the weather
conditions became as the cold seeped into our
bones through our now damp thermals. Slipping into
our cold wet fleece each morning, took incredible
amounts of motivation and by this point we had not
felt the warmth of the sun in over ten days.

dodged the hefty icebergs that were all being swiftly
carried by the currents. We weaved our way
through the crunching, grinding and clashing
motorway of ice, until we reached the bowl where
the western side of the ice field flows down off the
mountains.

As the fjord began to narrow the currents
controlled our forward progress and the pinnacle of
our trip was now within touching distance. The last
corner of this dead end channel narrowed to
around 20 metres. The ebbing tide nearly always
dominated due to the influence of the melt water
flowing through. Moving onwards we carefully

What met us here was staggering. Five colossal blue
glaciers dropping into the sea, steep jagged rivers of
ice, cracking and booming ricocheted around the
natural amphitheatre, this place was certainly alive
with activity. Chunks fell regularly off the glaciers
front wall, creating yet more icebergs to choke our
escape passage. A single night was incredible but