Chasing the Freeze: Kate Steels’ Unforgettable Ice Kilometre in Antarctica

As a child I always had two dreams – to swim the English Channel, and to visit Antarctica. The first I achieved in 2016, the second was about to come true with a huge extra: swimming an IISA Ice Kilometre! I was so excited, but also extremely apprehensive and nervous. I had experience and I’d trained and acclimatised well. However, I felt the pressure immensely. The fear of failure, of not reaching my potential and letting my sponsors and family down.

I was on an 11-day expedition to Antarctica with 13 other ice swimmers, plus Ram Barkai (founder and president of IISA) and our own doctor. We had all passed stringent medical checks including an ECG (electrocardiogram) and completed the necessary qualifying swims. The team spirit was fantastic. I knew many of the other swimmers and soon made new friends with the rest.

To reach Antarctica we had to cross the Drake Passage. This is frequently very rough, but on our way down to Antarctica we were lucky to have a very smooth crossing – we only experienced the dreaded ‘Drake Shake’ on the way back!

It was surprisingly warm and sunny when we reached Antarctica – although there was pristine snow, plus icebergs and penguins all around. Words cannot describe the stunning raw beauty and scale of this spectacular icy continent.

Our test swim of 250m took place on the first day in Antarctica. The weather was glorious and sunny with very light winds. It was our acclimatisation swim and whilst timed, it wasn’t supposed to be a race – although Rory, as a very fast and competitive swimmer, did race to come back first! We were in a sheltered cove and swam 125m to the other side of an inlet and back. The water was crystal clear and felt so good. Getting changed after the swim in thick snow was harder than the swim itself!

I had a nervous few days of waiting for my main swim. This was largely down to the weather further inside Antarctica, extreme brutal conditions, and complications in earlier ‘heats’ of swimmers.

Eventually it was my turn to swim. There were four of us altogether. It was early evening, but as we were so far south and only four weeks away from the southern summer solstice, there was bright daylight. Almost as soon as the ship anchored, looking out of our cabin I spotted two humpback whales breaching and blowing in the exact area where I was about to swim!

Whilst the ship’s crew and Ram went out to mark the swim course, I sat nervously in the cabin with Rory, trying to get into the right mindset for the swim and keep really warm. We could see all the Zodiac (RIB) activity outside.

The swim course comprised a 125m leg from an anchored Zodiac to a flag on the shoreline and back, repeated four times. I was full of nerves… The starting orders of “Take off your clothes” and “Get into the water” were announced and we lowered ourselves into the icy brine. The sea was -0.8°C. A few deep breaths and we were off. The water was really deep and the sky grey. Looking down as I swam, the water was a black abyss.

However, once in the water my nerves dissipated: I was truly in my happy place. I kept thinking what a privilege it was to be swimming in Antarctica. I thought of my late son, Daniel – and if only he was still with us. What would he have thought? I hope he would have been proud. I thought of my remaining family, my sponsors and everyone who has supported me to help achieve my dream. I am very grateful and thankful to them for having this amazing opportunity.

The odd lump of sea ice drifted or blew onto the swim course. Approaching 500m I swam into a lump lurking just under the surface… the scratches and bruises on my right forearm and chest attest to the unyielding harshness of this unspoilt environment.

I absolutely loved the swim and even managed to pick the speed up for the last 135m or so, finishing in a time of 17 minutes and 37 seconds.

Getting onto the Zodiac at the end was not easy – my foot slipped through the rope ladder and I was half dragged onboard. I huddled on the floor of the boat, covered in blankets and my Red EVO Pro Change Robe. The short ride back to the mother ship seemed to take forever and was definitely the hardest part of the whole experience for me.

Once back at the cruise ship I had to find the energy to stand up, then climb the stairs to our cabin – supported by Rory who was, as usual, my brilliant ‘second’ looking after me. The doctor checked me over and was happy to discharge me. A swim is never over until you have rewarmed properly. It’s really important to do this in a safe and controlled way. Your core temperature may drop for 10-20 minutes after leaving the water. This is known as the ‘afterdrop’ – so I wasn’t out of danger yet!

We had heated the cabin to maximum, so it was hot. I sat on the shower floor, very grateful for the underfloor heating! The rewarming started with a cold shower on just my hands and feet. Simultaneously, Rory soaked towels in hot water in the wash-basin and then put them around my kidneys, groin, neck and armpits – where vital organs are nearest the skin. Then, over the next 10 minutes or so, Rory very gradually increased the temperature and moved the shower higher up my arms and legs and then onto my body. Throughout all this time I was quite chatty, talking about the swim! I was then able to stand up and finish showering in a lovely hot shower before getting dressed.

Ice and marathon swimming really is a team effort. As soon as I was dressed, I was ready to go and support another swimmer in their recovery. The preparation and training, from ice baths to Patagonia, certainly paid off. There were a lot of celebrations that evening – and I enjoyed my first glass of wine for four month!