A CANOEIST from West Kilbride has just returned home after the sea kayaking trip of a lifetime to Antartica.

Annette Morris, a member of the Ardrossan-based Castle Craigs Canoe Club, was greeted by curious penguins while visiting the world’s southernmost continent as part of a Quark Wildlife Expedition.

The purpose of the trip was to spend several days sea kayaking in the pristine wilderness of the Antarctic peninsula.

Annette, who has been a member of Castle Craigs since 2010, described her trip as “a wonderful experience”, but added: “We had to keep clear of icebergs because they sometimes capsize without warning.”

She told the Herald: “It was my seventh continent. I’ve done all the continents and I wanted to do the last one. 

“We kayaked close to hundreds of penguins and saw the huge leopard seals. Every day, humpback whales were viewed in abundance.

“The penguins were very tame. They came right by us and they were just swimming up to the boat.

“We travelled on a Russian icebreaker, Sea Adventurer, which was a very comfortable mother ship. This took us and our kayaks through the Beagle Channel then out in to a very rough (Force 10) Drake Passage. 

“After two days we reached the seventh continent, the Antarctic. Fortunately I don’t get sea sick so enjoyed watching the majestic wandering albatrosses and petrels hovering above us.

“I’ve learned a lot with Castle Craigs. It’s lovely to go out and see all the wildlife.”

Castle Craigs Canoe Club members meet at Auchenharvie Pool on Thursdays at 8pm during the winter and at Largs Sailing Club at 7pm on Tuesdays during the summer.