Glacier Kayaking in Switzerland

Kayaking on Lake Brienz

The boat rental location was a large wooden fishing shack with stairs descending to the boat ramps. Being the first customer, I was promptly greeted and offered hot tea or coffee. I discovered the secret to being so ‘chill’ in the frigid weather is the ubiquitous access to hot tea or espresso. I happily obliged to the tea.

Fortunately, the Europeans do not believe in ‘iced’ tea or lukewarm tea but offer incredibly hot, burning tea to warm your hands for hours, even in the frozen mountain air. The secretary was dressed in hiking clothes, like most people in the area. She told me that most of the guides were British and only spoke English, although she was fine conversing in German or English with me.

The other customers soon arrived: a Dutch couple on their regular three-month holiday and an American from Boston on his regular winter trip to Switzerland. The British guides briefed us on how to paddle, stay with the group, and put on the specialized Neoprene wetsuits.

We descended the stairs to the rocky lake shore. The neoprene wetsuits were a must as the frigid water could quickly cause hypothermia in the event of a capsize. Also, the lakeside temperature was certainly colder. The guides directed us to kayaks based on our previous water experience, and we shoved off from the shore.

The Dramatic Mountainous Lakeshore

The boat ramp side of the lake was a gentle descent to the water. However, the mountainous lakeshore quickly turned into steep cliffs. Trickling streams from somewhere much higher in the mountains created picturesque mini-waterfalls sputtering down the cliff sides into the crystal blue water.

Sky and water seemed to echo each other’s brilliant colors, and both were impenetrably deep. The guide explained that the water in the lake and the streams originated in glaciers in the higher Alps and was naturally filtered through the mountain rock. My taste buds proved the freshness and quality of the water.

Our female guide explained that the lake was formed during the melting Ice Age as retreating glaciers left craters in the rock. As such, the lake was incredibly deep. I gazed into the crystal blue richness, fearing both its glacial temperature and depth.

Taking in the Majestic Views

As an experienced kayaker, I charged ahead and spun around to enjoy the stunning view. Towering mountain cliffs surrounded the lake as if to hide its crystal beauty from the world. The commanding higher alpine peaks appeared darker blue against the bright blue sky, with their snow-peaked caps crowning their eminence. The humble wooden fishing shack appeared as a dot connecting the landscapes.

Despite the neoprene suit, some water trickled into my suit, harshly reminding me of its necessity and numbing my fingers. We stopped at a dock on the opposite side of the lake to rewarm with more hot tea and chat.

The Dutch man was a professional travel photographer. This three-month ‘vacation’ provided most of his photographic media, which he licensed and peddled for the rest of the year.

His girlfriend was an amateur model, less accustomed to such rugged adventures, but was trying her best. The American, Michael, was a software programmer who originally came for his annual ski trip. A knee injury prompted him to seek other adventures, hence kayaking.

The Guide’s Perspective

Our female guide was originally from Spain. She became a tour guide for lust for travel, love of the mountains, and to save money to go back to university. She already spoke five languages, but lack of a formal degree prevented her from higher-paying jobs.

She advised that, basically, everyone in the town spoke English. Therefore, it was relatively easy for anyone to work as a guide or hotel worker as an excuse to stay in Europe and travel. But learning German would make it much easier to get along with the locals and stay long-term. I kept her information in mind for future life plans.

A Castle Tour and Seasonal Contrasts

The guide led us up a hill to a castle and tourist restrooms. The castle was currently reserved for a wedding, so we were unable to enter. However, most boating trips included this tour.

Summer kayaking tours allowed time for swimming and did not need the bulky neoprene suits. Regardless, the snow provided an unmatched winter wonderland feeling. Sufficiently warm and acquainted, we returned to the boats and the crystal lake.

A wispy cloud had dared to enter the sky’s horizon and shade the sun. A single gentle snowflake finally fell onto my paddle. I looked up and saw the water’s surface magically sprinkled with fairy snowflakes from the daring cloud. Silent snow and lapping crystal waves, backdropped against the indomitable mountains, made time to be still and breathe.