A globetrotting surfer seeking to catch waves in the frigid seas of Antarctica instead encountered a welcoming committee of penguins. Lots of penguins. Kepa Acero from the Basque region of Spain eased into the water, climbed aboard his surfboard, and paddled toward a colony of penguins hanging out on an iceberg. A couple of times, he found himself in the water surrounded by jumping penguins. “For a moment,” he said on the video, “they were everywhere.” Take a look at Acero’s incredible encounter:

Acero is undertaking a project called 5 Seas in which his quest is to surf virgin surfing spots in five different seas. Antarctica is his fourth destination aboard the Pakea Bizkaia after surfing in the Sea of Angola, the Indonesia Sea, and at the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean. If he eventually does catch a wave, Acero will become the first European to surf in Antarctica.

Acero didn’t catch a wave Thursday in the Antarctic waters ranging from 35 to 41 degrees, but he didn’t much care, calling his unforgettable penguin encounter “very special.”

“It’s about being out there having an intimate relationship with nature,” Acero said. “At the very first, they were afraid of me. … But then they came around and played with me.

“They were really nice, really nice. … It has been unreal.”

And, no doubt, a bit chilly.

Thanks to Surfer magazine.