Tag: whales

Stories & Inspiration

Happy Whale and citizen science in Antarctica

Everyone who sails south to Antarctica is likely to have seeing whales pretty high on their wish list. It’s one of the world’s great whale watching destinations, especially once the calendar rolls around into the new year and the great whales start to congregate to feast on krill during the long days of the Antarctic […]

Read More
Stories & Inspiration

Antarctica’s fin whales: are their numbers finally in recovery?

Last November I was lucky enough to visit Elephant Island, that bleak mountainous outcrop at the farthest tip of the South Shetlands that points the way from the Antarctic Peninsula to South Georgia.  Elephant Island is forever famous as the location where the stranded men of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance expedition sheltered while ‘the Boss’ […]

Read More
Reviews

Why not all expedition teams are the same

I have now sailed into Wilhelmina Bay on two separate voyages, and kayaked there once. Along with Cuverville Island, it’s my favourite place on the Antarctic peninsular. If the sun is shining, Wilhelmina, literally sparkles, huge mountains rise from a crystal sea, and the icebergs are the size of houses, with shapes, moulded by time […]

Read More
Reviews

Declan & Karl’s Basecamp Adventure

“No matter how well travelled anyone was, we all had the same sense of childlike wonder in Antarctica. It exceeded all expectations: the scale, serenity and beauty of the continent makes an indelible mark on the soul.” Swoop Antarctica customer Declan took the trip of a lifetime on Swoop’s Antarctic Basecamp Adventure in December 2016. […]

Read More
Reviews

Conquering the 7th Continent

In March 2016, John, one of Swoop’s resident Polar experts, took an expeditionary cruise to the White Continent. An abundance of icebergs, wildlife and a fair degree of feisty weather all made for an unforgettable Antarctic experience. Ushuaia – the Gateway to Antarctica Arriving in Ushuaia was probably one of the most exciting and equally underwhelming experiences […]

Read More
Reviews

Iceberg Graveyards, Slumbering Humpbacks and a Polar Circle Party: Swoop’s Alex on returning to Antarctica

What was it like to visit Antarctica again? Antarctica is so magical that it always feels very special and a great privilege to be there. Two main things struck me this time: firstly just how different the same places can look under differing light conditions and at different times of the season. Secondly, the sheer […]

Read More
Antarctic cruises Reviews

Adventure in the face of adversity

Erik Geerts contacted Swoop to help him arrange an Antarctic adventure for him and his daughter, Natascha. Our Antarctica expert, Alex set about tailor making a once-in-a-lifetime trip for them both. Little did Alex or Erik know that a Chilean strike at Santiago Airport on the day that they were due to travel could threaten […]

Read More
Reviews

Bev & Owain’s Polar Circle Experience

Bev & Owain recently returned from their Polar Circle voyage aboard the Akademik Ioffe.  Here they reflect on their experience which included getting extraordinarily close to a humpback whale. What was the highlight of your trip?  What was your most memorable wildlife moment? Favourite landing site/ zodiac excursion? The highlight was the whale-watching excursions.  We […]

Read More