Category: Stories & Inspiration

It’s one of the greatest Antarctic stories ever told: Sir Ernest Shackleton’s doomed attempt to cross Antarctica that was thwarted when his ship Endurance was crushed in the ice, followed by the long and desperate struggle to get his men safely home.  For over a century, the wreck of Endurance lay hidden from the outside […]

It was in the last few days of our Antarctic Peninsula cruise that our Expedition Leader Ashley brought something special to our attention. We were in the lecture lounge listening to her present her round up of the day’s activities and what tomorrow’s plan would bring when a map flashed up on the screen. By […]

My first time in a zodiac in Antarctica felt a little daunting. I stood on a platform at the back of our sturdy ship and looked at the rubber boat bobbing up and down on the waves. A crew member held out their hand to steady me in a sailor’s grip and help me step […]

Your first wildlife encounter on an Antarctic trip is often your most poignant. It was for me. I headed south with my head full of thoughts of penguins and whales, not suspecting that the wildlife show would begin almost the moment my ship pulled away from the quay. As soon as we entered the Drake […]

It’s delightfully easy to think of Antarctica as a completely pristine environment, untouched by humanity. Maybe it’s the vast blankets of snow that encourages you to think that yours are the first footsteps ever to leave a trace there. It’s an innocent enough fantasy when you’re on an expedition cruise, indulging your sense of personal […]

At Swoop, we like to think that no one knows Antarctica better than us. Every year, we send more team members to the Antarctic than any other polar travel agency to keep our knowledge of the White Continent and the polar cruise fleet as sharp as it can be.  In the 2023/24 season that’s just […]

Is there any creature so emblematic of Antarctica as the penguin? Seeing these endlessly charming birds is a true highlight of any trip to the Antarctic – watching them waddle their way to and from their rookeries, or dart like rockets through the waves when you’re out on the water. Perfectly adapted to their environment, […]

In 2023, Swoop achieved its B Corp certification, a mark of our commitment to our environmental stewardship, contribution to communities and service to our customers. To celebrate this year’s B Corp Month in March 2024, we’re celebrating by getting involved in a citizen science project, and using the Swoop Conservation Fund to contribute to the […]