Tag: whales

Ask anyone to name the animal they’re most excited to see in Antarctica and penguins are almost always going to be top of their list. Whilst their charisma is undeniable it often threatens to overshadow the region’s other great wildlife experiences. Antarctica is in fact one of the world’s greatest destinations for whale watching.  There […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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’ […]

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 […]

“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. […]

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 […]