Author: John Newby

I remember booking my first trip to Antarctica and thinking ‘gosh, there are so many ship choices’. For those just starting to plan an Antarctic adventure, the options can seem a little overwhelming. Before you invest time in considering the many options out there, does it make a real difference what size your ship is? […]

One of the most common pre-voyage questions I get asked is: “What’s the Drake Passage like?” Returning clients rarely mention the Drake, especially if they enjoyed two easy crossings (one there and one back). With an estimated one in three crossing being a bit lumpy, those who have experienced the storms and rocked their way […]

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 […]

Polar plunges are quite literally the coolest thing you can do in Antarctica. On my last voyage 48 out of 92 people jumped into the icy water; that’s quite a lot. I’m going to take some credit for that enthusiasm. I was ready for the jump well ahead of time, walking around the lounge of […]

John, one of Swoop’s polar specialists, shares his top tips for getting the most out of your apps when in Antarctica: There is no denying the usefulness of apps on our smart devices. Whilst I’m sure we would all agree that too much screen time in Antarctica would be a bad thing, there are a […]

My home city of Bristol is also amongst other things, home to Swoop Antarctica, graffiti artist Banksy, and the UK’s biggest street art festival, UpFest. I’m not really a huge fan of tours, and to be honest I’m not all that bothered about street art, which until very recently, I considered vandalism. So, on my […]

Heading back to Antarctica for my second voyage in under a year is nothing short of an absolute privilege. This time I won’t be going alone, my partner, Agnes, will be joining me on what will be her first voyage to the Great White Continent. She is very excited, and I think that’s fantastic. To […]

I recently returned to the Arctic for the first time in four years. It was a cathartic moment: feeling the cold chill on my face and the fresh smell of ice burn my nostrils. All so very familiar, except this time I was travelling as a tourist, not going home. Northern Finland had been my home […]