Category: Stories & Inspiration

The seas around Antarctica teem with life, from penguins by the thousand to enormous humpback whales gorging themselves on krill. But what supports these ecological riches? Phytoplankton, that’s what: tiny single-celled plants converting sunlight into chemical energy to feed the ocean, sucking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere at the same time. On my most […]

At Swoop, we are firm believers in the power of travelling for good. Since the company was founded in 2010, we have tried to ensure our actions as a company are fully aligned with that belief. Swoop has always been an advocate for our destination at the ends of the Earth and it’s critical that […]

In February 2022 I remember sitting round the kitchen table with a small group of Swoopers and asking for their advice. Swoop had finally arrived at a watershed moment when it was clear that we were going to survive the challenges that Covid had thrown at us. The hard work and difficult choices had paid […]

There are a lot of amazing things to see in Antarctica. You can spend a happy hour indulging in the soap opera goings on of a penguin colony or patiently watch the horizon for the spout of a whale. There’s a lot of pleasure to be had in just gazing at icebergs as they pass […]

Since the early 20th century, female explorers have inspired generations of women to undertake exhilarating journeys all over the world.  From Amelia Earhart’s iconic solo flight across the Atlantic to Junko Tabei overcoming stereotypes to be the first woman to summit Everest, these stories have captivated hearts and minds, proving that adventure knows no gender […]

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 […]

It’s an open secret for anyone cruising to Antarctica that you don’t have to spot a penguin on the peninsula to kickstart your wildlife experience. The Drake Passage – that long stretch of sea that separates South America from Antarctica –  offers some tremendous birdwatching. And thanks to a new citizen science programme, cruise passengers […]

When you slow down to appreciate the smaller things in life, magic can happen. You can suddenly get an entirely new perspective on the world. I sailed to Antarctica for all the marvels that are on everyone’s ticklist: big ice, whales and lots of penguins. Even so, I didn’t expect to have my perspective altered […]