Tag: Antarctic cruise

The Antarctic Peninsula is a frozen finger pointing towards the far tip of South America. This is the Antarctica that most travellers are familiar with, cruising up and down its western coastline from the South Shetland Islands towards the Antarctic Circle. Far fewer visitors make it to the Weddell Sea.  Last season I joined Swoop’s […]

My name is Bob Gilmore, and I’ve been working and guiding in the polar regions for over 20 years now. I first reached Antarctica in 1996 with the USAP (United States Antarctic Program) at McMurdo Station. I was instantly hooked, it was magic in all directions, and when I discovered the Polar tourism industry in […]

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 […]

“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. […]

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 […]

A handful of Swoop’s customers choose to venture to both the Antarctic and to Patagonia on the same trip. Swoop only specialises in these two destinations and so is perfectly placed to offer the dream trip to someone looking for a double-adventure! We know both regions inside out and can tie two ends of an […]

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 […]