Antarctic Adventure Activities
Picture a humpback whale gliding past your kayak or sleeping out in the pristine snow of a polar campsite. An adventure activity can take your Antarctic cruise to the next level.
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A full concierge service, unlike booking direct: we leave nothing to chance in delivering your perfect trip
Special Offers Available: Swoop has access to the widest range of offers and can help you find the right trip, cabin, & price.
Expert impartial advice at no extra cost: no-nonsense advice on 1500 voyages across 30 ships
The Antarctic Experts. No Compromises: there’s no question we can’t answer
The only B Corp certified Antarctic specialist: so your adventures can be a force for good
A full concierge service, unlike booking direct: we leave nothing to chance in delivering your perfect trip
Citizen science turns expedition cruise ships into scientific research platforms, with passengers involved in collecting data for collaborative projects with internationally-recognised research institutions – and gaining a whole new perspective on the White Continent in the process.
By tracking individual whales throughout the world’s oceans thanks to their unique tail markings, the Happywhale project study is expanding our scientific knowledge of their behaviour and distribution.
Passengers on expedition cruise ships are encouraged to upload photos of whale sightings to the Happywhale website, which is used by many cetacean researchers. With each sighting tagged, it's even possible to 'follow' the whales you spot as they migrate throughout the year.
Want to know how your photos can help track humpbacks?
Swoop Antarctica Expert Ian
Melted glacial water can influence and change the population of phytoplankton along the Antarctic Peninsula by affecting the salinity of its waters. This citizen science project, run by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in University of California (San Diego), is aimed at understanding what impact this might have on the polar ecosystem.
The Fjord Phyto project involves collect phytoplankton as you visit various location along the Antarctic Peninsula for laboratory analysis.
We took part in the Fjord Phyto project
Swoop Antarctica Expert Daniel
Working in conjunction with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, this citizen science project involves conducting bird surveys at sea, helping scientists to understand large-scale seabird distribution patterns and habitat usage in the Southern Ocean.
Often a favourite of polar travellers, conducting these surveys means working in small groups with a naturalist guide, and being out on deck with your binoculars – a great way to spend time on the Drake Passage to and from the Antarctic Peninsula.
Want to count albatrosses on the South Ocean Seabird Survey?
Swoop Antarctica Expert Mike
Clouds affect how much sunlight is being absorbed by the earth and how much heat is escaping back into space.
This citizen science project run by the NASA Langley Research Centre involves record cloud cover timed to weather satellite fly-overs, to better train them by marrying up ground observations with remote sensing, in a part of the globe where data is hard to come by. In doing so, the satellites help scientists produce better climate models.
Want to know more about joining the NASA cloud survey?
Swoop Antarctica Expert Julie
Data collected by HappyWhale led to the creation of maximum cruising speed limit for ships around the Antarctic Peninsula, to reduce the chance of accidental ship strikes on whales: a direct conservation outcome of citizen science.
This study helps scientists understand how the distribution, composition and abundance of phytoplankton are altering as the oceans are affected by climate change.
Participants record the depth when a Secchi Disk disappears from sight when lowered vertically into the seawater from a stationary boat – a recognised measure of water clarity and phytoplankton density in a part of the world where melting glaciers affects the salinity of the sea and the food chains that depend on it.
Want to know about Secchi disks and ocean health?
Swoop Antarctica Expert Rebecca
Seaweed can be a great indicator of the health of the sea and coastline, but little is currently understood about the waters around South Georgia. This project, created by the London Natural History Museum aims to address that.
By logging seaweed rafts at sea, observations of native and possible invasive species on the coast, and bleaching events potentially caused by warming seas, citizen scientists contribute to baseline data in an area that few scientists have yet been able to survey.
Want to know more about South Georgia's seaweed?
Swoop Antarctica Expert Otto
Want to get involved? Speak to our Antarctic specialists about which voyages will give you the most opportunities to contribute to citizen science projects.
Being able to participate in the Citizen Science zodiac trip to do water sampling was fantastic. Our science leader was so passionate about the project. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2024
Laurie Anne Douglas - USA
I loved the Citizen Science component. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2024
Nicole MacDonald - Canada
I also loved being able to participate in the science experiments being done during the trip and I did several of them. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2024
Daniel Goldberg - USA
I wanted to explore and experience as much as I could - to see what Antarctica had to offer. I also appreciated the Citizen Science and historical lectures. Read the full review
Travelled: January 2024
Courtney Caldwell - USA
10/10 - The small ship with its citizen science focus and commitment to conserving and enhancing the Antarctic ecosystems. Read the full review
Travelled: January 2024
Diane Luhrs - Australia
It taught me about cloud surveys, plankton studies, happy whale and the health of penguin colonies as well as the impact of the avian flu on sea mammals. I learned so much and have already been peppering some of my learnings when I speak about my experience. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2023
Christen Glogowski - USA
Make sure to go on a boat and with a company that is so associated with science and Antarctic tourism. I was happy to know my tourism was not harming the area. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2023
Jessica Spangler - USA
I was amazed and thrilled by the Citizen Science program, especially the cloud exploration led by Tracey. The penguin spotters added another lovely dimension and humour as well. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2023
Julie Carlin-Sasaki - UK
I had SO MUCH FUN!!! I had never been in a zodiac before and loved every minute. I felt safe at all times, had confidence in the drivers, and LOVED doing Citizen Science from a zodiac daily. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2023
Wendy Williamson - USA
I had SO MUCH FUN!!! I had never been in a zodiac before and loved every minute. I felt safe at all times, had confidence in the drivers, and LOVED doing Citizen Science from a zodiac daily. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2023
Wendy Williamson - USA
We were pleasantly surprised in the opportunity to be included in the research projects and experiments in which the expedition staff were involved. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2023
John Mark Bowles - USA
They are inspirational. Alison encouraged me on the science boat, Wendy explained the bird life and I enjoyed a survey with her. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2021
Chris Dixon - UK
Very professional, well versed, informative and interesting staff. We learned so much and felt like we got to know them. They would join us for meals, stop by and visit as we were hanging out in the lounge and just plain interact with us as shipmates. Really cool. It was amazing the backgrounds and work that these folks have done in their careers. I signed up for kayaking (Bob) and the team that lead that was great. We got to paddle quite a bit and got to see many things from an entirely different perspective. Above all else, their overall focus on safety and bio-security was impressive. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2020
Monica Scott - United States Of America
All the staff were knowledgeable and made the experience much more educational than I had anticipated. Read the full review
Travelled: December 2019
Mike Ciccolella - United States Of America
The Antarctic is a world unto itself; there is nothing like it anywhere. I am very active in wildlife conservation and the impacts of climate change so I appreciated the knowledge of the staff and the science which is ongoing on the continent. I didn't want to end the trip; I could have stayed for another two months exploring, data collecting etc. Read the full review
Travelled: February 2019
Jane Alexander - United States Of America
Review:
The Polar Citizen Science Collective facilitates ship-based citizen science programmes in the polar regions. It was founded in 2015 by five expedition guides including friends-of-Swoop Bob Gilmore, who helps coordinate programs on expedition ships, and Ted Cheeseman, founder of happywhale.com. Together, they saw an opportunity to involve guests in scientific research.
The collective argue that their education programs help create ambassadors, 'committed, enthusiastic and action-oriented travellers who will return home to champion for the protection of the polar regions'.
How does the Polar Citizen Science Collective work?
Swoop Antarctica Expert Paul
The Antarctic is a critical part of the Earth’s climate system and a sensitive barometer of climate change. Understanding how the polar regions are responding to climate change is essential for monitoring change and predicting future changes.
Many scientific studies tracking trends rely on ‘big data’, which is exactly what citizen science can supply - the global eBird project, for example, run by the Cornell University Ornithology Lab, received over 3 million data sets from citizen scientists in 2015. By giving policy makers and politicians accurate information, these scientific studies can inform conservation efforts and policies.
Wildlife watching for the Citizen Science program
Special Offers:Swoop has access to the widest range of offers and can help you find the right trip, cabin, & price.
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Picture a humpback whale gliding past your kayak or sleeping out in the pristine snow of a polar campsite. An adventure activity can take your Antarctic cruise to the next level.
Discover MoreZodiac cruises are at the heart of every polar trip, allowing you to experience Antarctica up close, from cruising through the ice to close wildlife encounters.
Discover MoreActive learning is at the heart of the Antarctic expedition cruise experience, with the chance to closely engage with the science and spectacle of the White Continent.
Discover MoreAntarctica is a photography paradise. Sail with other keen photographers and a team of on-board professionals to get the most out of your cruise.
Discover MoreOur team has visited Antarctica over 150 times and has 100 collective years of polar experience, so from which trip is right for you to what shoes to bring - there’s no question we can’t answer.
Choosing the right voyage is complicated, Swoop makes it easy. We offer no-nonsense advice on 1500 voyages across 30 ships to find you the right trip, cabin, price - and we don’t charge a fee.
We want to protect Antarctica for future generations - which is why we became a certified B Corp and set up our own conservation fund. So your adventures can be a force for good.
We leave nothing to chance in delivering your perfect trip and have over 6500 happy travellers to show for it. With a dedicated Antarctic co-ordinator & support throughout - you’re in safe hands.
We'll spend some time listening to your aspirations, then discuss the kind of experience that might suit you.
Next we'll discuss the options, shortlist the best trips for you and present you our impartial recommendations.
We'll place a 24 hour hold on your preferred option - without obligation - whilst we talk through the details.
With over 100 years of Antarctic experience between us, we can help guide you to exactly the right trip for you.
1-888-970-4570We don’t charge a commission and there are no hidden fees. Just impartial, expert advice from the leading Polar cruise agent. Schedule a call with our Antarctic Experts today.
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