You chose the wrong swamp. That's bad, yes. But it happens. Try to find one that is closer to a more friendly biome. I had swamps border all kinds of biome. I even had a swamp behind a small plains biome which bordered both a meadows and a black forest on the other side.

You have to look, and yes, swamp is hard for the freshmans that come out of the Black Forest, not knowing what to expect.

What you already know by know is, that you have to bring a portal with you and that it is safer to land on a more friendly biome bordering the swamp.

Good luck next time.