HAVE YOU HEARD OF DRAKE’S PASSAGE?
The name is attributed to Sir Francis Drake, an English explorer best known for his circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition between 1577 and 1580. It is one of the most enigmatic places to ever visit in a lifetime. It is breathtaking and considered the most dangerous place on earth.
The Drake Passage’s location is of particular interest to those journeying to Antarctica. It extends from Cape Horn in Chile’s Tierra del Fuego’s archipelago, its southernmost tip to Antarctica’s South Shetland Islands, and serves as the shortest route possible to the icy continent. It connects the southwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean with the southeastern part of the Pacific Ocean and extends into the Southern Ocean (the roughest ocean on Earth). It lies on the confluence of three oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic, and Southern Ocean or the Austral. Due to this, the seawater swells in the Passage and can range anywhere from dead calm to above 13 meters high. These insanely large swells cause ships to rock from side to side constantly, and quite drastically. It is terrifying to watch and to experience. It is comparable to a rubber ducky in a kiddy pool.
It is known for its massive waves; in fact, the waves can reach up to 18 meters high. In addition, it is also home to some incredible winds and ocean currents. Even though it’s a very remote part of our world, there are still thousands of people who make their way through it every year. The main reason it is so beset by storms is because the Southern Ocean, which encircles the frozen continent of Antarctica, is unbroken by land, meaning that mighty winds primarily from the west, can rush around the globe unimpeded. Without the break up in the flow of water, the currents at this latitude combined with the strong winds and ever-changing weather conditions produce the seawater swells, as well as the gale force winds at Beaufort Scale 10.
There is also the Drake Shake or the Drake Lake. It is a 2 ½ day journey overland and 2 days back from Antarctica.
Fly & Cruise trips that involve flying to the Antarctic Peninsula in both directions start at about USD$11,000/person, making them around 20% more expensive on a per-day basis than a standard Antarctic cruise, in the range of USD$9,000/person. You can sail aboard MS Seaventure on a 15-day Antarctica Cruise starting in Ushuaia, through the Beagle Channel, Cape Horn, and Drake Passage onward to the Antarctic Peninsula and the Antarctic Circle. It takes around 48 hours to cross the Drake Passage by boat, but you can fly it in under 2 hours. Around 1 in 4 crossings will experience turbulent seas. Captains are experienced and well-equipped to avoid the worst weather, and change course regularly for the smoothest path.
While there is no such thing as the best month to cross the Drake Passage, it is best to cross the Passage during the Antarctic summer (from October to February) when the Antarctic weather helps create calmer seas. Passengers heading across the Passage can expect temperatures ranging from about 5°C (41°F) in the north to -3°C (26°F) in the south. There are many icebergs. The largest of the existing ones is Iceberg A-76A which drifts nearly 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) away in the Passage.
The Drake Passage (even today) feared by sailors is known throughout history as one of the most treacherous and dangerous bodies of water in the world. Almost 800 ships have already sunk there, tragically claiming the lives of some 20,000 sailors in the process. There are more than a few shipwrecks to see.
Sammy RNAJ
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