quick Facts
Name: Drake pass
Place: Between the tip of South America and Antarctica
Coordinates: -58.58153988533979, -64.51727013412221
Why it is incredible: The route is one of the most dangerous ocean crossings in the world.
The Drake route is an ocean channel between the southern end of South America and the West Antarctic Peninsula. In the name of 16th century Explorer Sir Francis Drake, it is notorious for killing wild storms and monster waves Up to 80 feet (25 m) long.
The route is “the most dreaded bit of the ocean on the world,” Alfred Lanceing wrote In his 1959 book “Patience: Shekalton’s incredible visit to Antarctic“About 600 miles (965 km) wide, channel Relatively narrow Compared to the ocean surrounding it, which means currents increase speed because they are forced through the route. The same goes to the southern winds, which is flew from west to east around Antarctica before reaching the Drake route.
As the funnel is through the winds, they whispered the huge waves, some of which may be dangerous – And even fatal -48 hours long crossing boats for passengers. In the best case, the waves make up for a bumpy ride, known as the “drake shake”.
“It is always interesting when you go to dinner and they put sticky mats on all tables to ensure that your plates and things do not slide around,” Karen HewoodA professor of physical oceanography at the University of East Anglia in the UK, who left through the Drake route in 2024, Told National Geographic,
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The Drake route is a “melting pot” of streams from the Atlantic, Pacific and Southern Oceans, Hewood said. The water is so turbulent that layers that usually mix the seas simultaneously, means that the passage draws too much carbon down in its depth compared to other parts of the ocean.
The world’s oceans closed over 30 National Geographic reported that carbon humans are emitted in the atmosphere every year among carbon humans, and the Drake passage can be one of the few places where this activity is particularly clear.
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The route also keeps Antarctica cool, as it cuts into hot air which will otherwise blow South from South America. Research This suggests that when the Drake route was opened 49 million and 17 million years ago, it triggers significant cooling in Antarctica and contributed to the development of huge ice sheets on the continent.
As you cross the temperature while crossing the route, it is also worth noting for people on ships, Alberto Navira GarabatoA professor of physical oceanography at the University of Southampton in UK told the National Geographic. “Suddenly you are in this icy world,” said Navara Garbato.
Therefore, when excessive winds and streams inside the route create terrible conditions for travelers, they also help maintain the frigid climate of Antarctica – however Climate change system slowing down,
Whether it was not for the Drake passage and its wild weather, the possibility of the frozen continent would hold much less snow than currently.
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