The Drake Passage is the body of water between Cape Horn in Chile and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica, connecting the southwestern Atlantic Ocean with the southeastern Pacific Ocean. Named after the 16th-century English explorer and privateer Sir Francis Drake, it is also known as the Sea of Hoces (Mar de Hoces).
Traversing the Drake Passage is considered one of the most treacherous voyages for ships to make. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current runs through it unimpeded by any landmass, generating waves that regularly exceed 12 metres and earning the passage its reputation as “the most powerful convergence of seas”. As the narrowest choke point around Antarctica, the Drake Passage plays a critical role in global oceanic circulation and climate patterns. Its bathymetry drives the mixing of oceanic water masses, influencing ocean chemistry and heat distribution across the planet. This 800-kilometre strait remains the gateway for most scientific and adventure expeditions heading to the Antarctic continent.
