Drake Passage is located in the Southern Hemisphere. Named after the British privateer and explorer Francis Drake. In the 16th century, he was one of the first to pass these waters on his ship "Golden Doe", making a trip around the world. It lasted three years - from 1577 to 1580. The frigate Drake passed through the channel in 1578
This water area is unique. Here are the strongest storms. This is the only place on the planet where the waves rise above 15 meters.
Geographic features
Drake Passage deserves special attention from scientists. Where is this water area located? The strait is located between two continents: South America and Antarctica. It connects the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. From the north, the boundaries of the strait are delineated by the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, and from the south by Graham's Land (part of the Antarctic Peninsula). The famous Cape Horn is located here - this is a piece of land that goes around every traveler who circumnavigates the world. This is the only option when it can be bypassed if you layway through the Panama Canal. Cape Horn is the extreme point of the archipelago.
Characteristic
Drake Passage is the widest strait on Earth. In its widest part, it reaches a length of approximately 800-900 kilometers. The average depth of the strait is 4000 m, but there are some sections of the seabed that go to a depth of 5000 m or more.
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current, also called the West Wind Current, passes through the strait. This is the only circulating flow of water passing through all the meridians of the Earth. This current among the ocean is considered the most powerful. As a result, severe storms in the Drake Passage are not uncommon. Waves in bad weather with wind gusts of 35 m/s can rise up to 15 m, and sometimes even higher.
Due to the proximity to Antarctica (Drake Passage on the map, see below), icebergs are often found in this water area. The average annual air temperature in these places is about +5 °C. The water temperature of the strait ranges from approximately -2 to +10 °C. Although the climate in these places is quite severe, the strait almost never freezes completely and remains navigable all year round.
Plant and animal life
The Drake Passage and its surrounding areas are teeming with life, although the local climate is not very favorable in this regard. On the shores of Antarctica and South America, washed by the strait, and on icebergs, many species of the penguin family live, including Magellanic,Antarctic, Papuan and golden-haired. Adélie penguins also live here.
From birds in these places there are species from the petrel and skua families. Phytoplankton, represented by diatom blue-green algae, and zooplankton, especially copepods (copepods), are widespread in the water of the strait.
Drake Passage is a great habitat for other animal species. For example, here you can meet some of the largest representatives of the ocean expanses from the cetacean order, for example, the blue whale. Some species of the true seal family live here. These are predators, feeding mainly on fish, molluscs, krill, and also crustaceans. Representatives of this subspecies, called the sea leopard, often attack penguins and even other seals.
