Waves in Drake Passage can reach up to 40 feet
THIRD AUSTRALIAN CRUISE IN WEEKS TURNS INTO 'NIGHTMARE' AFTER FUNGUS OUTBREAK PREVENTS ENTRY INTO NEW ZEALAND
Waves break on the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise in the Drake Passage as it navigates toward the Antarctic Peninsula on Feb. 10, 2018. (Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini/File)
The average water flow of the main current that flows through the passage, the west-to-east Antarctic Circumpolar Current, stretches more than 12,400 miles and is estimated to carry 135 million cubic meters of water, about 600 times the Amazon River’s volume.
The choppy waters of the Drake Passage, named after English explorer Sir Francis Drake, who never actually traveled through the waterway but died near the location in 1578, are believed to have caused more than 800 shipwrecks.
Generally, it is believed that the best month to visit Antarctica is in January when the Drake Passage seas are typically calmer, but the waterway remains unpredictable regardless of the month.
ANTARCTICA’S THWAITES 'DOOMSDAY GLACIER' SCIENTIFIC STUDY BLOCKED BY GIANT ICEBERG
Despite the sometimes dangerous waters and waves that can reach up to 40 feet, Abbamonte says passengers are willing to shell out "upwards of $20-$30K" in some case for the chance to visit the remote continent via luxury cruise.
https://www.tiktok.com/@theworldpursuit?lang=en&is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=mobile&sender_web_id=
"You can go out in zodiacs and see the ice up close," Abbamonte said. "Some people actually jump into the water, and you generally will see a lot of penguins in their own habitat."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Abbamonte said that the cruises to Antarctica are "very safe as far as expedition cruises go" despite the viral videos showing rough seas, and that travelers who would rather avoid the Drake Passage can fly to Antarctica, but those trips can be more expensive.
Comments