The Drake Passage is one of the most notoriously treacherous bodies of water in the world. Sitting between the southern tip of South America and the Shetland Islands of Antarctica, it is a dividing line of sorts between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Because of its unique geographical location, it has been known to see some incredibly bad weather, which can make sailing through those waters a precarious affair.
Recently, ski guide Kent McBride experienced this first hand when he was returning from an expedition to the Antarctic in which he, and some teammates, skied a variety of locations in the region. After finishing up that excursion, the team was on its way back to Chile, when they caught out in the Drake Passage when things began to get a bit dicey. You can see the results in the video below, which show the waters there rolling dramatically, while we’re informed that the wind gusts are topping out the Beaufort Scale, which is a ranking between 1 and 12 that indicates the force and danger of the winds. In this case, the ship was experiencing a 12 on that scale, which is hurricane force.
You can read more about Kent’s adventures over at the Born Out There Blog, which is the official blog of First Ascent gear.
Warning: If you’re prone to sea sickness, this video may be enough to put you over the edge.
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Nice video. Good to check that out before you travel!
Awesome video. I am sure it must be a very adventurous trip.
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Great footage! Video rarely conveys the feeling of being in seas that large…they always seem much smaller than in real life. Congratulations for making it through such a storm. And what a thrill to see that anemometer hit 78! Cheers!
wow really interesting movie clips thanks for sharing
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