Drake Passage

Geographical location

As Drake Passage the strait between the southern tip of South America ( Cape Horn ) and the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula is called. It connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and is part of the Southern Ocean.

Name

It is named after Francis Drake, as this she accidentally discovered on his voyage around the world, looking after two aborted by storm escort ships.

History

The lake area was first sailed by Willem Cornelisz Schouten in 1616, originally named the road to Jacob Le Maire, the discoverer of Cape Hoorn, Strait of Le Maire. It is possible that the area before Drake and Schouten of the Spanish captains, Francisco de Hoces ( 1526) and Gabriel de Castilla (1603 ) is frequented. Therefore, the strait in Spanish, Argentinean and Chilean sources is often referred to as Mar de Hoces.

In Spanish, however under " Estrecho de Le Maire " the passage between Tierra del Fuego and island States understood.

Geography

The road is the only ocean current to flow around the entire globe of Staten Iceland to the South Shetland Islands 480 nautical miles wide and almost free of islands, which the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is a possibility. This prevents the penetration of warmer water to the Antarctic coast and thus allows only the formation of the massive ice cap. Until about 41 million years ago the Drake Street was still closed and Antarctica much warmer than today, comparable to the contemporary Scandinavia.

The wildlife of the lake area is rich. Whales and dolphins, but also albatrosses and penguins can be observed.