Drake Passage

Drake Passage is the body of water between Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands, connecting the southwestern Atlantic and southeastern Pacific oceans.

Antarctic Circumpolar Current: The eastward ocean current that circles Antarctica without interruption by continental land. Drake Passage is the current’s narrowest major constriction, where its flow is concentrated.
Gondwana: An ancient southern supercontinent that included South America, Antarctica, Africa, Australia, and India. Its breakup separated South America from Antarctica and opened the region of the passage.
Cape Horn: A headland on Hornos Island at the southern tip of South America. It marks the passage’s northern boundary and the southern limit of South American land.
Francis Drake: An English naval commander and privateer who circumnavigated the globe from 1577 to 1580. The passage’s name is associated with Drake, although he may not have sailed through it.
Southern Ocean: The ocean surrounding Antarctica, defined by the waters south of the major ocean basins. Drake Passage lies within this circumpolar ocean’s connection between the Atlantic and Pacific.
Drake Passage opening: The geological formation of a deep-water connection between South America and Antarctica. Its timing and depth are central to explaining how the passage acquired its present oceanographic role.
South Shetland Islands: An archipelago north of the Antarctic Peninsula in the Southern Ocean. They mark the passage’s southern boundary and host gateways to Antarctic research.
Jacob Le Maire: A Dutch navigator who sailed around Cape Horn in 1616 with Willem Schouten. His expedition established the sea route around the southern tip of South America.
Agulhas Return Current: An eastward current that carries water from the southwest Indian Ocean toward the Southern Ocean. It is another major current that feeds into the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.
West Antarctica: The part of Antarctica west of the Transantarctic Mountains, including the Antarctic Peninsula. Its separation from South America helped establish the passage’s southern margin.

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