Watch: Cruise ship rocked by 40-foot waves in notorious Drake Passage
Cruise ship battled massive waves in notorious Drake Passage
Cruise ship passengers had to face massive waves while crossing the notorious Drake Passage, the turbulent waters between South America and Antarctica.
A cruise ship turned into a wild ride after the vessel entered the infamous Drake Passage, forcing passengers and the vessel to combat huge waves.
The backstory:
The passage lies between the tip of the South American continent and Antarctica.
Passenger Lesley Anne Murphy was onboard the Quark Expeditions’ Ocean Explorer ship and recorded footage that showed passengers falling onto walls and sliding across the floor as giant waves crashed into the vessel.
Murphy believes some waves reached between 30 and 40 feet. She said the ship had paneled windows that allowed passengers to see waves coming.
What they're saying:
Quark Expeditions said the passage is formidable as the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern oceans flow into it, which creates "fierce" weather and "dramatic ocean conditions."
Murphy’s Instagram post described the experience as a 48-hour roller coaster.
"I am proud to say we survived not one but two Drake Shakes," she said. "If you’re lucky, you get the ‘Drake Lake.’ If you’re like us, you get the ‘Drake Shake’ with 35-foot waves."
She added that she was safe, and it was worth it for the "trip of a lifetime."
The Source: Storyful contributed to this report. The information in this story comes from passenger Lesley Anne Murphy, who was aboard the Quark Expeditions’ Ocean Explorer ship. This story was reported from Los Angeles.