The Drake Passage on the Way to Antarctica Is Notoriously Intense. Rough Waters: One of the most notorious places for rock-and-roll cruising is the Drake Passage, the body of water between Cape Horn -- the southernmost tip of South America -- and the South Shetland Islands in Antarctica.

The Drake Passage, the body of water between the southern tip of South America at Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica, is widely considered the roughest sea in the world. This 500-mile-wide stretch is where the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans converge without any landmass to break the currents or winds. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current flows unimpeded, often resulting in "The Drake Shake," where waves can reach heights of 30 to 40 feet (9 to 12 meters) or more during frequent storms. Another contender is the Southern Ocean in the "Roaring Forties" and "Furious Fifties" latitudes, where persistent westerly winds create massive, unrelenting swells. In the Northern Hemisphere, the North Sea is notorious for its shallow depths and short, choppy waves that are particularly dangerous for smaller vessels. However, for sheer consistent intensity and the scale of its "rogue waves," the Drake Passage remains the ultimate test for maritime navigation and the most formidable maritime crossing for researchers and tourists heading to the Antarctic continent in 2026.