The Drake Passage is the legendary gateway to Antarctica. Each crossing is different and may present a range of conditions: from the Drake Lake to the infamous Drake Shake. In this first installment of our new video series What to Expect, expedition leader Lucho Verdesoto describes what it's like to navigate this historic body of water. | Lindblad Expeditions

Passengers on a cruise ship endured huge waves as they traveled through the infamous Drake Passage. | storyful

DRAKE PASSAGE — The Drake Passage is a wild and treacherous stretch of ocean that lies between the southern tip of South America, near Cape Horn, and the icy shores of Antarctica. It serves as the connection between the Atlantic Ocean and the Southern Ocean and spans about 800 kilometers in width. Known as one of the roughest sea crossings on Earth, the Drake Passage is infamous for its fierce winds, towering waves, and unpredictable weather. This area falls within the “Furious Fifties,” a latit