Almost 800 shipwrecks have been recorded between Cape Horn and the Antarctic Peninsula, giving the Drake Passage its reputation as the world’s most dangerous ocean crossing. During the height of the clipper route, shipping logs show 510 incidents a year due to damage by heavy weather. In the 1800s it had a reputation for swallowing ships whole.
Today the worst you can expect is a bout of severe motion sickness.
This mighty and mightily unpredictable ocean has two faces which have led to it being called the Drake Shake or Drake Lake, depending on the luck of your forecast. Even at its calmest the Drake Passage experiences an average swell of around 3m, with waves regularly exceeding 8m during storms.
Even on a modern expedition ship with sea stabilisers it can be a rough experience. It’s generally a two-day sailing to Antarctica from Ushuaia or Puerto Williams in the Beagle Channel. So, we’ve compiled the top remedies and survival tips for surviving the Drake Shake.
When you get to Antarctica it will all be worth it!
The best seasick remedies and medicine for the Passage
One of the most effective seasickness treatments are transdermal patches. Worn behind the ear, one patch will last up to three days or around the length of the Drake crossing.
Transderm scopolamine patches can be bought over the counter at pharmacies in New Zealand, without prescription. This makes Kiwi travel companions very popular, particularly with Australians and other nationalities who have to be prescribed patches.
The tried and tested Sea-Legs Meclozine tablets can also help relieve some symptoms of seasickness. Most travellers who know they are prone to travel sickness tend to opt in for stronger medicines like Phenergan. Some antihistamine-based nausea remedies can cause drowsiness or tiredness. Of course, as with any medicine, you’ll want to read the label and check that there are no reasons why you can’t use a specific remedy.
Even if you don’t manage to top up on medicine before you go, generally your ship’s doctor will be able to supply anti-nausea and seasickness medicine. However, it is generally more cost effective to source them beforehand.
There are of course plenty of non-medical remedies available to combat the effects of 48 hours on the open sea:
Seven Antarctic sea sickness remedies
Face the direction of travel - the motion is less intense, facing the front of the ship
Eyes on the horizon - where possible keep sight of the sky by a window
Get some fresh air - not always an option, but a bracing sub-Antarctic wind can help
Eat dry biscuits - dry snacks or chips can settle your stomach
Listen to music - soothing music provides a welcome distraction
Use pressure points - pressing on your wrists or wearing acupressure bands can help
Strong smells or tastes - strong flavours like ginger or mint can combat nausea
The unusual-looking sea sickness reducing expedition ship: The Greg Mortimer. Photo / Supplied
Why is the Drake Passage so rough?
At the meeting of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, the Drake Passage is notoriously rough. Running from 54 degrees to 62 degrees south, it’s the only latitude on Earth with no continental landmass. This means that the currents and winds swirl around the “Furious 50s” and the Drake with nothing but ocean to break the swell.
Currents flow as fast as 150 million cubic metres per second through the Drake, which is home to the world’s strongest ocean currents.
One person who knows the power of this ocean all too well is ocean rower Fiaan Paul, who captained the first man-powered crossing of the Drake Passage.
