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Drake Passage

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Why does Cape Horn have bad weather?

Several conditions contribute to making Cape Horn an especially dangerous passage for ships to negotiate. The absence of land mass below South America (40° south latitude) allows winds to pass freely from west to east. This is further intensified by the fact that Drake Passage, the waters between South America and Antarctica, is relatively narrow (435 nautical miles). The speed of these westerly winds are thus increased as they are constricted through the narrow channel between the Andes mountains and Antarctic Peninsula. The winds in Drake Passage are somewhat unpredictable and can reach up to 40 to 60 knots, and occasionally into the sixties. These winds can also give rise to large waves, especially south of Cape Horn where the sea is more shallow. West of the Horn, one may encounter even more fierce waves, sometimes reaching heights of 30 meters or more. This narrow breach of land has a similar effect on the water, speeding the Antarctic Circumpolar Current as it passes through unabated. Combine these factors with cold temperatures, jagged shorelines, and stealthy icebergs, and it is easy to see why Cape Horn and Drake Passage have such a notorious reputation.


What are the name of the small peninsula?

a spit or a point, like Point Pelee in Lake Ontario


What is a piece of land called when it protrudes from a larger land area into a body of water?

According to Merriam-Webster, a piece of land protruding from a larger land area into a body of water could be called a peninsula or a cape.


What place is at the northern tip of the coromandel peninsula?

The place at the northern tip of the Coromandel Peninsula is called Cape Reinga. It is located in the Northland region of New Zealand and is a significant cultural and spiritual site for the Maori people. At Cape Reinga, you can see the meeting of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean.


What are the key differences between a cape and a peninsula in terms of their geographical features and formations?

A cape is a pointed piece of land that extends into a body of water, while a peninsula is a piece of land that is surrounded by water on three sides. Capes are typically smaller and more narrow, while peninsulas are larger and have more varied terrain. Capes are often formed by erosion, while peninsulas can be formed by a variety of geological processes.

Related Questions

Is cape horn in Antarctica?

No. Cape Horn is in Chile, and it marks the northern border of Drake Passage, the waterway between Chile and the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.


What body of water is between Cape Horn in South America and the Arctic Peninsula?

The Caribbean Sea.


What is the body of water between Cape Horn in South America and the Antarctic Peninsula?

There are five Oceans on Earth. The Southern Ocean or Great Southern Ocean is the name of the body that lies between Antarctica and Australia.


Waterway between the southernmost tip of of America and the western Antarctic peninsula?

The Drake Passage is a deep waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It travels between Cape Horn, the southernmost point of South America and the South Shetland Islands.


What are Cape Horn Rollers?

They are ocean waves formed between Tierra Del Fuego the tip of South American and Antarctic peninsula.


What is the difference between a peninsula and a cape?

A peninsula has an isthmus connecting it to land where a cape doesn't.


What body of water separates south America from antarctica?

The Ocean that separate's South America from Antarctica is the Southern Ocean. The Sea that separates the tip of South America from the Antarctic peninsula is called the Scotia Sea. The Drake Passage seperates South America and the Antarctic, sitting, as it does between Tierra Del Fuego and the Antarctic Shetland Islands.


What difference is cape from peninsula?

The difference between a cape and a peninsula is a peninsula is almost entirely surrounding by water. A cape is an area of land that has just one part that juts into the sea.


How close is Argentina to the Antarctic?

From the Wikipedia page for Drake Passage: "The 800-kilometre (500 mi) wide passage between Cape Horn and Livingston Island is the shortest crossing from Antarctica to any other landmass. "


What is the place between cape york peninsula is it Torres strait islands or papua new guinea?

The Torres Strait Islands lie between Cape York Peninsula and Papua New Guinea.


What is the body of water between Australia's Cape York Peninsula and Papua New Guinea?

The body of water between Australia's Cape York Peninsula and Papua New Guinea is Torres Strait.


Where in Antarctica is Wilhelm II Coast located?

According to its Wikipedia entry: "Kaiser Wilhelm II Land is the part of Antarctica lying between Cape Penck, at 87°43'E, and Cape Filchner, at 91°54'E and is claimed as part of the Australian Antarctic Territory, although this claim is not universally recognized."