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Passengers left shaken as 40-foot waves pummel cruise ship in Drake Passage. Video
A luxury cruise turned terrifying as 40-ft waves battered a ship in the Drake Passage.
Passengers aboard a luxury cruise ship had a harrowing experience as 40-foot waves battered their vessel while crossing the Drake Passage — the notorious 600-mile-wide stretch of water separating Antarctica from the southern tip of South America.
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According to New York Post, the terrifying scenes unfolded as the ship struggled through waters where the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans converge, often resulting in extreme sea conditions.
A viral ‘Drake Shake’ moment
The frightening episode was captured in a video shared on Instagram by travel blogger Lesley Anne Murphy, who described it as a “48-hour rollercoaster.” In the clip, the 342-foot-long ship is seen swaying dramatically as massive waves crash against it, with passengers visibly tense, some filming the chaos from behind large windows.
“I’m proud to say we survived not one but two Drake Shakes on @limitlestravel Antarctica!” Murphy wrote in the caption. “If you’re lucky, you get the ‘Drake Lake’. If you’re like us, you get the ‘Drake Shake’ with 35 ft waves.”
She added that despite the madness, the journey remained unforgettable. “We were told to stay in our cabins for an entire afternoon yesterday, and there were definitely some silver linings. We got some downtime, we laughed a lot, I processed some of this amazing voyage, I FaceTimed my girls, and I learnt that wildly enough, I don’t get seasick.”
Watch the clip here:
Social media reactions pour in
Murphy’s post, which has now amassed over 32 million views, sparked a wave of reactions on Instagram. One user wrote, “I’d be hugging the floor crying.” Another said, “This is why I avoid cruises.” A third commented, “My anxiety said no just watching this.”
A viewer joked, “That ship handled it better than I would have.” Someone else chimed in, “I can’t even look at this without feeling queasy.” One user praised the crew: “Shoutout to the staff—true heroes!” Another added, “Looks terrifying, but what a story to tell!”
