Video spoilers history, starting with the blitzkrieg on Poland

A new picture of the sky suddenly appeared amid a violent storm that tore through the sky.

The photographer huddled in the cabin of a giant steel ship.

The sports camera on the chest kept shaking with the violent bumps.

Through the porthole blurred by water mist, the endless sea surface looks like boiling silver lava.

The inky black clouds hung low and almost touched the surging waves.

The photographer held on to the window frame tightly, watching the huge waves taller than the hull approaching like a mad beast.

The glass made a whine as it was about to shatter under the impact.

When the camera ventured out of the window, the strong wind almost blew the camera out of the photographer's hands.

Even the ancients who were not familiar with the sea could see that this storm was definitely not to be trifled with.

And in the Ming Dynasty.

The navigator Zheng He looked at the violent storm in the sky with awe.

Then he said very seriously: "What a violent sea! Awe-inspiring!"

“I didn’t know about waves of this size.”

"Is it an accidental situation in that sea area, or a daily occurrence?"

"If it were as dangerous as this normally, it would be the most dangerous and violent sea in the world!"

"But no matter what, if I were to lead a fleet, I would never sail through such dangerous waters."

"That's no different than suicide."

"By the way, where is this?"

"Is it on the route of our Ming fleet?"

"If so, you'd better be careful to avoid it."

And in Zheng He's awe and emotion.

The sky screen also began to play officially.

[If you ask any veteran ocean sailor, where is the most dangerous sea in the world? ]

[Nine times out of ten you will hear the same answer.]

【Drake Passage.】

[This narrow strip of water between the southernmost tip of South America and Antarctica is a vital passage connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.]

[It is also the most feared "sea cemetery" in the history of global navigation. ]

【Known as the "Devil's Channel"】

[For many years, countless giant ships have fought against strong winds and huge waves here. ]

[And some are forever sunk in the cold deep sea. ]

[For ordinary people, the Drake Passage may just be a distant geographical term, but for those who have truly experienced its roar. 】

[This will always be the most awe-inspiring death corridor in the history of navigation. ]

So why does the remote Drake Passage strike fear into the hearts of even the most experienced captains?

[The Drake Passage’s reputation for danger is not groundless; its danger comes from a series of almost “abnormal” natural conditions.]

[First, this is one of the widest deep-sea passages on Earth.]

【The Drake Passage is the widest and deepest strait in the world. 】

[The east-west length is 300 kilometers, the north-south width is between 900-950 kilometers, the average water depth is 3400 meters, and the deepest point is an astonishing 5248 meters! ]

[Such a vast sea means there is no land blocking it. ]

[The air currents in the westerly belt can sweep across the entire sea area recklessly. ]

[Scientists call the winds here the "Roaring Westers."]

[The average wind speed here is 4-5 throughout the year. Don't underestimate this wind speed. On the open sea, this wind speed is enough to create huge waves. ]

[What’s even more terrifying is that the wind here will suddenly increase from time to time and can reach level 8 or above.]

[Even wind speeds often exceed 100 kilometers per hour, equivalent to typhoon levels on land. ]

[What’s even more terrifying is that these strong winds can create huge waves as high as 15 or even 20 meters! ]

[It is equivalent to a five- or six-story high wall of water crashing down on the ship.]

[In the face of such wind and waves, the ship is like a drifting leaf, powerless to resist. ]

[Even a modern 10,000-ton cargo ship can be tossed around like a toy and lose control or even capsize if not handled with care.]

[In addition to wind and waves, the ocean currents of the Drake Passage are also deadly accomplices. ]

[Because the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and the cold water of the Southern Ocean meet here, the ocean currents are extremely fast and their directions are unpredictable. ]

[Once a ship is caught in a strong current, it is likely to be pushed towards reefs or icebergs. ]

[The sea water temperature here is close to freezing point all year round. ]

[In such a cold environment, the seawater temperature is extremely low, and the metal parts of the ship are easily brittle due to the low temperature, and the toughness is greatly reduced. ]

[This means that when hit by wind and waves, the structure of the hull is more likely to be damaged and broken.]

[Then the person who falls into the water will often lose consciousness due to hypothermia within a few minutes, and the chance of survival is almost zero. ]

[In addition, the Drake Passage is also known for its sudden and extreme weather. ]

[The sky may be clear one second, but it may turn into a blizzard or thick fog the next, with visibility dropping to zero in an instant]

[This ever-changing and harsh environment makes the Drake Passage the ultimate testing ground for sailors around the world. ]

[Historically, the Drake Passage has swallowed countless ships. According to incomplete statistics, it has exceeded 800 ships. ]

[More than 20,000 people died.]

[Many shipwrecks leave no record of any survivors.]

[One of the most famous tragedies occurred in 1978.]

[At that time, a supply ship of the Chilean Navy encountered a rare super storm while crossing the Drake Passage. ]

[According to the wreckage salvaged later, the ship's hull broke under the continuous impact of huge waves and sank to the bottom of the sea in just a few minutes, killing all 40 crew members on board. ] [Subsequent investigations found that the wind speed of the storm reached an astonishing 150 kilometers per hour. ]

[The highest wave height exceeded 25 meters, far exceeding the designed wave resistance of many ships. ]

[In fact, similar accidents were common in the 20th century.]

[For example, in 1918, the German research vessel Gauss was smashed by huge waves here and sank in 20 minutes.]

[In 1947, the British cargo ship "Southern Star" hit an iceberg in thick fog. ]

[A huge crack was torn in the hull.]

[It eventually sank into the abyss with a full load of cargo and 30 crew members.]

[After entering the 21st century, despite the rapid development of navigation technology, the threat of the Drake Passage still exists. 】

[In 2007, a luxury expedition cruise ship named "Explorer" was hit by an iceberg while crossing the strait, and the hull quickly took on water.]

[Although all passengers and crew on board were eventually rescued, the ship sank a few hours later.]

[A more recent example is that in 2022, an expedition cruise ship encountered extreme weather here and the bow was cracked by huge waves. ]

[These examples show that the Drake Passage is still lethal in the modern era of navigation.]

[So, after the opening of the Panama Canal, many merchant ships no longer risked passing through the Drake Passage.]

[Even the US aircraft carrier fleet, when rotating between the east and west coasts, would rather sail around the globe via the Indian and Atlantic Oceans than take the risk of sailing through the Drake Passage.]

[Why can't humans conquer the Drake Passage despite the advanced technology? 】

[The answer is simple—the power of nature is far beyond human control. ]

[Even though today’s ships are equipped with satellite navigation, weather warnings and automatic stabilization systems, the extreme conditions of the Drake Passage can render these technologies ineffective in an instant.]

[For example, the abnormal magnetic field in the sea area often interferes with electronic equipment, causing GPS signals to be lost. ]

[The impact of the huge waves was enough to damage the key structures of the hull and cause mechanical failure.]

[In addition, during the melting season, Antarctic icebergs will drift into the Drake Passage in large numbers.]

[The underwater parts of these icebergs are often much larger than the visible parts, making them difficult to fully detect by radar.]

[Once it hits, the consequences will be disastrous. ]

[But despite the dangers, the Drake Passage remains an important channel for global shipping.]

[Especially for scientific research vessels heading to Antarctica, this is a must-go route. ]

【And their crew. 】

[I can only pray that I won’t be the next victim. ]

The sky screen video ends here.

Barrage:

"This is the real Bermuda Triangle."

"Pirate King—Drake, huh?"

"Drake, this is really hard to walk. I don't even want to walk this way when I play the Grand Voyage."

"Why not go through the Strait of Magellan? It's closer and safer to the shore."

"The Strait of Magellan is even more difficult to navigate, with strong winds and rough waves, reefs everywhere, and many icebergs."

"There was an earthquake in the Drake Passage."

"Looking at the map, the shape of the Drake Passage is very strange, as if the continent was violently split apart."

"I really want to experience such big waves."

What would happen if I built a bridge across the Drake Passage?

Outside the sky.

Sui Dynasty.

Yang Su, the water god of the Sui Dynasty, could not help but marvel at the scene on the sky.

"What a hell gate!"

"It's ten times more dangerous than the storm when I crossed the Yangtze River!"

"If Your Majesty permits, I really want to lead 50,000 elite soldiers to meet this roaring westerly belt!" Yang Su joked.

Then he couldn't help but sigh:

"Our Great Sui is preparing a fleet to conquer Japan."

"Fortunately, based on the current situation, we can confirm that the waves in the east crossing are not as exaggerated as those in the Drake Passage."

"Otherwise, there's really no need to consider it."

And in the Ming Dynasty.

Zheng He watched the entire video about the Drake Passage, and was further amazed and awed by the danger of the Drake Passage.

I couldn't help but feel a little bit of longing and regret.

Zheng He looked at the image of the high winds and rough waves of the Drake Passage on the sky.

He gently touched the rudder with his hand again.

I couldn't help but say with some regret:

"As the admiral of the Ming Treasure Ship Fleet, I will be responsible for the entire fleet and lead everyone to take the safest route. There must be no mistakes."

"I can be sure that I will never lead the Ming fleet to the Drake Passage."

"But as a sailing enthusiast, I was delighted to see the vast and majestic Drake Passage on the sky."

“It does make me yearn for it!”

"Well, maybe after I retire."

"You can lead two or three private ships to the Drake Passage to take a look and take a walk."

"In this way, maybe in the future, that place will no longer be called the Drake Passage, but the Zheng He Strait." (End of this chapter)