A. 1570
B. 1578
C. 1500
D. 1650
The Drake Passage was discovered in 1578 by an English explorer called Sir Francis Drake. He found it while sailing through the area during his journey around the world. Later, he found himself south of Cape Horn but sensed open water between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This finding indicated that it was possible to circumnavigate the southern tip of South America without using the Strait of Magellan. He is commemorated in the naming of the passage and the route through which explorers and sailors passed into Antarctica.
The discovery of the Drake Passage is debated among historians as both Francisco de Hoces and Sir Francis Drake are associated with its early history. Fransisco de Hoces was a Spanish navigator who was spotted navigating near the Cape Horn. This eventually led to the belief that a southern passage existed between the Atlantic and the Pacific.
Francis Drake’s voyage confirmed the existence of this passage. When he was blown south of Cape Horn, his crew recorded and popularized the open water, which later bore his name.