Terrifying footage captured the moment a ship hit 40ft waves while travelling through one of the most dangerous sea crossings in the world. The Quark Expeditions' Ocean Explorer ship was making its way through the notorious Drake Passage, between the southern tip of South America and Antarctic, when it was slammed by the huge waves.

Lesley Ann Murphy, a travel blogger aboard the 342-foot ship, posted footage of the treacherous seas on Instagram. It shows the waves towering over the ship and smashing into the windows.

She said some of the waves were between 30ft and 40ft, but they can reach 80ft through the Drake Passage which is known for its strong winds and powerful currents. Murphy added that all of the passengers were urged to stay in their rooms for the afternoon as the ship encountered the choppy conditions.

She said: "I am proud to say we survived not one but two Drake Shakes on @limitlestravel Antarctica! For context, the Drake Passage is the body of water between the tip of Argentina and Antarctica.

"It's infamous for its extremely rough seas. If you're lucky, you get the Drake Lake. If you're like us, you get the Drake Shake with 35 ft waves. Yes, we were safe and it was insane...and at times, even fun? 1000% worth it for this trip of a lifetime!

"We were told to stay in our cabins for an entire afternoon yesterday, and there were definitely some silver linings amongst this whole ordeal...we got some down time, we laughed *a lot*, I processed some of this amazing voyage, I FaceTimed my girls and I learned that wildly enough...I don't get seasick! Would you do it?!"

The dramatic footage shows a number of passengers gathering at the large windows as the waves crashed against them. The boat can also be seen rocking back and forth as people tried to keep their balance.

One man tried to fight against the swells by balancing on the floor of the ship like a surfboard. Meanwhile, a TV was seen swinging from a wall due to the force of the waves.

According to Antarctica Cruises, the Drake Passage "ranks among the most notoriously rough sea crossings on the planet". They added that over 800 old ships are believed to have succumbed to its waters, tragically claiming the lives of around 20,000 sailors in the process.

However, modern boats are far-better equiped to deal with the treacherous and rough crossing. They explained: "It can still be a rather exciting voyage, to be sure, especially when those epic Drake Passage waves are cranking and waves are breaking extravagantly against the bow.

"But these specialized, ice-worthy crafts boast sturdy hulls and advanced stabilizing mechanisms, and their captains navigate with state-of-the-art technology and close scrutiny of the most up-to-date forecasts. Drake Passage rough seas are often easily weathered, or can be efficiently detoured around; a bad storm may mean a crossing is briefly delayed."