The Strait Nobody Believed Existed

In October 1520, Magellan found a narrow, twisting passage at the tip of South America — now called the Strait of Magellan. It took 38 days to work through its 570 kilometers of channel:

• One ship deserted and sailed back to Spain
• Constant storms threatened to smash the remaining vessels against rocks
• So many fires from indigenous camps dotted the shore that Magellan named the southern land "Tierra del Fuego" — Land of Fire

When they emerged into a calm ocean, Magellan reportedly wept and named it the "Pacific" — the peaceful sea. It would prove anything but peaceful for his crew.