Cruising At The Bottom Of The World!
The waters around Cape Horn are particularly hazardous, owing to strong winds, large waves, strong currents and icebergs.
Cape Horn, Magallanes, Chile Saturday, January 28, 2017
Location - Cape Horn is the southernmost tip of south America. To this day, sailing around this remote point was and is one of the most challenging nautical routes on the planet. To the south of the Horn, there is nothing. This is as remote as you can get!
What makes it so challenging- Navigating around the Cape was a near-impossible mission for sailors who braved intense winds and treacherous waters in the 17th century. The Atlantic, Pacific and Southern Oceans collide at Cape Horn, making it for legendary stormy conditions that include the “screaming sixties” gale force winds, " roaring forties," and even more " wild furious fifties." The strong winds of the Southern ocean mean equally large waves, and free of any interruption from land, these waves roll at a great height, some even 30 meters tall. But south of the Horn, the waves become shorter and steeper, which can be a nightmare for passing boats. It is always cold, bleak with poor and difficult visibility at times.
Reputation - Cape Horn has the notorious and biggest ship wrecks in the Americas and constitute the final resting place of countless sailors lost on its perilous waters. On old nautical maps, the waters around the islands is littered with tiny pictures of sunken ships. Between the 16th and 20th centuries it is estimated that at least 800 ships were shipwrecked, causing the deaths of over 10,000 seamen. Nevertheless, hazardous maritime conditions have protected the rocky region from human settlement, so one can still enjoy the same views as the earliest explorers discovered centuries ago. Unusual rock formations with deep grooves and granite cliffs covered in trees are its signature features.
Reminders- Those fortunate enough to return from a successful trip around the Horn were the only ones entitled to numerous benefits, including dining with one foot on the dinner table and wearing a gold loop earring to boast of their seafaring victory.
Tradition- Sailors celebrate a successful rounding of cape Horn by lighting cigars and pouring a small bottle of alcohol into the sea to toast those who didn't make it and thank King Neptune for a safe passage.
Bragging rights, passport stamped with Cape Horn, 2nd time around
The zodiac boat that left with our passport to get stamped.
Today, Cape Horn still presents a sizable challenge for experienced sailors and travelers alike, many of whom having gone this far south, can't resist going all the way around. With the weather permitting, a team of six people from the Prinsendam including our Hotel Director, and a photographer disembarked, boarded a zodiac boat and managed to land without getting our passports wet! They have to climb the rickety 160 steps ladder on a rocky cliff and visited the tiny Chilean naval base so they could have our passports stamped! From our ship, we could see the lighthouse, a chapel and the Cape Horn Monument, including a large sculpture featuring the silhouette of an albatross. It is an albatross in flight, symbolizing the souls of thousands of sailors who lost their lives while attempting to round the horn.
Sailing around Cape Horn is a sailor’s nightmare.
Comments:
Great job Charlotte, keep up the good work From Yaser, on Jan 29, 2017 at 10:25PM
Cape Horn looks COLD! Glad you got your passports back. From Frances, on Jan 30, 2017 at 12:01AM
Hi love the blogs. It's like being their. From chuck ARELLA, on Jan 30, 2017 at 05:01AM