A month ago, I was lucky enough to tick a huge item off my Bucket List… seeing Cape Horn from a ship (full post to follow). My revised Bucket List now includes going one step further (pun intended) and setting foot on the island.
Cape Horn at dawn
One of the things I want to see is the Albatross Memorial to all the sailors who have lost their lives off Cape Horn. Near the monument is a moving verse written by Chilean poet Sara Vial. In English it reads (translation taken from a blog by Annika S. Hipple):
I am the albatross that awaits you
at the end of the world.
I am the forgotten soul of the dead mariners
who passed Cape Horn
from all the seas of the world.
But they did not die
in the furious waves.
Today they soar on my wings
towards eternity
in the last crack
of the Antarctic winds.
The Albatross Memorial on Cape Horn (next time I want to touch it!)
The day after Cape Horn we were supposed to call in at the Falkland Islands. Sadly, the forecast of strong winds later in the day made the captain decide he couldn’t risk stranding us on the islands (not that I think most of us would have minded!).
Understandably, we were extremely disappointed that our visit to the Falklands amounted to a glimpse of East Falkland through the dawn mist.
East Falkland through the early morning mist
But later that morning came the silver lining: the privilege of witnessing graceful albatrosses gliding across the surface of the South Atlantic.
It really was magical.
This post was inspired by this week’s photo challenges Half-Light from Krista of The Daily Post, and Physical Phenomenon from Paula of Lost in Translation.
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Lovely post, great pics and wonderful poem, and it all blended so well.
Thanks Jude, I appreciate the comment. 🙂
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Love the albatross pics,Rich. But the trouble with albatrosses is I can’t think of them without thinking of Monty Python.
I know exactly what you mean, Rob. We may have called “Albatross!” once or twice on the ship!
As I was looking at these I thought “magical” and then I saw your words. I would have been here sooner, but I took a break. Thank you, Jaspa.
My pleasure, Paula!
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