Dawn at Cape Horn

Few places on Earth have a reputation as forbidding as Cape Horn.

Our first view of Cape Horn

Over the centuries, the seas around this remote speck of land have claimed thousands of sailors’ lives (a topic also discussed in last week’s post, The Albatross At The End Of The World).

Cape Horn

The southernmost tip of the southernmost island in South America

Isla Hornos

Unsurprisingly, although we were looking forward to our visit to this infamous location, we did so with a certain amount of apprehension. We weren’t concerned for our safety, just whether or not we were going to be able to hold on to our previous evening’s meal, if you know what I mean.

Here comes the dawn

As it turned out, sea sickness was happily not an issue. To be honest, I think we were all too excited.

I was there… but Sue’s holding on tight!

That said, conditions were pretty unsettled for the time of year. I took a mental note of the wind and sea conditions at the time, but failed to write them down (schoolboy error!).

Definitely a bit choppy

Perhaps the video below will give you a better idea:

We approached the Horn from the ‘relative’ calm of the Atlantic Ocean. The plan was to sail around the southern tip of Islas Hornos into the Pacific, before turning around and heading back east towards the Falkland Islands.

The clouds are clearing a little

Cape Horn Lighthouse

As it turned out, the captain decided conditions were severe enough that he didn’t want to risk taking us out of the shelter of the lee side of the island. Apparently things get much rough very quickly on the Pacific, windward side.

Sunrise over Isla Deceit (Deceit Island – now there’s a forbidding name!)

Wind whipping up spray between Isla Hornos and Isla Deceit

Which means we didn’t get to actually ‘Round the Horn’, as they say.

Not that I really cared too much. After all, we did get within a couple of miles of Cape Horn, which is an experience I’ll always remember!

Did I mention the wind?

That’s a bit better

Steady, there!

This post was inspired by this week’s photo challenges Landscape from Cheri of The Daily Post, and Forbidding from Paula of Lost in Translation.

Goodbye to Cape Horn… for this time

One last glimpse of Cape Horn through the clouds

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