Sunday 14 February 2010

DAY 33 Feb 14 - Scenic Cruising Cape Horn & Drakes Passage

Cape Horn island (Dutch: Kaap Hoorn, Spanish: Cabo de Hornos; named after the city of Hoorn in the Netherlands) is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile.

Cape Horn is widely considered to be the most southerly point of South America (see map above), and marks the northern boundary of the Drake Passage; for many years it was a major milestone on the clipper route, by which sailing ships carried trade around the world. However, the waters around the cape are particularly hazardous, owing to strong winds, large waves, strong currents and icebergs; these dangers have made it notorious as a sailors' graveyard (Photo of Cape Horn Island below).

Oh my goodness we are going round Cape Horn Island today as part of our Grand Voyage. I hope Maria remembers to take her ginger tablets for motion sickness prevention!!!!! Oh well I suppose it will be something to tell the grandchildren about namely, just how brave we both are!!

The need for ships to round the Cape Horn was greatly reduced by the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914. However, sailing around the Horn is widely regarded as one of the major challenges in yachting. Thus, a few recreational sailors continue to sail this route, sometimes as part of a circum-navigation of the globe, and almost all of these choosing routes through the canals to the north of the actual Cape.

Many though take a detour through the islands and anchor to wait for fair weather to actually visit Horn Island or even sail around it to replicate a rounding of this historic point. Several prominent ocean yacht races, notably the Volvo Ocean Race, the Velux 5 Oceans and the Vendée Globe, sail around the world via the Horn, and speed records for round-the-world sailing follow the same route.

(The satellite picture above shows Cape Horn, Antarctica and The Falkland Islands)

Last night we had the delight of dining with Françoise, the Prinsendam's hard working and efficient Hotel Manager. At his table we had a very interesting group of people. In addition to the ship's social hostess, Ashley, who was there to accompany Françoise, we had one other lovely passenger couple from Australia.

The others dining with us were a trio of working members of the ship's company but not HAL staff. We had the Ice Pilot, Captain Pat Toomey, lecturer Bob Hofman, who shares a platform with Frank Buckingham on occasions. The third member of this trio was John Splettstoesser (just call me John) who is a specialist lecturer on the Antarctic and will be broadcasting to the ship from the Bridge today.

With a table made up of this kind of company we really did have an interesting conversation over an excellent dinner of Lobster Tail and Fillet Mignon. François spoilt us with two highly reputable French wines, a lovely Pouilly Fuisse and a full bodied Châteaunerf-du-Pape. Well done Françoise and 'Vive La Belle France'!

The Ice Captain by the way is the advisor to the ship's Captain during our time in the Antarctic. He is the knowledgeable one around these parts and knows where we can go and where we shouldn't go. He is basically a pilot with many years experience of the frozen Antarctic Continent and it's surrounding waters.

I'm afraid we missed the 'Sweetheart Ball' as I had all the photos to sort out that had mysteriously vanished earlier today. We were, however, spoilt for choice with the copies we received from our friends.

Yesterday's blog, therefore, was eventually published not far off midnight and time did not permit for this part of the day's activity to be included, so that's it here now.

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