The magic of Cape Horn - this is basically the last part of planet earth as you head to the South Pole that you can realistically live on! Any further south and it's just too cold to live. Michael Palin once managed to step foot here on a BBC Documentary a few years back and now it was time to make the trip to Cape Horn.[]
Chile owns Cape Horn - not Argentina and this is the southern tip of the series of islands known as Tierra Del Fuego. You have to love the sound of this place - Cape Horn - it has a certain charm in its very title! The idea was to see it for real, up close and personal.
Stepping foot on the cape of Horn is at a high cost, hence why Michael Palin was able to do it - being a posh English type on a rich BBC budget, I envy his adventures but cannot afford them. Chilean officials do not allow any boats that are not Chilean to go within 12 or 13 miles (can't remember which) of the Horn itself, without a strict permission.
Our boat, the MS Expedition was built in Denmark, registered in Liberia and sailing between Antarctica and Argentina. On the way down to Antarctica, we seemed to take a fast, steady direct route down the Drake Passage, and late at night, meaning we were all asleep when we crossed the place where Cape Horn was. Furthermore we were a few hundred kilometres too far east anyhow![]
There were rumours circulating on board the ship that we would be calling at Cape Horn on the way back up to Argentina. This all began by the crew showing us an intriguing documentary about Cape Horn as we headed back onto the Drake Passage, however nothing was confirmed.
On the way back up on the Drake Passage most of us noticed the ship had changed direction slightly and now appeared to be heading north west rather than directly north. As Cape Horn was north west of us, it became clear that we were indeed going to be passing by Cape Horn!
That night at the recap and briefing session from the day's activities, the crew confirmed it for us - that the following morning at around 5 am we would be coming close to Cape Horn! A dream was being made to come true!
The night before proved to be quite a late one in the onboard Polar Bear Bar, it was our final journey on the treacherous Drake Passage and we had all bonded as a group on board the ship and on land on the magical continent. I left the bar around 2.30 am, with many still up. Sunset had passed us by on the west and sunrise had begun in the east, giving the boat the odd position of one side in darkness and the other side in early morning light.
I awoke at 5 am just a few hours later, and awoke Mark my cabin mate to say "It's 5 am, aren't we supposed to be near Cape Horn now?" I looked out the window and there was no sign of Cape Horn so we drifted back to sleep and waited on the wake up call. I awoke again at 6 am, still with no announcement from The Bridge about whether or not we had reached Cape Horn, but I decided to get up and shower and change anyway as I couldn't miss this chance.
The announcement from the bridge confirmed that the island tip ahead was indeed Cape Horn and that we had been given permission due to the favourable weather to breach the 12 - 13 mile barrier and get a bit closer to Cape Horn.
It was straight upstairs to the For'd Deck for the fantastic morning view of the fabulous Cabo De Hornos. In the end we got within 3 miles of Cape Horn! It wasn't even a dream. I saw Cape Horn for real. Totally immense. Been there, done that, didn't stand on the land there.
Chile owns Cape Horn - not Argentina and this is the southern tip of the series of islands known as Tierra Del Fuego. You have to love the sound of this place - Cape Horn - it has a certain charm in its very title! The idea was to see it for real, up close and personal.
Stepping foot on the cape of Horn is at a high cost, hence why Michael Palin was able to do it - being a posh English type on a rich BBC budget, I envy his adventures but cannot afford them. Chilean officials do not allow any boats that are not Chilean to go within 12 or 13 miles (can't remember which) of the Horn itself, without a strict permission.
Our boat, the MS Expedition was built in Denmark, registered in Liberia and sailing between Antarctica and Argentina. On the way down to Antarctica, we seemed to take a fast, steady direct route down the Drake Passage, and late at night, meaning we were all asleep when we crossed the place where Cape Horn was. Furthermore we were a few hundred kilometres too far east anyhow![]
There were rumours circulating on board the ship that we would be calling at Cape Horn on the way back up to Argentina. This all began by the crew showing us an intriguing documentary about Cape Horn as we headed back onto the Drake Passage, however nothing was confirmed.
On the way back up on the Drake Passage most of us noticed the ship had changed direction slightly and now appeared to be heading north west rather than directly north. As Cape Horn was north west of us, it became clear that we were indeed going to be passing by Cape Horn!
That night at the recap and briefing session from the day's activities, the crew confirmed it for us - that the following morning at around 5 am we would be coming close to Cape Horn! A dream was being made to come true!
The night before proved to be quite a late one in the onboard Polar Bear Bar, it was our final journey on the treacherous Drake Passage and we had all bonded as a group on board the ship and on land on the magical continent. I left the bar around 2.30 am, with many still up. Sunset had passed us by on the west and sunrise had begun in the east, giving the boat the odd position of one side in darkness and the other side in early morning light.
I awoke at 5 am just a few hours later, and awoke Mark my cabin mate to say "It's 5 am, aren't we supposed to be near Cape Horn now?" I looked out the window and there was no sign of Cape Horn so we drifted back to sleep and waited on the wake up call. I awoke again at 6 am, still with no announcement from The Bridge about whether or not we had reached Cape Horn, but I decided to get up and shower and change anyway as I couldn't miss this chance.
The announcement from the bridge confirmed that the island tip ahead was indeed Cape Horn and that we had been given permission due to the favourable weather to breach the 12 - 13 mile barrier and get a bit closer to Cape Horn.
It was straight upstairs to the For'd Deck for the fantastic morning view of the fabulous Cabo De Hornos. In the end we got within 3 miles of Cape Horn! It wasn't even a dream. I saw Cape Horn for real. Totally immense. Been there, done that, didn't stand on the land there.
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To read more articles like Seeing Cape Horn go to Jonny Blair's excellent site A Lifestyle of Travel for ongoing travel stories and tips.. Unique version for reprint here: Up Close to Cape Horn.
