{"id":41367,"date":"2020-05-18T03:38:10","date_gmt":"2020-05-18T09:38:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/drfumblefinger.com\/?p=41367"},"modified":"2019-08-06T11:54:15","modified_gmt":"2019-08-06T17:54:15","slug":"exploring-the-fjords-of-patagonia-6-a-storm-at-cape-horn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/drfumblefinger.com\/blog\/2020\/05\/exploring-the-fjords-of-patagonia-6-a-storm-at-cape-horn\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring the Fjords of Patagonia: 6) A Storm at Cape Horn"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We headed south across Nassau Bay on the morning of our last full day aboard the Australis.  Our hope was to be able to go ashore at Cape Horn (Cabo de Hornos), the most southerly island in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago — weather and conditions allowing.  When I enquired about what our odds of going ashore were the night before, I was told 50-50.  I think, in retrospect, that was an overly optimistic prediction.<\/p>\n

\"Route

Route Map, Cape Horn<\/p><\/div>\n

It would have been nice to walk on this remote island, the most southern point of South America.  It was discovered by the Dutch in 1616 and is known as the “End of the Earth”.  Cape Horn has a sheer 425-meter (1,394-foot) high rocky promontory which overlooks Drake’s Passage– the waterway between Antarctica and South America — long known to have the roughest water in the world.  Cape Horn was an important historic navigation landmark, being half way between Australia and England.<\/p>\n

The Chilean navy maintains a permanent lighthouse on the island (with a resident lighthouse keeper), as well as a small Chapel.  A highlight of any visit is seeing the modern Cape Horn Monument (which forms the shape of an albatross) created as a memorial to all the sailors who have died around Cape Horn.  The area — including marine regions, islands, channels, forests — is protected and was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2005.<\/p>\n

\"Cape

Cape Horn Lighthouse<\/p><\/div>\n

As we approached Cape Horn, it was immediately apparent there was no way we would be able to attempt a landing.  It was extremely windy, so windy that it was hard to walk on the top deck of the ship as you can see in the video clip below.  It was even difficult to take these photos, given how the wind was shaking my camera.<\/p>\n