Cape Horn marks the northern boundary of the Drake Passage where
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet.
The weather (especially gale force winds) was fierce today. The wind has been flowing building up speeds
for thousands of miles without a landmass to break it up. The waters around
Cape Horn are particularly hazardous, owing to strong winds, large waves,
strong currents and icebergs in winter; these dangers have made it notorious as
a sailors' graveyard.
According to Wikipedia:
“The cape lies within Chilean
territorial waters, and the Chilean Navy maintains a station on Hoorn Island,
consisting of a residence, utility building, chapel, and lighthouse. A short distance from the main station is a
memorial, including a large sculpture made by Chilean sculptor José Balcells
featuring the silhouette of an albatross, in remembrance of the sailors who died
while attempting to "round the Horn". It was erected in 1992 through
the initiative of the Chilean Section of the Cape Horn Captains Brotherhood. The terrain is entirely treeless, although
quite lush owing to frequent precipitation.”
And, “These winds are
exacerbated at the Horn by the funneling effect of the Andes and the Antarctic
peninsula, which channel the winds into the relatively narrow Drake Passage.
The strong winds of the Southern Ocean give rise to correspondingly large
waves; these waves can attain great height as they roll around the Southern
Ocean, free of any interruption from land. At the Horn, however, these waves
encounter an area of shallow water to the south of the Horn, which has the
effect of making the waves shorter and steeper, greatly increasing the hazard
to ships.”
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| The Atlantic meets the Pacific at Cape Horn, and the weather was constantly changing. One thing was constant: high winds. |
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| Cape Horn |
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| An albatross is taking advantage of the winds at Cape Horn and from our ship. |
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| No trees grown in this part of the world due to the strong winds. Vegetation is green because of the ample rainfall. |
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| The lighthouse on Cape Horn. |
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| The sculpture of the Albatross in memory of the many sailors who have died attempting passage here. |
