Day 33: Cape Horn!

Mood: Expectant
Music: Coldplay - Parachutes

Today started early... much earlier than I though. As I'd left my laptop on, charting my passage around the coast, I had a look at it when I was first woken by the movement of the wave. Quite stupidly (due to the early hour) I forgot that it was still ok UK time and as such thought I'd overslept when I saw the clock say 7am. We were due to disembark for Cape Horn at 7:20am.

That meant I was up and showered and half dressed by 4:10am at which point I realised my stupidity and went back to bed for a few hours. A the correct time we climbed onto little ribs and made for shore.

Once landed we climbed up the steps leading up to the lighthouse at the end of the world and then to the Albatross monument. In my head all I could hear was "Albatross, get your albatross here!" from the Monty Python sketch.

The waters off the cape have taken over 800 vessels and 10,000 souls during the eras in which it was the main passageway between the West and the East. I've always held it as a kind of mythical place and finally being there was an odd feeling. As a sailor it is one of those legendary things. I've not yet sailed around the cape, but I have now been to it.

Next time I go to such a place I'll ensure that my camera battery is full before I go. I'll leave it there... I was a little frustrated at myself but I got an America tourist to help by taking the photo of Rolf and I that you see above.

After we got back on board we had breakfast. Most of the rest of the day could be occupied as you wished but the ship had several lectures and documentaries throughout the day on people such as Shackleton, Darwin and Magellan.

In the afternoon we headed ashore again. This time to Walaia Bay for a short hike up a hill to a view point. The walk was short but steep and many struggled while a few of us were kept waiting for the rest. The view was nice, as was the history of the local indiginous people that we were given on the way.

In the evening, after dinner, there was a game of Bingo held in the bar o nthe top floor. I acutally managed to get all of the numbers on the final game. Sadly so did 3 other people and I lost the game of pick the highest ball. I would have struggled as the prize was ship branded clothing and I've a feeling it wouldn't have fitted into my luggage!

The rest of the evening was spent drinking with a couple of Austrian guys and a member of staff. We were trying to make a chain of beer cans go all the way around the bar. At 3am I gave up and nipped downstairs to bed. I do have the closest room to the bar, which is quite fortunate, or very good planning...

That'll do for now.