Cape Horn and pisco sours

  Puerto Williams, Magallanes y Antártica Chilena, Chile
Sunday, November 11, 2007

DAY 1 OF 4 DAY CRUISE

Our cabin on the Via Australis

After checking in we went down to our cabin. We were in 'steerage'. We had known this in advance as these cabins were cheaper. We still had a porthole and to be honest we also knew that we wouldn't be in the cabin much.

The cruise was expensive but then again when would we ever get a chance to set foot on Cape Horn? It was all inclusive and several pisco sours later we left the sleet of Ushuaia. We were allocated a table for meals and we were with some lovely people which also helped make the trip the excellent experience it was.

We were told in the safety briefing that as we entered open water in the middle of the night we  might feel the boat rock. Right on cue at about 1am I woke up feeling sick as we were rocking around a bit.

The climb up from the shore

DAY 2
We had to be up at stupid o'clock to get ready to go ashore at Cape Horn. Not all cruises manage to land due to rough weather and they were unsure that we would be able to. However after an hour of hanging around in full outdoor gear, over trousers and life jackets (this made one or two people feel even sicker) we were told we could get ready to get on the zodiacs.

When we completed the short journey from the boat to the Horn it was the fulfilment of a life time's dream. This was a proper tear in the eye momentous moment.

The Memorial on Cape Horn

 

There is a steep stairway to climb before you are up on the top of the promontory. Everybody then made a beeline for the monument put up to honour those who have lost their lives on this treacherous stretch of water. There is also the lighthouse and chapel to see. The only time I had seen Cape Horn on TV was on Michael Palin's Pole to Pole - I never thought I'd be climbing the steps up to it myself. 

We did the usual photo call and tried to basically cover as much ground as we could in a short space of time.

All too soon we had to get ready to go back to the ship. We were on the last zodiac back! All in all a magical experience to be at the bottom of the continent and in such a remote place.

Back on the boat it was time for breakfast and then we sailed up the Beagle Channel - we didn't actually round the horn - it is still deemed too dangerous to do unnecessarily.

Wulaia Bay

After lunch it was time for another Zodiac excursion. We were walking up to a view point above  Wulaia Bay (Charles Darwin landed here). However it had been snowing and the walked turned into a mudbath and we were only able to go halfway as it was too slippy to go up to the top. We did get a good view of the bay though even from the half way point.

When we got down to the Zodiacs we were given either a whisky or a pisco sour.....before going back to the boat.

Back on the ship it was more food and off to bed after the early start...

DAY 3

Glaciers in Chico Sound

Lectures in the morning but after lunch we were off in the Zodiacs to look at a glacier in Chico Sound. Later on the ship also sailed really close to another glacier. This was a more restful day and we even had a wine tasting session on board.

DAY 4

Early morning excursion to Magdalena Island to see the Magellanic Penguins. It was soooo windy but really excellent to be walking around amongst the little creatures. 

Magellanic penguins

 

Once we were back on the ship it was full steam to Punta Arenas and onwards to Torres Del Paine.