Cape Horn

[tomperanteau]

Question for some of you old salts.

How many here have sailed the Drake Passage? I'm thinking of working that into our voyage and want details.

[Cherp]

Be OK on a nice day.

[Cherp]

But I haven't done it and not likely too, it not being in my neighbourhood.

[Cherp]

Mind you, we get similar impressive seas and winds around here.

[tomperanteau]

Originally Posted by Cherp

Mind you, we get similar impressive seas and winds around here.

From what I've researched, I would bet you do have similar conditions. The Cape Horn thing is something I've wanted to do for a long time. I know I can, but the question is, whether or not I will.

[Cherp]

I guess it's one of those Mt Everest things - because it's there.

[chrisncate]

Is it really Everest in reality, or is it just another body of water that can have good and bad weather and should be traversed with caution at the right time of year..

?

Either way Tom, go for it! I certainly share the dream of going 'round as well. No matter how you slice it, it's a planetary scale event to round the horn in your own vessel.

[downeast450]

I hope you can swing it! It is on my wish list, too and I am running out of time. You know, you have to wear the ear ring if you make it. That is piece of jewelery I could wear.

Down

[St Anna]

check out sequitur's blog - they just went through

[killarney_sailor]

I think there are three types of Cape Horn passages.
1) You arrive at Cape Horn from the west (New Zealand effectively) and have to pass the Horn in whatever conditions happen to be there at the time - call this the Volvo Ocean Race case.
2) You arrive at CH from the east. This is like 1) except you have the added problem of foul currents and prevailing winds - call this the HMS Bounty case - they could not make it and headed to Tahiti east around. This is obviously less of a problem for a modern yacht than a square-rigged, 18th century transport ship.
3) You approach CH from the channels of Tierra del Fuego. The immense advantage here is that you can wait for the right weather in a reasonably protected spot and then pop out to round the Horn - call this the Sequitur case.

I am not suggesting that Sequitur's achievement is not significant, not just for actually rounding and heading to the Falklands, but just in getting to the southern tip of South America. It it not too bad as far as Easter Island, but when we were at Easter there was another Canadian boat heading to Chile to wait for the next season to go south. They had two serious gales on the way to Valdivia. From there on you are into amazing cruising grounds, but you are pretty much on your own - no 'Boat Chile' to call so you better have great ground tackle and not know what you are doing.

My sense would be that you take on this trip because you want the cruising experience involved getting to Easter Island, along the coast of Chile and in the southern channels. Getting the picture of Cape Horn would just be a plus.