ROUNDING THE DREADED CAPE HORN

Day 8-at sea-Monday Dec. 22/08

CAPE HORN SOUTH AMERICA

At the southernmost point of the South American continent, the mighty Andes dissolve into a few rocky islands in the sea. Cape Horn has been and remains awe-inspiring-it is the confluence of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, where nature's power is often unleashed. It has frequent storms, strong currents and icebergs that make the passage hazardous at times. Rounding Cape Horn is an extraordinary experience. The terrain of Cape Horn rises to a height of 1391 feet.

I worried and was terrified of the stories I've heard of the perils of rounding the Horn and was very relieved to find calm seas, sunny skies, and a little disappointed at just what the Horn looked like!

I sat and pondered how, when Ferdinand Magellan, 500 years ago, was blowing through this area, little did he know he'd be followed by shiploads of mariners sipping cocktails, or eating gourmet meals in luxury and comfort or learning how to fold tables napkins into swans!!

Eight hundred ships have sunk rounding the Horn since the early days of navigation. Winds are at their worst during the austrial summer (our Northern winter) which is the only time to go!

We where to arrive at Cape Horn at 7:15 am. This was the moment Tom was waiting for and really wanted to see...the Horn of South America. He woke again with much pain, threw up, and finally got himself dressed. I pushed the wheelchair as fast as I could up to view the big moment and arrived almost the second the ship was moving away. It had paused at the Horn for about 10 minutes, and luckily we we're able to take a few pictures but disappointed I didn't get a good picture of him standing outside with the view of the Horn behind him.

After passing Cape Horn we turned south, heading across the Drake Passage on a course towards Antarctica!

So, after rounding the Horn the excitement was over for the time being. Tomorrow, it really starts with awesome sights. So, I'll just post some more pictures from around the ship for now.
Tom read most of the time in the Explorer Lounge, while I went to the Digital Workshop to learn some stuff, I already forgot! Naw...I remember a little bit, and it will become my new project after I get this blog done of the trip.


This is Lauren who was a marvelous little teacher in the Digital Workshop. She saw this picture of herself that I had taken and made me delete it, but it didn't delete out of my files. I think it's a great picture, so Lauren if you see this... I'm glad I'm in Vancouver and you are still sailing the ocean blue, or I may feel your cold little hands around my neck!!!

Another piece of art on the ship.

Another Christmas Tree

Just a little chilly up here by the pool on the outside deck!

Orchards in all the bathrooms!

Another wonderful, helpful, happy crew member.

A little skit called "Call My Bluff) before the evening show started.
The evening entertainment was a comic called Rikki Jay that had me holding may stomach from laughing so hard. He moved constantly around the stage and impossible to snap a picture of him.

The end of another day on The Amsterdam in a place on earth I never dreamed I'd ever be. Time to head to bed for another day. By the way, the beds are VERY comfortable and everyone raves about the wonderful mattresses. It's such a great feeling to be rocked gently to sleep also. I miss that, but it was so wonderful to get home and be able to sleep with our patio door half way open and have the crisp, fresh air and burrow under the covers and snuggle up!