Sailing Cape Horn

Cape Horn is on the Isla Hornos and is considered to be the most southern point of South America. This island is located on the southern tip of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. The Horn also forms the northern boundary of the strait dividing South America and Antarctica, known as the Drake Passage.

The history of the Horn

Cape Horn was discovered and first rounded by the Dutch sailor Willem Schouten. He was searching for an alternative route to the Far East after the Dutch East India Company had been awarded a monopoly on passage through the more northern Strait of Magellan. Schouten named it Kaap Hoorn after his hometown, the city of Hoorn, in the Netherlands. From the 18th until the early 20th century, passing around the Cape was the midway point on the shipping route between Europe and Australia, as well as for ships travelling between the two coasts of America.

Why is sailing around the Horn so treacherous?

The conditions around the Cape are notoriously hazardous to shipping. This is because of the unique combination of strong currents, large waves, strong winds and the prevalence of icebergs.

Cape Horn is located at a latitude of 56° south. Below a latitude of 40°, the prevailing winds blow from west to east around the world almost without touching any landmasses. At the Horn, the topography of the Andes and the Antarctic peninsula funnel these strong winds into the relatively narrow Drake Passage. This wind then combines with the open seas of the Southern Ocean to create large waves. When these waves meet the shallow water to the south of the Horn, they become shorter and steeper and therefore more hazardous to shipping. To make matters worse, the area west of the Horn is also known for rogue waves as high as 30 metres. Icebergs also exist in winter below a latitude of 40° south and all year round below 50°. These hazards combine to make Sailing Cape Horn perhaps the most dangerous sailing passage in the world.

Do people still sail around the Horn?

The need for commercial vessels to pass the Cape was greatly reduced in 1914 with the opening of the Panama Canal. Only very large oil tankers and aircraft carriers are too wide for the canal and continue to use this dangerous route. However, the difficult sailing conditions around the Horn mean it is regarded within the ocean sailing community as one of the greatest tests of skill in modern yachting.

Several of the most famous ocean yacht races have routes around the Cape. These include the VELUX 5 Oceans, the Volvo Ocean Race and the Vendée Globe.

Related Articles:  Drake Passage

Lovesail.com is a global online dating and social networking site for sailing nuts.  Join our friendly community for dating, friendships and crewing opportunities all over the world.