“Twenty years from now you’ll regret more the things you didn’t do than the ones that you did. So cast off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” –Mark Twain
Last night we watched Captain Irving Johnson’s 1929 footage as he rounded Cape Horn aboard the sailing vessel Peking. His comedic commentary made light of the high seas he battled and the constant danger he endured; nonetheless, this part of the voyage is renowned for wreaking havoc to ships and sailors since the dawn of navigation.
And so it was with weary excitement that we aboard the National Geographic Explorer approached the Cape. As luck would have it, the friendly winds and seas that we started this journey with again followed us, and allowed us the opportunity to gaze upon this historic point of land: the southernmost tip of South America, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Pacific.
Captain Oliver Kruss masterfully navigated the ship along the coastline while we enjoyed views of the treeless landscape, with black-browed albatross and Antarctic shags following in our wake. We glimpsed the albatross silhouette built in 1992 in memory of the many sailors who died while making the passage around the Cape.
We were once again graced with fair winds and fair seas, and glad for it. And with that our journey of blue skies, well-fed penguin chicks, icebergs and sea ice, and the sweet scent of Antarctica came to an end. What a journey it’s been. We’re grateful for the opportunity to experience this pristine region of the polar planet. With new friendships and new perspectives we began to pack and prepare for our journeys home.
