Cape Horn / Cape of Good Hope

[Macopa]

I am curious, as I don't see them mentioned often, how many people have or would consider sailing around these landmarks as oppose to using the more convienant methods.

I'm particularly interested in Cape Horn...

[imagine2frolic]

I have been making plans for the Southern Capes since 1993. I was going to buy a BOC boat when I bought Imagine in 02, but met my wife. So I changed from exploring to cruising. The thought of them still lay in the back of my mind, and if I can get through this situation as planned. I will purchase a mono to do it.

[Triton318]

I know that at some point, in the next 15 years, I'll sail around the Cape of Good Hope. Cape Horn? Either that or the Strait of Magellan, because I have no desire to transit the Panama Canal.

[DeepFrz]

There is a blog here

::Welcome to Nordhavn.com::

with lots of information and info on cruising guides for Cape Horn. They had an article in Passagemaker magazine last year.

[Lodesman]

Actually, rounding both capes is on my 50 things-to-do-before-I-die list.

[Boomp]

Try to chase down the video, Ghost Ships of Cape Horn. Its terrific. I would love to have it on dvd because it shows the extreme difficulties sailing ships had in trying to do this. Hundreds of them sank, many thousands of lives were lost. Of course they did it without a lot of the 'safety' equipment we have today, but the route still seems pretty tough.
I saw it via National Sailing Hall of Fame...

[Morgan Paul]

Try to chase down the video, Ghost Ships of Cape Horn. Its terrific.

You can watch the movie here:

The Ghost Of Cape Horn

[2Hulls]

Certainly an admirable accomplishment to sail around either one - the Horn more so, perhaps. But I have no yearning to do it. Maybe in my younger days. That said, my boat has sailed E - W around the horn, by the previous owner. That's as close to bragging rights I'll get.

Dave

[Macopa]

Good look on finding that video. Thanks! Let's see if I can sneak it in at work today.

[rtbates]

Maybe after I get through circumnavigating the Bahamas and the Carribbean!

Naw, I really hate being cold and sailing while cold is the pits...

I just finished a re-read of Bernard Moitesse sp? book "The Long Way". He fears Hope more than the Horn because of the Angullus current. Neither sound like my kind of sailing..

[imagine2frolic]

Morgan,

Thanks for the post of the video....................

[Baba Buoy]

Did that in a cruise ship last year. 70 mile per hour winds, 20 + foot waves. Tops of waves blown sideways. And this was in their "Summer'. Very amazing, but would not want to go there in anything smaller.

[B00B00]

Done them both.
Cape of good hope many times while living in Cape town and delivering small racing boats around the area for regattas and the famous double cape race. However I would consider Cape Agulhas which is about 120nm SE to be a far more dangerous and is the actual bottom of Africa.
Cape Horn I did under Jury rig on the open 60 Hugo Boss after being dismasted 1900nm out.
Also been round the bottom of Tasmania and bottom of New Zealand.

[Sawbonz]

Originally Posted by Baba Buoy

Did that in a cruise ship last year. 70 mile per hour winds, 20 + foot waves. Tops of waves blown sideways. And this was in their "Summer'. Very amazing, but would not want to go there in anything smaller.

We did it on a cruise ship in March. Beautiful, warm, calm day, 4-5 ft swells, skies clear. Saw a small mono going the other way. If I didn't know better I'd think it was like that all the time!

[markpierce]

The one time we were at Cape Horn, it was on a cruise ship in January. Sea and wind were calm, but it was foggy with about 2-to-3-mile visibility. Later going through Strait of Magellan, it was clear and calm. Nevertheless, don't think one can count on calm conditions.