At sea in the Drake Passage
The seas this morning have changed from yesterday. Both the wind and the waves are coming from the more usual westerly direction. The ship is still moving about quite a bit and as a result many of us are still feeling a little queasy. The skies are grey and give the whole scene an ominous look about it. Yet all around us are seabirds and for those of us who are able to get on deck we are treated to a visual feast. The Pintado petrels which have so faithfully kept us company throughout our journey are still there as are all the species of albatross commonly seen in the Drake. From the black-browed and grey headed, to the graceful light-mantled sooty, to the majestic royal and wandering; they are the masters of flight and seem truly at home in these wind whipped seas.
By late morning we have sighted land in the distance. We are soon told that the land is Cape Horn some 50 miles away. The seas have calmed significantly, so many venture up on deck to experience the opportunity of seeing this incredibly famous bit of land. For it was here in years long gone now, that many sailing ships encountered horrific storms as they tried to make their way to the Pacific Ocean. It was not uncommon for a ship to take forty to fifty days to successfully round the Horn. Many ships met their demise here and many sailors lost their lives. Occasionally waves sweep over the bows and give the whole occasion a touch of realism to those olden times.
The southernmost land tip looks impressive as it steeply rises out of the sea. The vegetation is so pleasing to our eyes which have almost seen nothing but water and ice these past ten days. For many of us the reality that our wondrous adventure is coming to and end makes us feel melancholic. It has been a profoundly moving experience; we only hope that this may spur us to becoming involved in Antarctica's long term protection.
Soy el albatros que te espera
En el final del mundo.
Soy el alma olvidada de los marinos muertos
Que cruzaron el Cabo de Hornos
Desde todos los mares de la tierra.
Pero ellos no murieron
En las furiosas olas.
Hoy vuelan en mis alas,
Hacia la eternidad,
En la ultima grieta
De los vientos Antarticos
I am the albatross who awaits you
At the end of the earth.
I am the forgotten soul of the dead mariners
who rounded Cape Horn
from all the seas of the world.
But they did not perish
In the furious waves.
Today they fly on my wings
For all eternity
in the ultimate embrace
of the Antarctic winds.
Sara Vial
December, 1992
This poem, written in Spanish, is on a marble plaque along the path leading to the albatross monument at Cape Horn.
