Cape Horn

About this artwork

The Devil's Mouth ”,“ The Ship Graveyard ”,“ The Old Cannibal ”- this is how Cape Horn was called for centuries by sailors and travelers. It is the southernmost point of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. This is not just a point on the map, but a very unusual and legendary place. Inscribed in the history of shipping and steeped in legends This place has the most terrible climate. The temperature ranges from -2 to +14, it never gets warmer here. The main feature is practically unchanging weather. It rains and winds 300 days a year. It is in this wind that all the cunning and inhospitableness of Cape Horn lies. The fact is that this wind constantly makes "round the world travels", flying around the planet, without encountering any obstacles. And then a narrow strait appears on its way. Here is the wind and rages, bypassing the limited space. As a result, storms are constantly raging near Cape Horn, fog descends and the sun very rarely appears. Thousands of ships found their last shelter near its gloomy rocks, and the souls of the crews (according to the beliefs of sailors) turned into albatrosses. The discovery of Cape Horn and Drake Passage marked a new milestone in maritime history. Thousands of ships laden with goods rushed along a new path, fighting the elements, winning or losing a battle. The flow of ships increased during the reign of tea clippers. They say that the sailboat could take up to three weeks to conquer Cape Horn. Passage of Cape Horn Successfully passing Cape Horn for sailors meant recognition of skill and respect for colleagues. Even a special tradition has developed. After the first pass by Cape Horn, the sailors had the right to wear a copper earring, after the second - a silver one, the third was a gold earring. This tradition has survived to this day.