Captain Patrick Marchesseau and Cruise Director JannieCloete welcome the guests to the Captain’s Farewell Cocktail Party

We take on the Chilean pilot for a surprise visit to Cape Horn Island

The famous Albatross Memorial to seafarers lost in the Southern Ocean

Looking down on Le Boreal from the top of the Cape Horn stairway

A family of Kelp Geese near our landing on Cape Horn Island

Le Boreal - January 03, 2012

1/3/2012

Cape Horn, Chile  

Temperature: 41˚F (5˚C)

Wind speed: 10 knots

Cloud cover: 100%

Precipitation: none  

Sitting in the dining room eating our breakfast the talk was all about how fast it seemed like Le Boreal was going.  We couldn't quite understand, we had a full day at sea ahead arriving late this evening in Ushuaia.  When you looked at the cruise info displayed on the TV's it looked like we were almost there.  

It wasn't long before the confusion would be settled as Captain Marchesseau came over Le Boreal's speaker system 'Ladies and Gentleman, this is your Captain speaking from the bridge'. Do to the exceptional weather experienced during our Drake Passage crossing we have been able to make good speed.  With this in mind we have made the decision to alter our course towards Cape Horn'.  The dinning room erupted into applause. Continuing the Captain said 'With this in mind we have also decided the weather is also perfect enough for us to attempt a landing'.  With this the applause erupted once again, what a surprise!  

Boarding the zodiacs we headed off to experience one more once in a life time opportunity, to spend a couple of hours ashore at the most southern location in the Americas.  Our trip wasn't quite finished.  

Finishing our packing and enjoying the company of our fellow travelers we watched, sadly, as Le Boreal came along side in Ushuaia.  It really was a moment of realization for all that tomorrow we would be leaving this wonderful ship that had become our home over the last weeks.  We would need to say goodbye to the Captain, his Crew and the Expedition team as well as each other.  Although the journey we had taken together was coming to a close none of it would soon be forgotten.