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Smith, Peter writes:
 > On Friday, February 25, 2000 1:51 AM,
 > Russell Sher [mailto:rsher@TELLUMAT.COM] said:
 > > I read yesterday that a vessel officially rounds Cape Horn when she
 > crosses
 > > from 50 Deg. South Lat. Back to 50 Deg. South Lat. after passing Cape
 > Horn.
 > > Perhaps there are some of our list members who have rounded Cape Horn with
 > > some resultant interesting bits of info.?
 >
 > I've heard this referred to as "doubling the Horn". I think this stems from
 > the number of ships that passed Cape Horn proper but were then unable to
 > make any progress, or were indeed driven back again.
 >
 > Just as a landing in a light, taildragger aircraft isn't complete until
 > you've parked it and tied it down, so a rounding of Cape Horn isn't complete
 > until you've escaped the area.
 >
 >  -- Peter

The actual "cape" is an island: Cabo de Hornos at about 67.3W 56S.  I
highly recommend Hal Roth's "Two Against Cape Horn" for an amazing
account of rounding Cape Horn, east about.

"Doubling" applies to any point or cape, not just Cape Horn.  "The
Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea" defines doubling (as in
doubling Cape Horn) thus: "To double a cape or other point of land, to
sail a vessle round it so that on completion the land is between the
ship and her original position."

Now, it happens that there is a further cape and island northeast of
Cabo de Hornos (Cabo San Diego and Isla de los Estados) separated by a
strait: Estrecho de la Maire at about 65W and 55 to 54S.  Once north
of this area and past the Straits of Magellan (entering the Atlantic
at about 68.5W 52.5S), one is well and truly clear of the Cape Horn
area.  50S is, I guess, as good a line to draw as any but I wouldn't
care to tell someone at 60-something W 51S they haven't rounded Cape
Horn yet.  BTW, the western approaches to the cape have several
channels with possibilities for anchoring and shelter (although
shelter is, per Roth's commentary, a relative term).

Rick
S/V One With The Wind, Baba 35

   

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