Between 6:00 and 8:00 this morning we approached Cape Horn, the southernmost point in the Americas. 
Named after the Dutch town of Hoorn in 1616 by the Dutchman who first rounded it, Cape Horn the northern boundary of the Drake Passage and marks where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet.
The Dutch merchant who first rounded Cape Horn was looking for an alternative route to the Magellan Straits, which were controlled by the East India Company. The Straits and the Beagle Channel are very narrow and subject to williwaw winds that can strike without warning. The advantage of the Drake Passage around Cape Horn was that it is 500 miles wide, allowing sailing ships more room to maneuver against winds, waves, and tides. The passage is nonetheless treacherous, known for strong winds and waves. The Bounty battled the winds for 40 days before Captain Bly turned the boat around and chose to sail around African instead.
We were lucky to have calm seas and little wind when we approached. Winds can be fierce and waves are typically 10 feet.
The Chilean Navy maintains the lighthouse on Cape Horn which is part of the Cabo de Hornos (Cape Horn) National Park, a UNESCO protected ecosystem. Created in the 1940s, this 155,906-acre national park has craggy cliffs and windswept beauty. The lighthouse keeper and his wife came out to wave at us. There is a statue with the outline of an albatross commemorating the more than 10,000 sailors who lost their lives on 800 shops that sank attempting the passage. 