Early morning. The boat had traveled overnight to reach Cape Horn. Donning layers of warm clothes underneath waterproof jackets, pants and shoes, and lifejackets, we boarded motorized rubber rafts called zodiacs at 7:30. We were ferried to Cape Horn island and climbed a steep, weather-worn set of steps and carefully walked along a boardwalk amidst gale winds, rain, and sleet to reach the monument marking the official spot of the cape. An hour-and-a-half after leaving the ship, we carefully made our way back down the boardwalk and steps to catch the zodiacs back to the Australis.

A second zodiac ride in the late afternoon took us to Wulaia Bay, a huge Darwin exploration area. There were three levels of hikes offered: easy, medium, and difficult. We chose the difficult hike, which was steep and required special attention to rocks, roots, and fallen trees along the way. Ah, but the view from the top...

Quick Photo Links: Cape Horn Monument | Albatross Memorial | Albatross birds | hike to the top