Monday, November 15th 2010 57º30’S 62º06’W
Great things have small beginnings.-Sir Francis Drake
The Drake was our friend again on our return voyage. We spent the night resting
peacefully in our cabins as we made great time heading north toward toward the Beagle
Channel. It was a day of lectures, rest and of course our favourite pastime, eating.
We started the morning with a documentary on the sailing ships of old and watched
the fascinating and humorous story of the “Peking”, a sailing ship that tackled Cape
Horn in 1929. The footage saved after all these years was narrated by a young sailer
Irving Johnston who was present on board and was narrating in 1980. Everyone was
blown away, watching these men risk their lives as they hung on for dear life in their
quest to cross the Horn.
The race for the south pole was the next presentation, as Scott went over the years
of 1910-1912 as both Roald Amundsen and Captain Scott attempted to be the first
human beings to set foot on “the last place on earth”. The victorious norwegian Roald
Amundsen was first to arrive on December 15, 1911 and returned home to a heroes
welcome. Scott and his men died in their return back to their camp after a torturous
march through some of the harshest weather.
Osi was on in the afternoon with an educational presentation on the Antarctic
Treaty, and what the future may hold here. After seeing this most pristine and important
continent, we all must become ambassadors for the protection for the future. Soon after
that, the Os was up again with a fun auction, where all the proceeds go to helping the
plight of the Albatross and trying to end long-line fishing.
The night ended with a fun quiz in the lounge and we all hit the sack, looking forward
to waking up and seeing the infamous Cape Horn in the morning.
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