An historic moment for the Amerigo Vespucci as it rounds Cape Horn for the first time. On the morning of Friday 5 April around 7am (Italian time), the Amerigo Vespucci training ship, rounded Cape Horn during its world tour – this southernmost point of the South American content is well known for being one of the most difficult passages in the world to sail through.

Cape Horn (Cabo de Hornos) is where the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans meet. This area is plagued by constant storms created by its proximity to the Antarctic. This pushes large masses of water towards the Drake Passage, where the sea floor rises suddenly from 4000 to 100 metres. Cape Horn and the Atlantic, therefore, force the wind and water to create singular weather conditions.

CAPE HORN FOR THE FIRST TIME

This passage, which happened for the first time in the Amerigo Vespucci’s 90 years, was made possible through meticulous planning and evaluation of the weather conditions, which were necessary to make the mission a success.

Rounding Cape Horn is one of the key moments in this trip around the world, a new page in the “art of navigation” and a new objective reached in the long history of the Amerigo Vespucci.

THE CAPTAIN’S EXCITEMENT

This was a very exciting moment, as can be heard in the words of Amerigo Vespucci captain, Giuseppe Lai, who broadcast on the ship’s tannoy, complimenting the entire crew and highlighting the historic importance of this unforgettable moment for the Italian Navy’s training ship.

In the video shared by the Marina Militare, we can hear the captain’s words, and admire some incredible imagery of Cape Horn. The sailing ship is continuing its voyage in the Pacific Ocean. On 28 April it will reach the port of Valparaiso in Chile.

Photos and videos: Marina Militare Italiana