Cape Horn sea condition

[sho]

I plan to cruise around Cape Horn in November (from Buenos Aires to Santiago). What is the sea condition and weather like? I am worried about strong wind and rough sea at this time of the year?

[Grandma Cruising]

I think it’s just luck what weather you get, I think it can get rough any time. We went round in late January and were very lucky, it was pretty calm, but a few weeks before it had been very rough.

[capriccio]

That area isn't called the Furious 50s (latitude) for nothing!  We were in Ushuaia on December 26, 2016.  Sail in around noon was lovely.  By the time we were due to take a Beagle Channel excursion around 2 pm it was cancelled due to increased winds.  By the time we were due to depart at 8 pm we couldn't leave the dock because the wind was blowing so hard it kept us pushed up against the dock.  The wind finally calmed some and we pushed away 6 hours late.  The next morning we woke up close to Cape Horn but the waves were so rough that the shower water in our bathtub didn't drain - it pooled at the back of the tub!  Cape Horn was in sight in the distance but the captain decided circumnavigating it wasn't going to happen.  Most people felt so queasy or downright seasick that we didn't hear any complaints about his decision.

 

I don't want to dissuade you with that story because obviously weather is unpredictable.  Our Lost Angeles to Rio de Janiero cruise was one of our all time favorites!

[pspercy]

 Cape Horn was in sight in the distance but the captain decided circumnavigating it wasn't going to happen. 

 

BOO. I'd feel cheated if that happened when we do it 😞

[capriccio]

6 hours ago, pspercy said:

 Cape Horn was in sight in the distance but the captain decided circumnavigating it wasn't going to happen. 

 

BOO. I'd feel cheated if that happened when we do it 😞

We felt disappointed but, as I said, given the wind and sea conditions (otherwise it was a bright, cold sunny day) no one in our group (of 4) or anyone we spoke too questioned the decision.  We certainly had a story about the inability of the bathtub to drain 😀.

[Wayfairers]

We were there in Jan with smooth seas.  But as others have said you can’t predict the seas in that area and changes happen quickly.  

[joybook]

When we did LA to Rio around Cape Horn late December a year or so ago the seas were quite OK but we got 3 lots of hail in the one day. Yes, sunshine one minute, hail the next etc etc etc. Hail all over the deck.

[Gwendy]

Missed seeing Cape Horn, blur through rain and fog.  Not many people around, it was very rough.  The night before was formal night crossing the Drake Passage, Captain put a special call out for ladies to not wear high heels because of the ship movement.  Only time I have heard that.

[mcmarya]

We missed Cape Horn and Ushaia at the end of March due to expected hurricane force winds. It is the luck of the draw.

[thinfool]

We went round the Cape on HAL in December 2016. It was like a farm pond.  We were a little disappointed.