The Amerigo Vespucci doubles the legendary Cape Horn for the first time: a historic event in the long maritime tradition
Facing prohibitive conditions, with 4-meter waves, the world's most famous Italian ship rounded Cape Horn, adding another important chapter to its long seafaring history.
56°03'S, 067°161'W. These coordinates, for experienced sailors, represent one of the most difficult and coveted points to reach. Here the Pacific and Atlantic oceans meet, raging winds blow seamlessly, colossal sea currents flow through Drake Strait. The last strip of South American land on one side, Antarctica on the other. Doubling Cape Horn is considered an epic feat, especially if one tackles it with wind propulsion alone, without the use of engines, as the crew of the Amerigo Vespucci, led by Captain Giuseppe Lai, did last April 5.
One of the world's most celebrated sailing ships, an icon of the Italian Navy, built in 1931 in the Castellammare di Stabia shipyards, rounded Cape Horn for the first time in its prestigious history at the ripe old age of 93, certainly honoring its current motto: "Not he who begins but that which perseveres," as well as the previous one: "Steadfast in the fury of winds and events." Ideas imbued in the wood and which, in some way, participated in the operations conducted by the crew.
The event, was celebrated with joy and pride on board, with the emotion palpable among the men and women who experienced this historic moment. Now, having overcome the titanic challenge, the Amerigo Vespucci continues its world tour in the Pacific. The next stop is scheduled for Valparaíso, Chile, on April 28, where the ship will continue to promote root tourism in the Belpaese and celebrate its long and illustrious maritime history.
