Today all crew on board the Dutch Tall Ships Bark ‘EUROPA’, ‘Oosterschelde’ and ‘Tecla’ have been officially recognized by the Dutch Cape Horn Society for rounding the Horn in the best maritime tradition: Sailing around the Horn. All crew will be awarded with a medal. The award ceremony will be held in Hoorn, Netherlands on October 12th 2014
Sailing around the Horn
The actual sailing took place in Fall 2013. Departing from Auckland, New Zealand, the crew of the Bark EUROPA readied themselves for their voyage of a lifetime! Without using the ships engine the EUROPA sailed from 50 degrees west of the South American continent to 50 degrees East of the South American Continent and in doing so rounding Cape Horn. On December 3rd 2013 the Bark EUROPA reached the 50 degrees mark on the South Atlantic Ocean finishing the official rounding.
Dutch Cape Horn Society
After finishing the Dutch Cape Horn Society had the task of assessing all logbooks to see if the rounding has been conducted according to the rules given: sailing from 50 degrees west on the Pacific Ocean to 50 degrees on the Atlantic Ocean or vice versa, with only the wind in the sails as propulsion for at least the final 3000 miles of the journey. Today all crew have been acknowledged for their remarkable achievement. Rounding the Horn was and still is a high light for seaman and formed a real achievement in their maritime career.
All crew receive a medal of honour for their participation in sailing the ship around the Horn. In an official medal giving ceremony, held on October 12th 2014 in the city of Hoorn, Netherlands, everybody on board is recognized in playing their part during this voyage.
Visit the Horn
The Bark EUROPA visits the Horn once more during the first voyage of her Antarctica expedition season. On the 24-day voyage from Punta Arenas the first days are spent in the Chilean fjords and before heading to the White Continent the Cape Horn, if weather allows, will be visited. This voyage starts on November 24th 2014. Please see www.barkeuropa.com for more details.