CREW STORY · 27 April 2015 · BY Dmitry Badiarov
Where Cape Horn Begins
Visitors rarely have the time to wander beneath the surface of a country. They collect landmarks. The deeper places usually open to those who return.
| DatesFrom / To | VesselClass, size, tonnage | VoyagePorts visited, capacity in which sailing | Days on board | Distance logged | Night hours | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Apr 2015 – 27 Apr 2015 | Onyva | Andijk, Enkhuizen, Hoorn, Oudeschild, Mdemblik, Andijk; crew | 4 | 87 NM | — | Force 6 (22–27 kt) |
From the member's personal logbook.
This was my first time entering the picturesque harbours of Volendam and, later, the old city of Hoorn. For most people, Hoorn is simply another beautiful Dutch harbour. I cannot hear its name without thinking of Cape Horn. The cape was first rounded on 29 January 1616 by the Dutch expedition of Willem Schouten and Jacob le Maire. Schouten named it Kaap Hoorn, after his hometown. Strange, if you think about it. One of the most feared places in the world carrying the name of this calm little harbour. Of course, visiting Hoorn is no Sailors' Everest. Yet walking its quays, it is impossible not to sense the intimate relationship between people, water and navigation. Here they were never separate things.
“I have always had the feeling that the sea is like a mirror. One that sees deeper.”
The passage itself was quiet. Unhurried. More a day of exploration than a voyage. Oddly enough, it felt to me like the serene Andante of Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto. Someone else might have heard rock. I suspect different people perceive the same experiences differently. The sea embraces them all. Perhaps this is how things really work. Perhaps what we see is not simply what we see, but a reflection of what we are. Like a mirror. I have always had the feeling that the sea is like a mirror. One that sees deeper.