"Everyone has his own Everest!" 9:30 UT, we are leaving base camp this morning after exactly five days of waiting. The packs are zipped, with new batteries in the headlamps, ice axes sharpened and crampons attached to our boots. The ascent to Cape Horn promises to be slow-going, but it was time to get moving. After some discussion, we decided to make the ascent without oxygen, it'll take however long it takes, but we'll get there.
Our tent was rattled all night by dark squalls kicking up gusts above 50 knots. The mouth of Lemaire Channel is less than 10 miles away, but the sky is still dark and a heavy gray wall of rain lies on the horizon. With the ORC jib up and three reefs in the mainsail, we are resuming our long march. We should reach Cape Horn this evening.

Goodnight

Lionel Lemonchois