Cape Horn Storm - MS Veendam - Holland America - December 2010

On December 12-14, 2010, while cruising through Patagonia on Holland America’s Veendam, we found ourselves right smack in the middle of one of those notorious Cape Horn storms. Swells reached 98ft, temperatures outside fell to 19º F, and constant winds exceeded 70 knots, or category 2 hurricane force winds. Our Captain, Rik Krombeen, revealed to us this had been the worst storm he had ever sailed through in his 27 year career. He also told us that while we were in the storm, none of the forecasters and meteorologist they use to track weather systems and plot routes placed us in the storm. As you can see, the forecasters and meteorologists were wrong. In the end, the cruise ship lost an anchor and part of the aft deck, several panels fell inside and outside the ship, and a few people were injured. Nonetheless, we were all happy to have survived it.