Roberto BENAVENTE
Rear Admiral
Chairman, Brotherhood of Cape Horner Captains – CHILE.
[spanish version]

I. FOUNDING OF THE AMICALE.
In June 1936, a group of French sailing ship Captains who had rounded Cape Horn met at the L’Univers Hotel in Saint Malo, France, accompanied by one of their old professors at the School of Hydrography. It was then that the initiative to create an association for the purpose of keeping in mind the experiences, recollections and traditions of voyaging under sail along oceanic routes was launched.

A year later, in June 1937, a group of 35 French deep-sea Captains – most of them from the Brittany region, France – met at the “Aux Ajoncs d’ Or” Hotel at Saint Malo. All were Cape Hornier veterans, happy to meet again and revive their recollections, personal experiences, emotions and unexpected surprises which the sea had challenged them with, on the dangerous Cape Horn route.

The Friends of Cape Horn Association was born. The group, presided over by the ‘Grand Mât’ (Main Mast), Captain Louis Allaire, consisted of “Albatrosses” (Captains who had commanded a sailing ship around Cape Horn) and “Mollymawks” (a bird of the same family as the albatross, however smaller), the name given to Officers who had performed these duties on the great sailing ships which defied Cape Horn.

II. AMICALE INTERNATIONALE.
AMICALE activities were suspended during the Second World War, and renewed at the end of the fighting, with only French Captains participating in 1946 – 1947 and 1948. Belgium was incorporated in the organization in 1949 and 1950; the Britishers joined in 1951, followed soon afterwards by the Germans, whence AMICALE became A.I.C.H., AMICALE INTERNATIONALE, with 800 members who agreed, from that date onwards, to meet every year in a different country. The interest awakened by this organization, unlike any other of its kind, motivated the majority of the maritime countries gradually to join AMICALE, until a total of 16 member countries was reached.

The objectives of AMICALE were to promote and strengthen the ties of comradeship created in that unique body of men and women who enjoyed the distinction of having rounded CAPE HORN in sailing ships. This made it possible to keep alive the memory of those ships which regularly sailed along such an exceptionally difficult and perilous route, and at the same time acknowledge the courage, endurance and professional skill of the sailors who manned them.

The sea leaves an indelible mark on all those who plow its waves. Mariners possess something no other human beings have, as they have endured and suffered exceptional and unmatched experiences, in the face of which common man can only feel respect and admiration. Whatever their nationality, this close contact with the sea and the hardship of life on board, the feeling of responsibility for the ship, the crew and its cargo, are felt the same way throughout the world. It is the spirit of comradeship which binds all mariners together beyond all frontiers, and is known by the Cape Horners as “The Spirit of Saint Malo”.

In the 66 years the Brotherhood existed, 57 International Congresses took place in 14 member countries of the organization, of these 22 were held in France, 6 in Germany, 3 in Denmark and England, and a lesser number in other countries.

Worthy of special mention is the case of the Chilean Brotherhood which – although incorporated in the AICH only in 1989 – was able to organize two international and very successful events, as in both cases the participants were given the opportunity to round Cape Horn. The only Section never to organize an international event was North America, consisting of the U.S.A. and Canada, which only joined the entity in 1993.

In accordance with the resolution taken at the A.I.C.H. Congress held at Mariehamn, Aland Islands, the Final Congress of this noble, original and unique international organization brought its activities to a definite end at Saint Malo on 15th May 2003 at 10:15; after having worthily accomplished its objectives, Amicale ended in beauty and died in dignity.

III. A.I.C.H. INTERNATIONAL CONGRESSES.
The following list shows the cities and countries where A.I.C.H. International Congresses were held.