This article narrated in a book entitled “Windjammer Auf Grosser Fahrt” (Sailing Ships on Long Voyages), by Captain Fritz Brustat Naval, German Cap Hornier, was published by the W. Fisher of Göttingen Editorial, Germany and translated by Mrs. Edith MEHRCKENS M., who navigated with her father, the High Sea Master Henry MEHRCKENS M., navigating in sailing vessels through the route of Cape Horn.  This is the reason why she belongs to the Chilean Brotherhood as Cape-Pigeon.

In 1916, during the World War I, a strange man entered the Glütschow and Piza Firm of Valparaíso.  The aim of this man’s visit was to buy the small bark “TINTO”, anchored in Calbuco, at the south of Chile. This bark was very old and made of wood, it had 41,7 m length, 7,9 m breadth and 5,5 m stanchion.  She could also carry 700 tons, if so required.  She was built in Liverpool in 1852 and had at that time 64 years.  In 1878, she had made the last voyage across Cape Horn.  She was in poor conditions:  the hull was flooded, the shipworm decayed the wood, and the sails were in very bad condition.

The shipowners did not give a second thought and sold it at a dirt-cheap price, as this bark rotted at port and only ran up expenses. They didn’t even ask what use he was going to give her.

The Chilean ports were closely watched, as many German vessels were interned in several of its ports.  Chile was a neutral country and would continue to be one.  In Coronel, the Admiral von SPEE Fleet had won the naval battle against the English, who in turn had wiped out the Germans in the Falkland Island (Malvinas).  However, the “TINTO“ was and old Chilean sailing vessel.

It was a real Odyssey!!  They had to put up with strong storms and becalmed seas.  They managed to cross the fearful Cape Horn, but in the Atlantic, a storm took away part of the mizzen mast and several sails.  With great cleverness, they managed to repair the parts they needed the most, among them the radio receiver which was extremely important for them.

Weeks and months had gone by seeing nothing but the horizon and an English cruise which, maybe due to the meaningless size of their bark, did not pay any attention to them.  In order not to fall in hands of the enemy, they had to navigate surrounding England, so as to avoid the dangerous English Channel (Dover).  After four months they arrived to the Shetland islands, at the north of Scotland, where they were at a real risk this time.  They had four becalmed days, in which five steam ships had passed by them.  Moreover, nobody in the world would have believed that they had made such a long and dangerous voyage.