False Cape Horn orFalso Cabo de Hornos is a headland at the south end ofHoste Island, 35 statute miles (56 km) northwest ofCape Horn, located at55°43′37″S68°03′16″W / 55.72694°S 68.05444°W /-55.72694; -68.05444. False Cape Horn is the southernmost point of the largeislands of theTierra del Fuego group, located close to the mainland ofSouth America.
At least 100 ships were lost in the Cape Horn area between 1850 and 1900.[1] There were three sailing routes through or around the Tierra del Fuego region:Drake Passage (the one going aroundCape Horn),Magellan Strait, andBeagle Channel. All three were perilous, but only Drake Passage offered unlimited maneuvering room. It became the preferred route. Since the winds in the area are prevailing westerlies, False Cape Horn is alee shore which from the west superficially resembles the real Cape Horn to the south. If the officers and crew of a ship saw land off the starboard bow (to the south), there was virtually no chance of stopping or turning, or even slowing, a ship in time to avoid wrecking on theWollaston Islands. This mistake caused several shipwrecks.
Administratively, False Cape Horn, which belongs to theCommune of Cabo de Hornos, is part of theAntártica Chilena Province of theMagallanes y Antártica Chilena Region,Chile.
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