This image is the cover for the book Maine to Cape Horn, Transportation

Maine to Cape Horn, Transportation

Cape Horn conjures up images of wind-whipped waters and desperate mariners in frozen rigging. Long recognized as a maritime touchstone for sailors, it marks the spot where the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans meet in one writhing mass. "Doubling" Cape Horn became the ultimate test, earning a prominent place in Maine maritime history. At the end of South America, it shares longitude 67° west exactly with Cutler, Maine, a direct north-south line of seven thousand miles. Maine Cape Horners were recognized by a golden earring. If they did not survive this most difficult journey in the world, the earring covered the costs of their funeral, should the body ever be found. Maritime historian Charles H. Lagerbom traveled to the end of the world to help research this exciting story of bold Mainers and their exhilarating and oftentimes deadly dance with danger.

Charles H. Lagerbom

A published author and avid polar, colonial Maine and maritime book collector, Charles H. Lagerbom is a frequent guest lecturer presenting on cruise ships, sailing vessels and ashore about the history, life, politics and science of Antarctica, Cape Horn and South Atlantic, as well as colonial Maine and New England maritime history and archaeology. Charles is past president of the Antarctican Society, where he serves as current archivist/historian. He is author of The Fifth Man: The Life of H.R. Bowers (Caedmon Publishing, 1999) and Whaling in Maine (Arcadia Publishing, 2020) and publishes a weekly column in the Camden Herald titled "Half Seas Over: Interesting Research Related to Maritime Maine." Charles teaches AP U.S. History at Belfast Area High School and makes his home on the coast of Maine. He can be reached at clagerbom@rsu71.org.

The History Press