Location: 4° 12.0 N, 40° 19.0 W
Sunday 12:00, 06.18.2006

The Schooner Maggie B’s noon position on June 18 was 4° 12.0 N 40° 19.0 W. The wind has been from 110-130 degrees at 7 to 15 knots. Last night we had one rain shower after another. The rain showers would bring wind (and water!) then no wind after. Routine was to stop the engine, roll out the jib (fore sail stowed), adjust sails, close all hatches, get a big cold shower, run out of wind, start engine, roll up jib, open hatches. Repeat on half hour intervals. Fun at 4 PM, less so at 4 AM.

At noon we were sailing along nicely at 6.5 knots, heading 175, with a wind from 120 at 12 knots. Great if it lasts, but more SE’erly winds (on our nose) predicted ahead so we are doing our best to keep East for the wind shift.

We have gone 1420 NM since Barbados. Natal and Fernando de Noronha are both about 680 NM to go.

Last night we were treated to a very rare (first time I’ve ever seen it) moon-bow. After one short but intense rain shower, the half moon popped out and behind us was a perfect arc against the clouds, whiter than the clouds, with just a little touch of pink.

One pleasure of having it relatively clear to the South is that we have been learning our Southern stars. There is the Southern Cross, which despite all the hype looks rather like a kid’s kite to me. More interesting is Alpha and Beta Centauri. But the most interesting, if one is up from midnight to four AM, is to watch the well defined Scorpio do a slow somersault around bright blue Spica in Virgo. We have also had the Twins setting in the West behind us, looking sometimes like a pair of ship’s masthead lights bearing down on us.

Today was another first. The Captain made scones and they came out pretty well (after you have been at sea for a while anything is delicious). The recipe caught my eye by being called “Fool Proof Scones.” I was happy that my son Alden insisted on a nice slate bread-making surface next to the stove. It almost was a disaster when I found that the bread pan where the dough was all laid out ready to go….didn’t fit the oven! #$*@*&@%!! But my tool box was handy and the tin snips had all sorted out directly.

All is well.