Location: 2° 26.0 N, 39° 32.0 W
Monday 12:00, 06.19.2006

The Schooner Maggie B’s Noon Position on June 19th was 2° 26 N, 39° 32 W . The SE’erly trades seem to have set in. The wind has been 120-140 at 10 to 25 knots. Rain showers are more frequent. Our course is about 185 degrees at 4 to 6 knots. We have full jib up and full main, which is too little for the lighter breezes and too much for the little blows that come with each shower. We are probably going to switch to one reef in the fore and main, to keep two “slots” where the overlapping sails help power us to windward. That will give us more balance and flexibility. The sea is bigger and confused with a fair SE’erly swell with a cross chop.

It is tough to steer and trim the sails. We need power to push through the waves, but we also need to go to Fernando de Noronha, which is about 160 degrees at 550 miles. When in doubt, go for power.

I understand that the Crew Quiz Test Your Sea Legs is operational on the web site. Try it! Please give me feedback.

We put our fishing lines over today and had a nice Wahoo landed about an hour later. Somewhat bigger than the last two, this one probably making three meals for the six of us. Thanks to great advice from my friend Richard Postma of the fishing catamaran Taravana in French Polynesia (Google his web site — he is a real character), and killer lures from Melton, it seems as if we just have to decide when we want fish for dinner and “reach in the tank” for a nice one. I suppose that it helps that no one else has probably ever fished this area.

It looks as if we are going to have a bit of a hard slog to windward. I have forgotten what it feels like to sail the Maggie B off the wind. But…

All is well.