Location: 15° 017.5 S 038° 30.8 W
Wednesday 12:00, 08.02.2006

The Schooner Maggie B's noon position on August 2nd was 15° 17.5 S, 38° 30.8W We are about 150 miles from Salvador, heading south along the Brazilian coast, about 50 miles off shore. We are motorsailing in light winds (110° at 5 knots), heading 155° at 6.5 knots. Cape Town is 3272 miles away and Tristan da Cunha is 1899.

We have started fishing and caught dinner after only an hour and a half, a 20 inch Jack that will fry up nicely in garlic, lime juice and oil. We knew that the waters were rich because the flying fish are back in squadrons and a Gannett followed us all morning.

We also had a somewhat interesting ship follow us from ahead last night. Around sunset we saw a small Brazilian Naval Vessel (?) about six miles ahead of us. During the night, regardless of our course changes and variation in speed, it kept position at our one o'clock at exactly six miles distance. Only when we got to 30 miles off the coast, at about three AM, did it peel off and head back.

At noon today in light breezes, we practiced putting up our storm sails, so that we won't fumble too much when we need them.

One t-shirt we saw when we left Salvador said "Belgium -- Small Country, Great Beers." We have shipped enough beer only for one can each, every other day. Because today is an even day, we will toast our first fish of the voyage with Brazilian "Skol" beer. But just one can.

All is well.

Location: 13° 06.7 S 038° 30.8 W
Tuesday 12:00, 08.01.2006

We welcomed August by getting underway from Salvador for Cape Town. We arrived Natal back on June 26th, so, not counting the time to sail from Natal to Salvador, have spent about a month in Brazil.

We know that we know so little of Brazil, and had so much fun there, but are happy to be headed for Cape Town.

Crew is Frank Blair, Max Hofman, Lieve Berghmans and Bart Gabriel. This is a very strong crew, the Maggie B is in great shape and we have a very interesting sail ahead of us. We have set watches of three hours on and nine off, a cushy life at sea.

Headed to Cape Town

At noon we were at 13° 06.7 S 038° 30.8 W, or about 10 miles off of Salvador. It is a lovely clear day. The wind is 135 degrees at 12 knots and we are making 195 degrees at 6.3 knots. The direct course to Cape Town is about 135 degrees (wind on the nose again!) at 3363 NM, but we are going to run south along the Brazil coast to pick up the back side of a high pressure system just getting ready to exit the coast, and then ride its NW'erlies across (remember, circulation is opposite from the Northern Hemisphere). I have the weather brief from Commanders Weather up on the site.

Filling up for this leg has been fun. We took on water at Isla de Itaparica, which has a famous mineral spring, first set up in 1846. The dock is only 200 feet away and the water is delicious and cheap (10 Reals for all you can take). We fueled up with 700 liters of diesel at the Centro Nautico floating service station (see photo on the site). Diesel costs about $3.20US a gallon. With about 300 gallons of diesel aboard, we can motor about 1200 NM. With 350 gallons of water on board, we can splurge on two gallons per person per day for 44 days, before we catch rainwater or use the watermaker.

We are still learning.

It turned out to be a huge deal to get our cooking gas tank (we carry two) refilled. Lots of reasons, with explanations changing rapidly, but in the end we bought a Brazilian tank and a gerry-rigged connection. They use butane rather than propane, but it seems to work fine, protected behind all our regulators and safety systems.

All is well.