Location: 25° 47 S, 31° 20 W
Monday 12:00, 08.07.2006

The Schooner Maggie B was at 25° 47 S, 31° 20 W at noon on August 7th. We did 195 miles in the last 24 hours, in winds of 15-18 knots! During my 9-midnight watch, I saw hull speed, 10.2 knots from time to time. As planned, we are just south of our first high. The wind is now 340-350 at 15-18 and we are “making hay as the sun shines” and heading right for Cape Town on a course of 120M at 8.5 knots. At this speed, we would make Cape Town in 13 days, but that is way optimistic.

As this first High (Hank) passes East of us, the wind should back more and get light. Later in the week the next Low (LaVerne) will track off the continent. LaVerne should have winds of 60 knots in her center, and we will aim, as best we can, to be about 200 miles north of the center in 20-30 knots, from the NW backing to the SW. Right now we will head East as long as this nice NW’erly lasts, then make some more Southing in what should be light Westerlies backing to Southerlies. Our aim is to be at about 31S for LaVerne.

With the wind behind us and the sun out, we are back in t-shirts and hatches back open.

Max’s attempt to salvage the Cokified Keyboard failed, though he applied heroic measures. Hopefully Dell will part with a new one.

All is well.