Location: 25° 20 S, 60° 02 E
Wednesday 12:00, 01.31.2007

The Schooner Maggie B's noon position on January 31st was 25° 20S, 60° 02E. We are headed 170 degrees at 9 knots, with a reef in the main and fore, on a close reach with the wind from 080 at 25 knots. The sea has laid down a bit and gotten more regular, but we are still taking a fair amount of water over the deck, certainly well enough to keep the helmsman salty.

We have come 193 NM from yesterday, 1323 from the Seychelles, and have 2936 to go to Perth.

Last night's excitement came when Owen was sitting up talking with Bori during her 2100 to midnight watch. When he was in mid-sentence, a flying fish hit him in the face. Only an inch to the left and it would have been a hole in one!

Tropical Cyclone Dora is forming about 850 NM NNE of us. It has winds of 40 knots so far. It is headed SW at 11 knots and we are headed SE at 9, so we should be well clear. Our barometer is rising.

Variation. In many places in the world there is a significant difference between magnetic north and true north. This is one. Here the variation is 25 degrees west. We run the Maggie B on magnetic, so when I say we are headed 170 degrees, that is 145 degrees true. So we can be headed south magnetic, but be making some precious easting. But the support we get on weather forecasting gives headings in true, so we have to be sure to make the proper correction. Sailors have memorized "Can Dead Men Vote Twice? (Add East)" or the politically incorrect "True Virgins Make Dull Companions" for years. That is to remember "Compass; Deviation; Magnetic; Variation; True." Deviation is the difference, if any, between your steering compass and magnetic.

All is well.