Location: 42° 02S, 154° 17E
Wednesday 12:00, 05.02.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 42° 02 S, 154° 17E at noon on May 2nd. Ship’s time has been changed to +11 GMT. We are finally sailing with all plain sail, doing 7.8 knots for Cape Farewell, New Zealand in 13 knots of wind from the NNW. The swell is somewhat confused and the skies thinly overcast with a few bands of rain showers about. We have come 349 NM from Hobart and have 843 NM to Nelson, which is a little over four days.

Last night we had a huge halo around the almost-full moon. Being three fists-at-arms-length away, old salts would say we have some dirty weather coming three days away. Owen and I also saw a star(?) low in the south, flashing red and green. It could have been an airplane, but it was entirely stationary.

We have a large flock of Grey Headed Albatross (Thalassarche chrysostoma) following us. Their wingspan is up to two meters. One reference book says that those nesting on Macquarie Island are mellow enough that they have been known to preen the hair of researchers as they allow their leg bands to be read at their nests. Looking at the hair of the crew of the Maggie B, probably they are following us not for food scraps, but to help out with our coiffeur. More recently some Black Browed have joined the squadron. Owen is reading Robert Hughes’ excellent book on Australia called “The Fatal Shore.” In it he quoted Joseph Banks saying “The Tahitians made love…but [the Maori]… live entirely on fish, dogs and enemies.” Up pipes Theresa: “So why are we going to New Zealand?”

Two random thoughts: it is amazing to me that the USA hasn’t taken up one and two dollar coins like Australia and Canada. They make life so much easier. Australia has also given up the penny, which also makes great sense. Second thought: I feel very lucky that the Maggie B was built in Canada as most all our screws are Robertson, which means various sized squares in the head rather than the simple slot of most screws or the “X” of Phillips-head. It makes screws so much easier to insert and extract, it is amazing to me that their use is still mostly restricted to Canada.

We will probably take the main down one reef before nightfall if the wind continues to freshen. The prediction is for about twenty knots from the NW, which would give us a lovely beam reach for Nelson.

All is well.