Location 39° 09S, 108° 28W
Wednesday 10.31.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 39° 09S, 108° 28W at noon on October 31st. We are still blasting along at 8.9 knots with 20-25 knots of wind on our beam. We are right on the Great Circle Route to Puerto Montt. We made 217 NM in the last 24 hours. The skies are clearing and the waves are settling in a bit more regularly, though still with a SW swell against a Northerly wind-generated waves. We have come 3336 NM from Rangiroa and have 1595 to go to Puerto Montt.

It looks as if we will have two more days of this great breeze. Our high is steadying into place ahead of us and we are running into it — our barometer is up to 1022 Mb. Another high looks to develop behind and below us, but we may slip through the gap between the two before it overlays us and stops our progress. We’ll have some tactical decisions to make on November 2nd, at which time we’ll have only a little more than 1000 NM to go.

We are now on GMT -8, the same as California (give or take DST). While we are sliding Waaaaay South, it is amazing to us that if we were in the US, we would be about crossing the Utah/Colorado border now. Puerto Montt is at about the same longitude as New York City. A usually successful “bar bet” is asking what South American city is directly south of Miami. The answer is: none — they are all to the East. When we go around the Horn, we will be about as far East as Halifax.

Robert is earning a new name: Splash Gordon. He seems to have unerring ability to arrive on deck just as the biggest splash within hours zeros in. This morning he went out for his watch at 0900, having been informed by Kath that there had been no spray for an hour. On emerging in his foulie bottoms, to put on his top and harness on deck, he got the Three Bucket Special square on his head. Like the candidate for Dial soap in the commercials, nobody wants to stand near him on deck.

All is well.

What We Are Reading en route to Chile

Hannah - Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Robert - A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Kath - A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

Frank - Color: A Natural History of the Palette by Victoria Finlay

Location 38° 06S, 112° 53W
Tuesday 10.30.2007

At noon on October 30th, the Schooner Maggie B was at 38° 06S, 112° 53W. We were snorting along at 8.3 knots with full jib, one reef in the main and the fore furled up. The wind has been pretty steady at 310-320 degrees at 20-25 knots with gusts to 32. There is a medium high overcast but no rain, only occasional spray on the boat.

We have come 3119 NM since Rangiroa and have 1812 to go to Puerto Montt. We did 209 NM in the last 24 hours. It looks as if we will keep this ride through November 2nd. We should be within 1000 miles by then.

Last night at midnight we took in the fore. What was special about it was that it wasn’t anything special about it. The wind was steady at 25 knots with gusts to 32. The Maggie B was going hull speed and then some and though still pretty dry with the scuppers clear of the water, she felt over-pressed. All Hands were called at midnight, gear and harnesses went on quickly (over jammies), and we did a quick brief in the galley. Deck lights on, a dose of chocolate, and everyone went to their stations. One, two, three and down came the fore into the Lazy Jacks, to be tightly furled up and lashed down. The off watch were back in their bunks by 0030.

We spotted what looked like serious fraying along the leech of the fore, but today, on inspection, it appears to be only the sheath for the fore leech tension line, and not anything serious. We will be able to fly the sail when the wind abates and have it stitched up in Puerto Montt.

All is well.

Commanders Weather Corporation
Monday 14:20, 10.29.07

From: Commanders’ Weather Corporation
Route: Papeete, Tahiti to Puerto Montt, Chile
Est position: 36° 02S 120° 05W at approx 2100utc Sunday, October 28, 2007
Prepared: 1420 utc Monday, October 29, 2007

Summary

Routing

Wind forecasts
Wind directions are TRUE, wind speed in kts, and time is UTC

Mon Oct 29
00: 280-260/15-23 g30 nr 34S/178 10E
06: 280-260/14-22 g30
12: 270-250/12-20 g25
Weather: Variably to mostly cloudy, slight chc of a shower
Seas building to 6-8ft during the day, SW swell

Tue Oct 30
00: 350-330/15-23 g30 near 36 10S/118 50W
06: 350-330/18-25 g30
12: 350-330/18-26 g30
18: 340-320/ 20-28 g35
Weather: Variably to mostly cloudy, slight chc of a shower
Seas building to 7-10 ft, SW swell

Wed Oct 31
00: 340-320/ 23-30 g40 near 37S/115W
06: 340-320/ 20-26 g35
12: 340-320/ 20-25 g35
18: 330-310/ 18-25 g30
Weather: Variably to mostly cloudy, increased chc shower/squall
Seas 8-11ft SW swell

Thu Nov 1
00: 330-310/ 20-28 g35 near 37 40S/111W
12: 330-310/ 20-25 g35
Weather..Variably cloudy, scattered showers/squalls
Seas becoming 10-12ft SW swell

Fri Nov 2
00: 330-310/20-25 g35 near 38 30S/107W
12: 320-300/17-24 g30
Weather..Variably cloudy, scattered showers/squalls
Seas building to 11-14ft, SW swell

Sat, Nov 3
00: 320-300/15-23 g30 near 39 30S/102 30W
12: 300-280/20-25 g35
Weather..Variably cloudy, scattered showers/squalls
Seas 13-16 ft, mostly SW swell

Location 37° 00S, 116° 57W
Monday 10.29.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 37° 00S, 116° 57W at noon on October 29th. We were rushing along at 9.0 knots directly on the Great Circle route to Puerto Montt. The wind was NW at 17-19 knots, essentially right on our port beam. There is a medium level thin overcast, but the sun is still fairly warm through it.

We have come 2935 NM from Rangiroa and have 2016 NM to go to Puerto Montt.

It looks as if we will have a marvelous ride the next five days. We have a big high (1034 Mb) centered about 700 NM in front of us and a deep low (950 Mb) about 1100 NM South of us. We should keep a Northerly 15-30 knot breeze right on our beam for the next five days, which should move us half the remaining way to Chile. We reefed the main down one reef after lunch and will consider doing the same to the fore before dark.

When we get to 9-10 knots in the Maggie B, a faint hum develops. Technically it is probably some interface with the centerboard, but we all think that is is just the hum of happiness.

The Captain has to make tough decisions. That comes with the job. Last night there was a big one. When I came on watch at midnight, I was presented with the dilemma of choosing between a slice of Hannah’s fruit pie or her cinnamon cake to go with my cup of Earl Grey tea. Showing the deep experience of a Blue Water Skipper, with a nod to Solomon, I took have a slice of each….

Jodi Farrar, Robert’s wife, sent us a blessing that I wanted to share:

“……..Sure and may there lie a sea before you,
the likes of which have never been sailed before,
inviting you to proceed without interruption, upheaval, or
problems in a steady flowing motion, without jolts or interruptions,
in honor of the greatness that is upon your vessel.”

All is well.

Location 36° 02S, 120° 05W
Sunday 10.28.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 36° 02S, 120° 05W at noon on October 28th. We are back under all plain sail, slipping along at 5.0 knots in 8.0 knots of wind on our beam. We have a series of complex mid-level overcast clouds with occasional light rain. The barometer is just barely beginning to fall from a high of 1020 millibars. The waves are relatively flat with just a long period SW swell to give definition to the wide waters.

We have come 2751 NM from Rangiroa and have 2179 to go to Puerto Montt.

Today was “Clean the Boat” day and Robert showed off his Beginner’s Luck by pulling “Head and Shower” out of the hat. We also started securing for a blow, putting on our extra baffles to help secure the ventilation system, installing the heavy windows on the aft side of the pilot house and tightening up all deck equipment’s lashings, especially Reep’s. We practiced setting “Kathy,” our storm main staysail between the main and the fore masts.

We are beginning to see albatross and petrels. My favorite, the Pintado Petrel, showed up yesterday. We haven’t been able to ID the albatrosses because as soon as they see Robert’s camera with the 300 mm lens, they take off for Antarctica.

All is well.

Location 34° 15S, 125° 28W
Saturday 10.27.2007

The Schooner Maggie B’s noon position on October 27th was 35° 11S 122° 49W. We were motorsailing, or mostly motoring, at 6.2 knots along the Great Circle line to Puerto Montt. The wind was 290 degrees at 8 knots, or pretty much dead astern. There is still a long swell from the SW and the sky is now overcast with mid-altitude clouds.

We have come 2609 NM from Rangiroa and have 2321 NM to go to Chile.

We are definitely getting into the Southern Ocean. The water temperature is now down to 62 F (17 C), where it was 82 F (27C) in Rangiroa. Finally we are seeing some birds — petrels and albatross.

Last night there was a big ring around the almost-full moon. It was “three fists” wide, meaning that the weather was three days away. It is strange that we are using pre-industrial weather forecasting (”fists away” and wind direction) with Seventeenth Century technology (the barometer) with satellite analysis, to gauge our weather and the prospects.

I had a “waking dream” yesterday that I was in a big kitchen or bar and had a huge pile of limes that I was squeezing in a sparkling juicer. (I don’t remember seeing any rum or tequila — too bad). When I woke up I took it as a direct signal from my body and went and make limeade for all hands. No scurvy on the Maggie B!

By the weather charts, it looks as if we have maybe one more day of motoring and then this front will catch up with us and we will have all the wind we should want, which will blow us most of the way to Chile. We are ready for it. We ran our first, little, tank dry this morning — meaning we have used 120 gallons and have 200 remaining, with an additional 10 in jerry cans. It appears we are getting about 5-6 NM per gallon, so we should have at least 1000 NM of steaming remaining, plus the emergency 50 NM. Should be fine.

All is well.

Location 34° 15S, 125° 28W
Friday 10.26.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 34° 15S 125° 28W at noon on October 26th. We were sailing at 6.7 knots with full main and fore and The Bird G2 gennaker up. The wind is from the NW at 11-14 knots. A long swell is making up from the SW and there is a high overcast filling in. We are headed about 100 degrees magnetic (125 True) along the Great Circle course for Puerto Montt.

We have come 2465 NM from Rangiroa and have 2463 to go to Puerto Montt.

We are just skirting the SW side of the building high, which will remain a factor for the next several days. The big low to the SW is too far away and South to affect us, but a front off of it should bring us a good breeze early next week. The full report from Commanders will soon be up on the web site, but here is an interesting quote:

“3) I would not oppose going down to 40s if you were game for NNW 25-40 kts in the Tue-Wed period
a) but point out that details of the guidance 4-5 days out may be less than precise
b) also, in this remote part of the ocean, cannot find detailed model output on pressure and wind field from US Navy or other models that we often use to sanity check the workhorse GFS model - i.e. no second opinion
4) suggest we take another look by Mon-Tue”

We will be down at 37-39 South by Tuesday and will certainly keep our eyes open and consult with Commanders again in a few days. Earlier I described catching a low or its attendant front is like the timing to catch a bus. Rather it is perhaps more like catching a ride on a freight train, as in getting your timing or positioning wrong can be serious.

Analyzing the halyard block problem…

We have had a very interesting analysis of our breaking throat halyard block problem from the Atelier of Nigel Irens. It is a bit over my head. I will post it on the web site as soon I get permission. The essence of the analysis is that the gaff INCREASES the load on the throat, not decreases it. Conventional thought is that the throat tightens the luff and carries part of the strain of the sail, with the gaff and peak halyards carrying a full share. The new analysis is that the very vertical gaff has a significant downward force vector that increases the load on the throat. Looking at it now, it seems obvious. The analysis also emphasizes that a single triple block is getting pulled at least three different ways at the same time, which would further reduce an otherwise “pure” breaking load.

About two weeks to go to Puerto Montt.

All is well.

Location 31° 00S, 127° 56W
Thursday 10.25.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 32° 48S 127° 56W at noon on October 25th. We are motorsailing at 6 knots towards our turn point at 35° S 125° W. The wind has stayed light from the NW at 8 knots, or about directly behind us. The weather is lovely and clear, though a big swell is beginning to make up from the SW, foretelling a serious low.

We have come 2309 NM from Rangiroa and have 2615 to go to Puerto Montt. We are rather out in the middle of things, with Pitcairn Island being 500 NM away to the north, Easter 1000 to the NE, and Papeete 1500 behind us to the NW. The ocean seems very empty. We haven’t see a ship since Papeete, and only get faint “cheeps” on our See-Me Radar Detector. There have been no birds for the last several days and, alas, no fish have taken our lures.

Beside the full moon tonight, Sirius and the Big Dog, followed by the Ship Stern, fill our skies.

The long swell from the SW is an obvious clue and our GRIB weather reports promise us some wind in a day or so. Maybe a lot of wind. With the frontal passage, they are predicting at least 30 knots. With Commander’s Weather’s help, we will focus tomorrow just how to best catch a ride with this next system, wanting a bit of wind, but not too much. If we time it right, we might get a ride most of the way to Chile on this low.

For those of you eager for a plumbing update, the head is fixed and fully functional, though a slow leak persists. The new gasket hasn’t helped. We have lots of sealants on board, but not the right on for this application. The toilet directions say IN BOLD PRINT: “Do not overtighten or you will crack the bowl!” A little leak beats a broken head. We will get sealant in Puerto Montt.

Movie Night tonight is Prairie Home Companion.

We have a series of podcasts of Garrison Keillor’s “News From Lake Woebegon” on our iPods, which make great night watch listening. A few nights ago I was shocked that in his September 8th report on the funeral for Miss Lewis, Garrison butchered the Shakespeare Sonnet #116:

“Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments.” For the line “[Love] is the star to every wand’ring barque, whose worth’s unknown although his height be taken,”

Garrison replaced “height” with “depth.” While I understand that the depths of Pete Petersen’s love for Miss Lewis are unknowable, what was he thinking? Miss Lewis did teach him English, after all.

Speaking for wandering barques, or at least wandering schooners, we take our celestial navigation very seriously. And this line seems to clearly indicate that the writer was very experienced with sailing. In it I can so clearly see the master of a barque, far from land with position unknown, spotting a star through the scudding clouds and taking its height with his octant, but not knowing its value until he gets other clues. Certainly the writer was comparing how stars help guide ships to safe harbor as love guides people. Garrison should know better. I sent a “concerned” email. Probably the only one he gets this week from the Southern Ocean.

All is well.

Location 31° 00S, 130° 15W
Wednesday, 10.24.2007

The Schooner Maggie B’s noon position on October 24th was 31° 00S, 130° 15W. We were motorsailing at 1800 rpm towards our next decision point at 35S/125W. The wind, as expected is 8-10 knots from the NW, which is generally just not enough to keep us going above out arbitrary “motor” point of four knots. We have been able to sail only about 1/2 of the last 24 hours, though the sails have always helped somewhat. We expect to have a few days of light or no wind, by which time we will be at the decision point, where we will chose how far southerly our track to Puerto Montt should be, balancing favorable wind against the chance of getting too much of a good thing.

We have come 2151 NM from Rangiroa and have 2769 NM to go to Puerto Montt. Life is settling in well for the long leg, as it should after a week at sea. We are doing the usual sailor’s make/mend work: new sheaths for knives, leather wallets for shore, patches for clothes. We wash our laundry, chase leaks in the head and go over the rigging. Hannah baked a “Lady Baltimore” cake, and Kath, Hannah and Robert went for a quick dip/drag when we were ghosting along. Tonight’s entertainment is a “poetry slam” with all bringing a few favorites to read aloud.

In all the discussions about things that break or are poorly made, I want to recognize systems that do their duty day in and day out without a problem. Today’s Star goes to our Spectra Watermaker, which has run almost with no problems for 532 hours over the last year and a half, making about 3200 gallons of fresh water to sustain us.

All is well.

Location 29° 35S, 132° 21W
Tuesday, 10.23.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 29° 35S, 132° 21W at noon on October 23. We were just barely sailing at 3.7 knots in an 8-10 knot breeze from the NW, which put it on our port quarter. We had “The Bird,” our G2 gennaker up with full main and the fore doused, to give more of the breeze to the Bird. All our tricks were of no use as the breeze died out to 6-8 knots and we started the engine, at long-range cruise of 1800 rpm, using about one gallon per hour to get six knots.

Our basic rule is that if we can see any white caps, we can sail. Sailors will recognize this as Beaufort Force Three.

We have come 2007 NM from Rangiroa and have 2910 to go to Puerto Montt. We shifted to GMT -9 when we crossed Latitude 135.5. Papeete was -10, the same as Hawaii, and Chile is -4, the same as Halifax (depending on DST).

Furuno USA have been a huge help with technical advice on our radar/GPS/autopilot system. Some might say that a really good system shouldn’t need technical advice after 1 1/2 years at sea, but ours is sophisticated and complex and takes some care and feeding. It is so great to be able to reach a knowledgeable person first try (from 10,000 NM away) and get an answer that solves our problems. If Jorge, the autopilot, is happy, the crew is happy.

Every season, passage and watch has its celestial delights. Right now my midnight watch is blessed by having moonset, followed not long after by Arcturus, the Bear Keeper, rising in the ENE, bright like container ship’s steaming light. Orion and the Pleiades stick with me the whole watch.

Hannah made dessert for us today. Fresh tea biscuits with canned peaches and mandarin oranges, covered with strawberry yogurt. Yum!

All is well.

Location 27° 40S, 134° 36W
Monday, 10.22.2007

The Schooner Maggie B Noon Position on October 22nd was 27° 40S, 134° 36W. We were making 8.7 knots on the Great Circle route to Puerto Montt. The wind is a very pleasant 15 knots on our beam. Just another pitch about how wonderful the Maggie B is — we are doing almost 9 knots in 15 knots of wind, and with our main at one reef!

We have come 1845 NM from Rangiroa and have 3067 NM to go to Puerto Montt.

Things are looking up — we found an old French Press coffee maker, hidden away for just such an emergency as the Captain losing part of the espresso maker overboard.

Robert made a lovely lunch: chicken with a sauce of shallots and garlic in a court bouillon reduction, finished with morel mushrooms “rejuvenated” in red wine. Assorted vegetables and saffron rice on the side. In the midst of this delicious meal, the strap holding the main peak block to the top of the mast parted. Having our priorities right, we lowered the main, took in the jib, and proceeded under fore alone while we went back to lunch. The triple Spectra strap was an experiment, to reduce metal to metal wear between the masthead fitting and the block’s shackle. The experiment was unsuccessful as the strap only lasted 2000 NM.

Our world is getting colder as we make our way South. It seems like just yesterday that we would wake with sweat soaked pillows in Bora Bora, and now we are digging out favorite blankets and even wearing shoes on night watch!

Today we made the tough decision to bypass Easter Island. The reality is the wind. We are right on the island’s latitude and only 1300 NM away. But a high pressure is filling in over us and if we keep on the way due East True, we will have little wind and what there is, right on our nose. We have about 1100 NM of diesel left for motoring and 3000 NM to go to Chile. And there is usually no fuel available at Easter Island. So it really isn’t a choice, it is reality.

So, following our instincts, the indications from the GRIB weather files, and guidance from Commander’s Weather, we are now headed somewhat aggressively South to 35S/125W, which should set us up for favorable wind from this next front, without dipping in too deep into the Southern Ocean before we have to (Puerto Montt is at 42 South, the Horn at 55 South).

All is well.

Location 25° 40S, 137° 27W
Sunday, 10.21.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at at noon on October 21. We are making 8.2 knots close hauled to the southeast, more or less on our Great Circle for Puerto Montt. The wind is 15 knots from the ENE. The weather is lovely with little scattered clouds.

We have come 1648 NM from Rangiroa and have 3261 to go to Chile. We did 180 NM in the last 24 hours.

There was no noon report yesterday because Our Captain and Chief Plumber was making a heroic but unsuccessful 15 hour attempt to fix our toilet. It was disassembled and reassembled. Joker valves were replaced. Hoses were switched and decalcified. The Black Water tank was plumbed. Seacocks were checked to be clear. Nothing helped.

Today Deputy Chief Plumber Robert Farrar is attacking. Pressures are being applied and we all hope for success.

I know that friends who were shocked that we have only one head are saying “I told you so!”

For you arm-chair plumbers, here’s the problem:

1. When is use, it will not pump out. It is as if an exit valve were shut off. But there is no exit valve. The problem came on quickly, rather than gradually “closing down.”

2. If the “Out Hose” to the bottom of the Black Water tank is detached, the toilet will pump easily and merrily without effort.

3. The Black Water tank is empty and appears to be completely open to the sea through the hull.

4. The inlet pipe in the Black Water tank is plumbed from the bottom and supposedly ends just before the top of the tank. It shows some calcification, but we could ram a thumb-sized electrical cable up it, and it seemed to bang on the top. The Inlet pipe is not accessible except from the bottom.

5. When we tried pumping with the hose connected to the Black Water tank, with the tank’s deck pumpout fitting open, it wouldn’t pump.

6. When we tried attaching the “out hose” from the toilet to the through-hull fitting, it would not pump. Though that was late at night and perhaps the seacock was not open. We will that recheck today, if nothing else works.

7. We cleaned and decalcified and ensured that the “out hose” was clear and clean as a new hose.

Any ideas would be welcome.

All is well, if you don’t mind peeing and pooping in a bucket.

Location 21° 26S, 142° 04W
Friday, 10.19.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 21° 26S, 142° 04W at noon on October 19th. We are 3616 NM from Puerto Montt and have come 1279 NM since Rangiroa. We are more or less close hauled in a 18-22 knot NE’er, making 7.4 knots to the SE. We did 165 NM in the last 24 hours, going to windward. Our course made good is only about 10 degrees south of the Great Circle course to Puerto Montt. We are still taking a bit of a beating from a choppy three meter swell, somewhat accentuated by having the current against the wind.

In about two days we will have to start positioning for the next system. We will probably have to then make the decision either to stay up around 27 degrees South and work for an Easter Island visit, or continue South to assure ourselves of a good westerly to blow us into Puerto Montt.

Now three days into the leg, life is settling into the Blue Water routine. We had our first meal all four together today and all are fully able to watch stand. We have been trading around a little cold that goes from throat to sinuses to head to stomach. It seems to be playing out OK.

Yesterday’s disaster was losing the little mid-filter piece of our espresso maker overboard. The Captain was emptying it and Neptune sent a wave and took it for a new ornament. We have an emergency supply of a product called “Java Juice” which will give us enough time to experiment with Cowboy Coffee and Cold Brewed extract.

Other than the coffee crisis, All is well.

Location 19° 43S, 144° 21W
Thursday, 10.18.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 19° 43S, 144° 21W at noon on October 18th. We are making 7.2 knots to the ESE in a somewhat punishing, confused sea. The wind is from the Northeast at 20 knots and it is overcast with occasional light rain showers.

We have come 1114 NM from Rangiroa (via Papeete) and have 3779 NM to go to Puerto Montt.

We have about 3/4 of a knot current with us, which is probably the reason for the difficult sea.

We are sailing a course to stay clear, to the South and West, of the French Nuclear Test Area, where we expect we would be unwelcome.

The boat is sailing well, and all systems are working fine. Our only problems, besides the rough sea, are little things like iPods that won’t sync and new cameras the produce unintelligible error messages.

All is well.

Location 18° 38S, 147° 12W
Wednesday, 10.17.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 18° 38S, 147° 12W at noon on October 17th. We are making 8.3 knots, headed on a rhumb line course for Puerto Montt. The wind is a nice 15 knot NE’erly and the seas, while somewhat confused, are settling down.

We are doing what the Maggie B does best, making good time on a broad reach on a long passage. We are all settling in to the Blue Water routine, though a little warily after all the former alarms. I’m still on the Midnight/0300, Noon/1500 watches; Hannah is on 0300/0600 and 1500/1800; Kath is on 0600/0900 and 1800/2100; and Robert on the 0900/noon and 2100/midnight.

We have come 938 NM since Rangiroa and have 3948 to go to Chile. We were able to go 174 NM in the last 24 hours, even with the halyard complications.

The next big challenge is updating all our iPods, so that we can enjoy podcast downloads from when we were in Tahiti, rip of some of Robert’s music, and generally update. Our onboard computers have about 5000 songs. Something for everyone! Listening to old favorites makes night watches pass easily and happily.

All is well.

Location 17° 36S, 149° 38W
Tuesday, 10.16.2007

At noon today, the Schooner Maggie B was at 17° 36S, 149° 38W, just outside Tepuhaonu Pass, a few miles from Marina Taina. We are finally underway for Chile, with a hoped-for stopover in Easter Island. We are full of diesel, water, food and good will from the Polynesians and out fellow yachties, who gave us a nice send off from the marina. Puerto Montt is about 4115 NM away. IF we are able to keep the speed that we did from Mauritius to Fremantle, 7.9 knots, it will take us 22 days.

Yesterday we had rain of biblical proportions. It was as if a thunderstorm sat right overhead the marina for four hours. Besides the rain, we saw one serious circular wind event that did no damage, but did organize the 20-30 boats at anchor off the marina into a perfect circle, perhaps 500 meters across. It was like movies of wagon trains circling when under attack.

But today, Tuesday, is clear, with a fickle NW wind tumbling over the mountains. We have the promise of a generally northerly wind until we get west to about 140-141 degrees west, when we will hit the usual Easterly, which will force us South. Our general plan is to work our way East as best we can on this little Northerly, until we have to turn South or Southeast. We hope to settle in along 27 degrees South and run along to Easter Island, which is about 109 degrees West. But much depends on the positioning of the next low, which we will have to get south of, in order to get decent winds. That may be a ways south. “La Nina” conditions are setting in, which traditionally means the highs go further south.

We’ll see.

When I started writing this report at about 1600, I had barely entered the addresses when the main throat halyard came down again. Our hearts just hit rock bottom as we took in sails and headed to the nearest port. But then I was just thrilled to see that nothing had broken, just the knot in the halyard attaching the bitter end to the jigger had come untied. We motored into the lovely Port du Phaeton near 17° 45S, 149° 20W, rehung the halyard with proper whipping (the halyard, not the bosun) and slipped out of the unlit, complex Passe de Teputo just at full dark. Onwards!

Then the toilet plugged up, but that was fixed in an hour. Whee! All I want is one day with no problems….

Location 17° 35.2S, 149° 37W
Sunday, 10.14.2007

The Schooner Maggie B is safe in Marina Taina in Papeete at 17° 35.2S, 149° 37W. We are pretty much fully recovered from the equipment problems of last week. We have re-rigged and fixed most everything that was plaguing us. Minor things still need to be done like fixing more “protection” to the masts and properly routing the wired for the replacement GPS antenna. The mast protection is flexible plastic that we glue on in the positions where the gaff saddles ride. It reduces or eliminates wear on our strong, expensive carbon masts.

It looks as if a nice system is going to go through Tahiti Sunday night and hopefully have a nice broad shoulder of a northerly that we can ride down the line. We hope to be off Monday, though now Tuesday seems more probably. The rather complex report from Commanders Weather will soon be up on the web site.

There are a bunch of new photos up on the web site which hopefully will be interesting to all.

I got one interesting insight while trying to find replacement blocks. The first thing that I found is that there are no blocks “our size” in French Papeete, let alone the kind of triples we need for the throat halyards. But the critical insight was that the blocks weren’t broken, it was the connectors that broke. I was astonished to see that the beefy Antal triple block was only rated to 3.5 tons according to the catalog. And that is presumably from bench tests, not anything like real life, banging around on the top of a mast, with loads coming from a variety of directions and in shocks. But in buying additional rope and checking its lab tests, I got some eight mil braided line that is rated to 4.5 tons! So we are going to ditch the easily-broken metal shackle attachments and use the high-strength line. Three wraps of the eight mil and the Antal block goes from 3.5 tons to 13.5! And the line is “honest” and shows when it is over stressed, where metal is there and then is broken.

Learn something every day!

It is now Sunday, October 14 in Papeete, my birthday. It looks as if it is going to rain all day. But…

All is well.

Location 20° 18S, 145° 24W
Tuesday, 10.09.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at at noon on October 9th. This has been a bad day. A little before 0900 this morning, our main throat halyard block failed. It was a heavy duty Antal 90 by 16 triple. we also notice serious wear on the brand new halyard we put on three days ago. It has been three days of close-hauled 20 knot breeze, with occasional gusts to 35, but nothing serious. As we were securing the main, and not more than five minutes from the first failure, the fore throat halyard block failed. It was a Lewmar 80 triple.

We were in fairly rough seas, too rough to send anyone aloft with our spares, so we made for the nearest atoll, Hereheretua, to find a spot in the lee to make repairs. We got to the atoll at about sunset, and Kath, with a great effort, got the main throat halyard up. But by then it had become clear to us that we weren’t in a position to press on to Chile. We need more rigging work, especially to find and eliminate the source of wear on the main throat halyard. We need more blocks. We need to clean up the mess in the lazyjacks made by the emergency lowering of the sails. We need to raise the fore throat halyard with the new block. Did I mention that the GPS receiver antenna failed last night also? The spare works great, but has to be properly installed.

It also looks as if the hoped-for big Southerly isn’t going to happen and we would be facing more strong headwinds.

So now we are headed back to Marina Taina in Papeete, a trip of a little more than a day. It is a lovely place, but rather discouraging to retreat. I am not at all sure what this means for timing for Easter Island, the Horn or Montevideo. I suppose that the prospect of Big City Bright Lights will dispel some of the gloom.

Heaven knows what the French Border Police will make of our return. Perhaps we can sneak in and out? Nah.

All is safe.

Location 18° 29S, 146° 02W
Monday, 10.08.2007

At noon on October 8th, the Schooner Maggie B was at 18° 29S, 146° 02W. We were making about 165 degrees magnetic, or about due South True, doing 6 knots. The wind has stayed at about 100 degrees magnetic at 18-25 knots. We are somewhat off close hauled because the seas have made up a bit and if we are hard on the wind we beat our brains out and make little headway.

We have come 265 NM from Rangiroa and Easter Island is 2075 NM away.

We are headed South instead of East (which would be more direct geographically to Easter Island) for three reasons: 1) the wind is from South of East, and would be directly on our nose if we pointed towards Easter Island, 2) there is a whole mess of Tuamotus between us and Easter Island and 3) we’re after a favorable breeze. In about 2-3 days, a nice, fat 300 mile wide band of a fresh Southerly breeze should work its way East past 145 West Longitude. But we’ll have to be South of about 25 degrees to catch it. The timing should be right.
It will take us about two days to get another six degrees (360 NM) South. Then we’ll put our thumb out, tack over to Starboard tack, and hopefully ride that Southerly most all the way (2000 NM or 10 days) to Easter Island, which is about 27 degrees South and 109 West. That’s the plan, anyway.

Days of departure are always hectic. Last Saturday seemed a bit worse. Routine engine checks gave the Onan generator a bad case of the “air locks” and we had to rig a temporary header fuel tank to solve it. Final rig checks found a badly frayed main throat halyard, which was replaced. The joy of having a simple rig (both engine and aloft), ample supplies, and a fit, skilled crew, was that these two major problems were solved in little over an hour.

We are just passing the last (?) of the Tuamotus on our course. It has the engaging name of Hereheretua. Here means “beautiful.” Herehere means really beautiful. Not sure about “tua,” but would suspect it means “spot or place.” Must be an early form of marketing to call a tiny out-of-the-way place “really beautiful,” like the Vikings calling that rough, icy island “Greenland.”

We have fitted our Fremantle-made gaiters around the skylights to help keep the saltwater on deck. Reepicheep has additional lashings to keep it from roaming. And Robert has discovered a little leak through the deck by the foot of his pilot berth, which we won’t be able to track down and fix until we get on the other tack. Fortunately it can drip straight into the bilge, if the latest “New Yorker” isn’t stuffed in its way.

All hands are back mostly functional and the Blue Water routine is beginning to settle in.

All is well.

Location 16° 14S, 146° 35W
Sunday, 10.07.2007

At noon on October 7th the Schooner Maggie B was at 16° 14S, 146° 35W. We were making 6 knots, closed hauled, headed southeast. The wind is from the East at between 12-20 knots, with an occasional 35 knots in rain squalls. The weather is mostly clear.

We had a super ride yesterday coming out of the main pass in Rangiroa. The current was perhaps 6 knots, flowing into a 20 knots opposing wind. We hit the pass at 1600, just as the outflow was beginning to crank, under full main and jib. The Maggie B rose marvelously to the occasion, giving spectacular leaps from wave to wave. We blew our very loud horn as we entered and the dive boats scattered and watched us with awe.

The waves are now settling down somewhat. Last night it was rough and not all members of the crew were fully active.

We are making our way south and east, sliding outside the main mass of the Tuamotus. Kaukura, Arutua, Tupana are behind us. The only one still on our way is Anaa, which is about 60 miles ahead. We should be well outside the restricted zone around Mururoa, where the French used to test nuclear bombs.

Easter Island is about 2150 NM away, a little South of East. The coast of Chile is about 4000 NM.

We certainly learned one thing at the Kia Ora hotel, which is that September is the month to get married in Italy. More than half the high occupancy was Italian newly-weds. We liked the Kia Ora, but it really didn’t approach the standards of Hotel Bora Bora, where we were badly spoiled. I’m not sure if there just isn’t that much experience with the hospitality industry in the Tuamotus, or that Kia Ora is the only first class hotel on Rangiroa and so no one is pushing them to be strong. Perhaps a bit of both.

Today is the first full day at sea with this new new mix: Frank Blair, Hannah Joudrey, Kath Moore, and Robert Farrar. We are just sorting everything out, but I believe that we are in very good shape for a big passage.

We are starting crash courses in Spanish.

All is well.

En route now to Easter Island & Puerto Montt, Chile

The Schooner Maggie B has hoisted the Blue Peter (signal flag “Papa,” meaning outward bound within 24 hours) in Rangiroa. We hope to be underway tomorrow by about 1300, the start of the flood. We are headed to Puerto Montt, Chile, hoping to stop at Easter Island on the way.

It has been very interesting to check out of French Polynesia from Rangiroa. It is an official Port of Entry (and exit) but nobody has done it previously. The Gendarmerie National was very pleasant, but they were learning everything for the first time, and needed lots of advice from Papeete. At the end the policeman hadn’t stamped our passports, so I asked for it and he said that he didn’t think that he had the stamp, but was able to finally find it in some storage. In the same way, Bank Socredo was happy, well, not that happy, to give us back our bonds — “Cautions” — but they had never done it before and needed lots of advice from Papeete also. But it only took four hours and two visits over two days.

Two days ago I thought we were in serious trouble. Our autopilot appeared to have failed. Even when the rudder was in neutral, it would flash “55 degree starboard rudder!” and would not reset. I assumed that the rudder position sensor failed. Kath and I tore the boat apart to get to the sensor, which looked and tested OK. So we tore more boat apart to follow the wire from the sensor to the mother board. Still OK. The signal at the motherboard seemed OK — higher and lower resistance, Ohms, depending on rudder position. So maybe a bad motherboard, yike!

But with Margo’s help, I was able to get in touch with the autopilot technician at Furuno USA in Washington, and, over the phone, he walked me through reprogramming the rudder, and, hooray, it came out fine! I’m a Furuno customer for life.

We had also found some small tears in the jib which Hannah expertly restitched, but then the Profurl got balky and wouldn’t let us re-hoist the sail, but finally did after a little “persuasion.”

Robert and I have been scrubbing the bottom for a fast passage. It is amazing how fast the grass grows in this warm water. Sometimes the Maggie B doesn’t seem very big, and I know Nigel designed her with minimal wetted surface, but when you are diving down with a stiff brush in one hand and a scraper in the other, she seems endless.

We have had a bunch of remora hanging around us. Biggish ones — about three feet. They better not try to hitchhike on us to Chile! Tonight we were throwing over some dead and dying bananas, which excited them. Hannah was swimming at the time and discovered that they liked their bananas peeled, so she spent her time feeding remoras bananas. But no hitchhiking!

We are filled to the scuppers with fresh produce from the islands. Mangoes, bananas, papayas, tomatoes, potatoes, grapefruit, lettuce, carrots, cabbage, and lots of limes and ginger for the fish we’ll catch. Then in the freezer there are chickens, steaks, sausages and frozen shrimp. Then tons of cans of everything imaginable.

We’re ready!

All is well.

Location Hotel Kia Ora Rangiroa
Monday, 10.01.2007

The Schooner Maggie B anchored off of the Kia Ora Hotel in Rangiroa at almost exactly noon on October 1st. We had a great sail across from Taha’a, today enjoying an unusual NE’er.

We sailed in the little pass at Rangiroa, Passe d’Avatoru. This pass gets going at up to 8 knots outflow, but we entered only an hour and a half after theoretical slack. We had only about four knots of current, enlivened by 4-6 foot dropping waves caused by the 20 knot wind in against the current. The turn into the pass was enlivened by a dive boat in the middle of the channel picking up eight divers, all scattered about. We were doing eight knots, jumping from wave to wave. Once inside it was a short sail to the “Schooner Cove” near the hotel and the main pass, Tiputa.

We weren’t too encouraged by the helpful advice concerning entering passes in the Tuamotus as listed in the Admiralty Sailing Directions: “Low powered, shallow draught, strong wooden vessels such as schooners, should keep close to the East side of a pass. If too close, a counter-flow may be experienced, but rates are much reduced close to the sides of a pass. A vessel grounding at low speed will generally be driven off again by the flow of water through the pass without damage.” Perhaps that is why we saw a nice sloop high and dry on the West side of the Avatoru Pass.

We look forward to rendezvousing with Robert Farrar, our fourth, on October 3rd. We will be off for Chile not too long afterwards.

All is well.