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.