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.