Location: 27° 15S, 48° 27W
Wednesday 02.20.2008

The Schooner Maggie B is finally moving again. At noon on February 20th, we were at 27° 15S, 48° 27W, about 65 NM from San Francisco do Sul, our next port. We are motoring north in about a 10 knot northerly, which is due to die out this afternoon. The weather is lovely. we are 390 NM south of Rio and 2750 from Antigua.

We spent last night anchored off the lovely Praia Magalhaes. We were visiting Alain and Fabienne. We were introduced to Alain by our friend Adrian from Nelson. Alain is the inventor of the Spade and Sword anchors, and is the author of the new book, The Complete Anchoring Handbook, (McGraw-Hill, 2008) which should not only be a part of every sailor’s library, they should actually read it! The book is subtitled “Stay put on any bottom in any weather,” which is a essential goal of every serious “traveling” sailor. It dispels many myths and replaces folklore with fact. Alain does not push “his” anchors (he has sold his interest in the Spade company) he pushes facts, logic and analysis in the face of fiction and misunderstood hearsay.

We were happy that we didn’t drag that night.

We had a perfect evening. The water was just right for swimming and we rowed in to Alain and Fabienne’s house for a round of excellent Caipirinhas, then off to a local restaurant for piles of local seafood — oysters, squid, little fish, big fish, washed down with some lovely white wine.

We hope tonight to anchor off Sao Francisco do Sul, which is at the mouth of the river of the same name. Some Canadian sailors we met said that they had an easy time clearing Customs there. Then on up the road towards Rio and the lovely bay around Ihla Grande.

Today was haircut day, with Hannah as barber. Curtis got about ten inches taken off, and Frank and Thomas got trims. Janet passed.

All is well.