Location: 17° 58S, 38° 42W
Wednesday, 03.05.2008

The Schooner Maggie B is moored off of Santa Barbara lighthouse at 17° 58S, 38° 42W. Santa Barbara and nearby islands give us a lovely 220 degree embrace against the prevailing winds. With the permission of the local authorities, we are moored on a fixture which should be able to hold a small tanker in a moderate gale. I think we will have a quiet, safe night.

The island has lots of huge posted signs that no one can land. It rather looks like a James Bond island, with things in caves and strange ramps coming out of the water. The Navy and the Environmental Service (IBAMA) told us on the radio that we were welcome to the mooring, but would be boarded directly. That was three hours ago, so maybe it will happen tomorrow, or more likely, not.

The islands represent the first national marine park for Brazil. They were discovered by Amerigo Vespucci in 1503 and visited by Darwin in the Beagle in 1832. We are screamed at by dozens and dozens of White-tailed Tropic Birds (Phaethon lepturus) swarming around the boat. On shore there are piles of nesting Masked Boobies (Sula dactylatra), who we have been watching dive bomb fish as we approached the islands. On shore they are clumsy but loving — entwining necks and then the seafaring partner regurgitates lovely morsels for the nesting one.

Snorkeling gives a fine variety of coral, including a new one to me that seems a cross between fan coral and elkhorn. Many beautiful fish are around and they seem completely oblivious to humans.

We all are happy to have the engine off for a while. There is faint promise of a favorable Easterly tomorrow. Sails? We scarcely remember how.

We have come 1784 NM from Buenos Aires, have 303 to go to Salvador and 2493 to Antigua.

Tomorrow we will decide on which of the delightful towns along the coast we visit before Salvador. We will decide depending on wind, weather, whimsy and how far we get into our 10 liter supply of Paraty Cashaca (sugar cane liquor) tonight.

All is well.