Location: 10° 46.0 S, 36° 20.0 W
Thursday 12:00, 07.06.2006

The Schooner Maggie B’s noon position on July 6 was 10° 46.0S 36° 20.0 W. Yesterday was lovely, today we are thinking about England. Like poor visibility, continual rain and less wind than we would want. We are also battling up to two knots of foul current, which makes everything even drearier. We are moving in closer to the coast to try to get out of the current, but this area has a lot of offshore oil and gas exploration and we don’t want to get “up close and personal” with a rig. “Isabel” is the name of the next platform, though, which sounds nice.

We have 188 NM to go to Salvador, and are about 20 miles off the coast, just passing the Rio Sao Francisco, and coming up on Aracaju. Rio Sao Francisco was the site of the last great battle for Brazil between the Dutch and the Portuguese. The Dutch controlled much of Northeast Brazil in the 17th century. Maybe that is why they dance funny in Natal? Aracaju should be familiar even to NordAmericanos from the song of the same name by Bebel Gilberto.

Sigh, another system has given up the ghost.

We had a nice, compact, inexpensive Italian clothes washer/drier in the fo’cas’le. It seemed like a great idea and we had used it successfully several times. Never again. It was obviously made for a nice apartment near the Spanish Steps, not in the bow of a Blue Water cruising boat, diving into waves. It got a full douche of saltwater through its exit pipe, which it really didn’t like. But, basically, it beat itself to death inside, as the drum banged into everything, breaking piles and controls. It will become part of Salvador’s dump treasures, and probably will not be replaced.

Rainy Day Lunch

Lunch today in the rain was “comfort food” nice little steak filets well marinated and then done in garlic and butter, with baked potatoes and fresh (frozen) peas.

We must get our REM sleep

We have been doing solo watches two hours long and four off, but are going to try three and six, to try to ensure that we all get REM sleep, so that nobody is cranky.

All is well.