Location 51° 50S, 63° 15W
Sunday 12.09.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 51° 50S, 63° 15W at noon on December 9th. We were running north at 8-12 knots before a Southerly gale. The skies are clearing up and the rain has mostly stopped. It is a little warmer, which isn’t very warm. We have the main up with three reefs, the fore up full and the jib about half reefed. The wind waves are developing into small swells that we surf from time to time. Jorge, the Furuno autopilot, is doing a great job.

At noon the wind was only 15 knots and some might have been tempted to break out our three-reefed main, but the barometer was down at 984 millibars and we knew to be ready for the next blow. Rather than heading straight for Buenos Aires, we are edging somewhat in towards the Argentinean coast to reduce somewhat the height of the waves and to hopefully avoid a northerly that may come in the next few days with the next front. The new Commanders Weather should be posted soon so all can see the trade-offs we are making.

We have come 408 NM since Puerto Williams and have 1056 to go to the Buenos Aires.

We are all looking forward to leaving the Furious Fifties behind for the relative calm of the Roaring Forties.

All is well.