Location: 12° 54 S 56° 34 E
Sunday, 01.21.2007

The Schooner Maggie B’s noon position on January 21 was 12° 54 S 56° 34 E, or about 500 miles south of the Seychelles, 400 miles east of Madagascar and 439 miles from Port Louis, Mauritius. We are headed south at 7.6 knots, blissfully, finally under all full sail as (temporarily) the easterly has filled in with the wind 080 true at 10-12.

The day is fine, but a little frustrating.

The wind will vary from 080 to 130, speed from five to 20 knots. One little rain shower will dump on us and bring wind, then a dry stretch, then another dump. We are aiming to get to Port Louis before 1800 on January 23 (the port is reportedly closed from 1800 each evening to 0600 the next day). That means we must average eight knots. Sometimes the wind is powering us at 10 knots, so the engine goes off, then it poops out and back on comes the Yanmar.

Today’s lunch was in special honor of the Seychelles.

Chicken coconut curry with rice and avocado salad. Loud Seychellois music on the Bose speakers. We almost danced, but the deck was moving too much. We are working on learning all the cool things our MaxSEA software can do. Owen is leading the pack. He has figured how to get it to make a good cup of espresso, I am working on the Latte sub-menu. Seriously, it has incredible functionality, but, being French, is not very approachable.

We are having the usual chafing challenges.

One is at the main throat halyard, where it rubs on the bolster that hold the stays on the mast. Owen showed his gymnastic abilities by scampering up the rope hoops along the main luff, as if they were proper ratlines or even a ladder. Photo to follow. The other serious operation of the day is iPod care and feeding. Getting them full of just the right music, podcast, poetry or book-on-tape, as well as fully charged, is almost a full time duty. Having something fun to keep you company on solo night watch is marvelous, as well as a good safety.

We have been followed by a lovely mature Long Tailed Tropic Bird or Paille en Cul (Straw up the Ass — these French!). Got a lovely photo. He tried to land on the main gaff peak. Good luck!

All is well.