Location: 20° 36 S, 57° 18 E
Monday 12:00, 01.29.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 20° 36 S, 57° 18 E, or about two miles off the Point aux Sables lighthouse on the west coast of Mauritius. We are finally underway for Perth in a nice SE’erly, making 6.5 knots just about due south. We expect the wind to back a bit to due east, which might help us make a bit of easting as we head south to pick up our westerlies. The waves are a bit choppy and the Maggie B is working a bit, as if she had lost her sea legs from the long time in port in the Seychelles and then the essentially flat conditions on the run south to Mauritius.

The forecast for us for the next five days is essentially what we have, an easterly at 15 to 20 knots. In five days we should be on the south side of the high and picking up our westerlies. We are watching a low that is forecast to develop about a thousand miles East of Madagascar. In five days it is forecast to have forty knots of wind. We will be well south before it gets here.

I believe that I mentioned the nice French couple that helped us out of our disgrace on Saturday. Didier and Celine with their marvelous dog Nane off the boat Neurone. We had them for drinks and dinner after we got off the rock. Then on Sunday morning, Didier came by, as we were getting ready to head off, to suggest a Sunday picnic a little down the coast at a beach called Balaclava. He suggested that it would be smart to dive on the bottom of the Maggie B to check for any damage. We didn’t need much persuading.

Sunday was a marvelous day. We motored about 45 minutes down the coast to a lovely little bay, caught a mooring, dove, swam, snorkeled, kayaked, walked ashore, visited ruins and giant tortoises, snuck into a marvelous hotel swimming pool, and generally had a great time. Didier and Celine (and Nane!) took us to a lovely small river with waterfalls that we played in. We inspected the romantic ruins of a former naval ammunition factory. We have marvelous photos which will have to await high speed connections in Perth.

The bottom of the Maggie B was a little scraped, but, as per plan, her keel is made to “take the ground” with minimal damage. The hookah air compressor was again very useful.

This morning, after clearing Customs and Immigration, we hoisted our sails in the Inner Harbor, and sailed out the channel with all flags flying. I believe that it probably has been many years since a schooner left under sail from the Inner Harbor. We were cheered by the crew of a Coast Guard boat and several Taiwanese fishing boats.

Perth is about 3200 NM away, though we will cover more distance on our way there. We should be there in three weeks.

All is well.