Location 49° 31S, 74° 26W
Wednesday 11.28.2007

The Schooner Maggie B was at 49° 31S, 074° 28W at noon on November 28th. We are off the northern tip of Isla Saumarez (yes, the famous English Admiral) in the Paso Abismo (no translation necessary). We are heading south under power, making 8-9 knots with the current. The wind is northerly at 15, blowing in fits and spurts out of the different intersecting fjords. It is overcast with very rare bright intervals. Rain with occasional sleet. This northerly breeze is due to continue for at least the next several days. The barometer is down to 1008 and continuing to fall.

We have come 690 NM since Puerto Montt and have 468 NM to go to the Horn.

The landscape is definitely changing. Now on the high hills there aren’t occasional waterfalls any more, often the whole hillside is a waterfall. All the hills have snow on the top, not just the distant Andes. Trees hide along the shore and in gullies. Low tundra is spread across the open slopes. The water is cold and choppy. Winds alternate from NE and NW, making sailing essentially impossible as we would be gibing every minute. If only Nigel would have let me have a proper yard!

Hannah is making good progress on sewing up or rip in the main. Curtis and I believe that we have traced the Onan generator problem to some feed restriction from the port tank. More investigation to come. Freddie is working on the verses and score to Barrett’s Privateers and painting the scenery; Alden is reading 1421 and Curtis is everywhere.

We are getting good at setting up and clearing from three point anchorages, improving every time.
Tonight we are planning on being in Bahia Hugh, tucked behind Isla Bun on Isla Figueroa, at 50° 24.2S, 074° 45.7W. The Italians describe the entrance as “delicate and difficult to find,” being encumbered with islets and submerged rocks, but once inside “a hurricane proof cove of great beauty.”

All is well.