Egret prepares to put into Bahia de Salvadore in Brazil
Day 33: Last day at sea
Position: 11° 48.56S 36° 55.65W
Course: 245 degrees
Distance travelled: 3476.04 nm from Gibraltar
Average speed: 5.7 knots
Conditions: 3-4′ swells SE, apparent wind 7.5 knots SE
Scott and Mary Flanders left Gibraltar on 16 September, and we’ll be following their journey every step of the way, thanks to this unique online “blog”. For the first instalment of their diary, click here.
Mary has done it again! She put the boys to shame after their best efforts for 17 days. On the 18th day she picked up the rod and caught the largest fish of the trip, a fat 35lb mahi mahi. All Master Angler Steve did right was run the boat. All I did right was marry her 37 years, 323 days ago. The freezer is almost packed. We boys have one more day to save face.
Tomorrow will a big day for the Egret crew after 20 days at sea – landfall at Bahia de Salvadore, Brazil. Egret’s routine is so simple, her crew so well adjusted, the fishing so good and we have the fuel to push on to Rio but we have to land somewhere. Salvadore is smaller and less complicated than Rio. We don’t do complicated any more. Gave it up with ties and button down collars.
Egret’s voyage to Brazil from the Canary Islands was really nothing special. It was simply different. We met a sailboater in Barcelona who has made this trip one way or another to Salvadore seven times in the past. Nothing special. What is different is that small passagemakers like Egret are routinely crossing oceans in safety and comfort visiting far off places at will. Very few sailboats come to grief crossing oceans, however even the largest of them do not enjoy the comfort of a modern passagemaker. We met them continually on the docks and anchorages here and there in the Med. One woman with a very expensive 63ft gold plater said she was tired of living at 12 degrees (of heel) while on passage. Can you imagine walking around your house for 20 days tilted 12 degrees, living in a cave, standing watch outside, and paying a million pounds?
