A note from Jeff Ernst just in from the boat:
We made good time down the Coast of Argentina for the first several days of our trip, then came a day and a half of calm, followed by a good solid 35 knot blow right from our intended direction. The decision was then made to Hove to for a day instead of beating everyone and Sea Dragon up trying to make a much less than favorable coarse. Yesterday we started sailing again as the wind hauled around and the sea state dropped back to a six and today is a beautiful day with very little wind and a much mellower sea that is allowing us to make good time, albeit under engine power; in the right direction.
Spirits are good among all aboard even the chronically sea sick Ignacio, and his son Manuel who isn’t fairing too much better. Those of us that have been eating have been eating well. I made a robust Italian Bolognese that managed to be used first over rice then stuffed into a small local squash, and finally over some pasta. Dale made an excellent potato and bean soup, and last night I produced a quite reasonable corn chowder, if I do say so myself. That and more snacks and nibbles than are worth mentioning. A good deal of vegetables and vegetarian dishes, which at least for Dale and myself, make a welcome and needed change from a strict diet of red meat and beer which sustained us for almost two weeks strait in Uruguay.
Last night we negotiated our way around a massive squid fishing fleet, fiercely bright lights strung like pearls across the horizon I believe numbering fifteen visible at one point in time. Today we have Albatross Everywhere, constantly circling the boat along with giant petrels and tiny storm petrels. We seem to get dolphins every other day or so and one good identifiable sighting of a Southern Right Whale, a couple of days ago along with a mysterious blow this morning, that didn’t stick around long enough to be identified.