Tradewinds Sailing Blog

Yesterday’s morning overcast burned off about 11am, the winds were light and variable, and the sea flat. It really felt like a southern California day. I sailed along the coastline past Rio, through a large area of hundreds of islands, which is Brazil’s popular cruising grounds.  I didn’t stop and anchor, swim or sample the local restaurants like I might have enjoyed, but I did weave through the islands a bit, just to get a look around. Its an interesting mix- the islands are dense and jungley, but there aren’t many beaches, mostly rocky anchorages. The towns seem OK, but not like the Mediterranean with their inviting sidewalk cafes and restaurants. This is also where much of Argentina comes to charter, so it’s interesting to see firsthand.

The night was spent weaving my way back out of the islands, on mostly glossy waters. I’m now back in the regular ocean, working my way west and south, and trying to time the upcoming legs with the ever-changing weather forecasts.  There are some potentially tough bits ahead, and getting the right weather is key. But the weather can change dramatically from day to day- literally from the North at 30 knots to South at 30 knots in 24 hours.  And of course, the southern extremity of Brazil and northern Uruguay have no anchorages or places to hide for about 250 miles, so I really hope to guess right.

This morning is overcast again, and I hope it burns off like it did yesterday, as the sun is much preferred, especially now that I am leaving the tropics, and entering the temperate zone- where it still winter for another 2 weeks. Based on this mornings readings of grib files and tea leaves, I am going to sail on today, hoping to get into Paranagua tomorrow morning, where I will anchor and wait out some weather. Then Monday I will head out again, hoping to get to Imbituba by Tuesday midday, where I will again anchor and wait out weather for a day or two before the next long leg.

Finally, a big Happy Birthday to my faithful (but sadly missing this time because I am too impatient) crew, good friend, veteran Tradewinds instructor and circumnavigator Marianne Wheeler!

24.18S  46.24W   4422nm gone,  972nm to go.  8am  9/10

I rounded Cabo Frio about 10am yesterday, and things mellowed out considerably soon thereafter. It was nice to sail along gently in light air and smooth sea for a while, to relax and re-adjust after 2 days of wild and woolly running.
By evening I was along Rio De Janeiro- probably the most famous Rio in the world that doesn’t actually have a rio. That pesky Portuguese explorer Gonsalves thought he found a big river estuary in January 1502, and named it thus. Turns out he was wrong- it’s just a bay of the ocean, but the name stuck anyway. I couldn’t pass by here without at least a quick peek, and it’s a beautiful spot indeed. At night, the famous “Christ the Redeemer” statue on top of Corcovado mountain is lit up bright white, but the mountain is dark, and blends in with the night. So as you look at Rio, you see all the city lights and activity along the waterfront, and way up in the sky, all by itself, the statue seems to hover over everyone, arms stretched wide. It’s really spectacular.
The evening was quiet, and this morning slightly cooler and a bit overcast, with variable winds around 10 knots. My plan is to keep going while the going is good, and if any ugly weather threatens, I’ll run and hide. There are plenty of good parking places along this stretch of coast,  so no worries there. We’ll just see what the day brings.

23.28S  44.08W   4270nm gone,  1082nm to go.  8am  9/9

Following winds and seas is what I enjoyed all day and night.  Only problem is that it was bit stronger than forecast- I had 20 knots in the afternoon, and it built to 25 in the evening, with a few hours at 30 knots, near the cape.  The plan was to get around Cabo Frio by midday today, as there is a full gale behind me, and I didn’t want to wait around for it. So sail on I did, with the waves and wind at my back, slaloming my way down the coast- to another fantastic 200-mile day.

Last night though, when the wind really started howling, I was struggling to keep control with 2 reefs in the main, so finally put the 3rd reef in, although it had not been previously rigged, With that and a 3-foot by 5-foot piece of jib showing, things settled down nicely, and I was able to keep speed up. In fact I hit a new top speed for the boat, 14.4 knots.

It also got colder last night. I had to put on a fleece and a windbreaker, which I guess is a sign of things to come. I have to remember that in addition to all that East and West stuff, I’ve also dropped 20 degrees of latitude since last week. Right now I’m on the edge of the tropic of Capricorn, so still technically in the tropics.
Looking ahead, I think mother nature is making Sunday a stay-at-anchor day, so I’ll probably see how far I can get by Saturday- maybe Ubatuba, or Santos, or maybe I’ll just stop in Angra dos Reis. I’ll let you know!

22.46S  41.41W   4112nm gone,  1198nm to go.  8am  9/8

Another perfect weather day yesterday. More clear and sunny, flat seas and now broad-reaching wind. And not only that, but I keep going faster than I expect. Oh yeah, the current is going with me!
It felt like Tahiti. Hot weather, more so as I was going downwind, so the apparent wind was almost nothing, and super clear turquoise water. I didn’t realize just how clear until I saw a whale swim beneath me about 30 feet down, and I could see him perfectly clearly. Then I passed over the Abrolhos reefs, and the colors changed with the depths, from deep blues to agua greens and all the shades in between. And whales were everywhere., cruising along the surface, flapping their tales, and just basically goofing off, I think.

In the evening, the wind rotated a bit more behind me, making it a run, which is not quite as good as a broad reach. Running just isn’t as balanced, without the side pressure from the wind, and the autopilot has a harder time maintaining course, and doesn’t react as well to the waves pushing the stern around. The wind built in the late evening, eventually to 20 to 25 knots from behind. I was certainly enjoying the speed (surfing over 12 knots on the bigger waves, and averaged 8.5 knots over a 6 hour period, all with dry decks), but every 20 minutes or so the boat would get pushed around too far for auto to recover, and I would have to intervene. This kept me pretty glued to the helm area, but the wind only lasted until about 3am, then started backing off. This morning, it is way down to less than 10 knots as I am back along the coast again. But still, it all combined for a great run of 194 miles in the last 24 hours.
It’s another mostly clear day, and if the predictions are correct, I should continue to having following winds and seas.

20.07S  39.51W   3912nm gone,  1389nm to go.  8am  9/7

After yesterday’s early morning “variable” weather, and about an hour after I sent the email, a large squall rolled through and cleared everything out as it passed.  The entire rest of the day was perfect again- sunny, clear, flat seas and 8-12 knots of East wind, making my south route a nice beam reach. It stayed remarkably consistent throughout the day and all night as well, with clear skies to enjoy the waxing gibbous moon.

Today continues the same, although the wind is slowly starting to move more behind me, and I expect to be broad reaching by afternoon or evening.
I saw a whale yesterday, and today I have already spotted a dozen more, and dolphins as well. I will be passing through  the Abrolhos (translation: open your eyes!)  Archepelago this afternoon, which has reefs and rocks that extend some 100 miles offshore. This area is a national marine sanctuary, and the antarctic whales come up here for the warmer water during the southern winter.  That means they are here now, spouting, splashing, jumping and tail wagging all over the place, enjoying their whale clan family reunion, and probably starting to think about heading south again now that spring is just a few weeks away. It’s nice to have some company out here.

Looking ahead a few days to the weather for rounding Cabo Frio, the big right turn towards Rio, there will be some building NE winds, which will be behind me, but if I don’t time it right it could be 30 knots of following winds and seas. That would certainly keep me moving, but the autopilot struggles in heavy downwind conditions, so I prefer to get around in 25 knots or less.  Next weekend the Rio area looks light and variable, with maybe some light rain systems swirling about.  Too soon to tell, but I am hoping to get lucky and not have to stop.

17.08S  38.47W   3718nm gone,  1596nm to go.  8am  9/6

I watched the storm fade about midday yesterday, and started checking all the weather sites, grab files, etc., and they all agreed that the winds and seas would be dying down in the evening, and by about 3am the wind would be 10 knots from the east- a nice beam reach. So I used the last bit of daylight to depart Salvador, and clear its busy shipping lanes and nearby reefs, and headed south.

As expected, the seas were still lumpy, but the winds were only 15, and things seemed to get better as time passed. I got those beam reaching winds before midnight, along with a bright half moon sparkling across the water, and it was lovely.

Then everything changed. The weather became  variable , or  changeable  or  what the heck now? Are you kidding me? , although that may not be the correct technical term. The wind started changing direction by 100 degrees every 15 minutes, and jumped from 10 knots to 30 knots without warning. And back again. And again. It made for kind of a long night, with not a moment to rest. And my good flashlight died (and was buried at sea), and then about 2:30am (of course) the jib car failed. Somehow the metal cheeks opened up enough to let the roller and pin out- but amazingly everything landed on deck, and I was able to retrieve them. It was far too heavy duty for me to repair aboard, but I was able to jury rig the wheel onto a loop, and shackle that to the car on the track.

This morning has been a bit more stable, but I am still seeing 15 knots SE, not 10 knots E, although I am making progress with it anyway. The updated weather says the better stuff is head of me. Yeah, sure, it is always just around the next corner.
I am happy to report warm sunshine, blue water, and no meteorite attacks. Happy Labor Day!

14.21S 38.53W 3545nm gone, 1760nm to go. 8am 9/5

It’s been nice having some down time here in Salvador. I’ve had a chance to get to a few maintenance items that are so much easier when not actually sailing, I’ve organized all the food stores so I know what I actually have to work with , and I slept all night long- the first time in a week.

Skies are partly cloudy here, and the wind is starting to come down, so it now looks like I may depart late this afternoon or evening, rather than tomorrow morning. I continue to watch the actual conditions as well as forecasts, and I think the next leg should be pretty good. I am expecting close reaching for up to a day, then lighter wind beam reaching for a day or two, then broad reaching and running down to Cabo Frio and the big right turn towards Rio.  If all goes as planned, I hope to make the next 750nm to Rio in one shot, and if the weather continues to cooperate when I get there, I’ll keep going. If not, it seems like a nice place to stop for a rest.

The temperature dropped a few degrees last night, and dipped into the upper 70’s for the first time- another indicator that I am making progress to the south.

Anchored at 12.58S  38.31W   3451nm gone,  1845nm to go.  9am  9/4

Yesterday was another remarkable day, both for variety and accomplishment. It started out like the previous day- warm, sunny, flat sea, nice beam reach. I was planning to go to Salvador and anchor to wait out a small storm, that should pass by late Sunday. The rain and wind was forecast to arrive about 9am Saturday, and I figured if I sailed fast I could beat it by a few hours.

It seems the storm sent a few advance scout bands of rain ahead, because yesterday afternoon I had several greet me. They would cause the wind to veer and accelerate for a while, then the rain would pass and the wind would veer again and get very quiet. Then it would go back to normal for an hour before doing it again. This meant I spent much of my day reefing, shaking out reefs, trimming, easing, and constantly adjusting things.  The evening brought more steady winds, but also increasing strength, and still a beam reach, which this beamy boat loves. I worked it all night, and started getting the first drops of storm rain and building seas as I turned in to the huge bay that is home to Salvador at 6am. For me,  all that effort paid off, as I logged 207 miles yesterday, for an average speed of 8.6 knots over 24 hours. I am pretty happy with that, and I got anchored before the storm could catch me.

I expect to relax and sleep here at least through Sunday evening, maybe Monday morning, depending as always on the weather.

12.58S  38.31W   3451nm gone,  1845nm to go.  8am  9/3

Yesterday was one of those days you write home about. Well, huh. I guess I write home about every day on this trip, but you know what I mean. It was clear, sunny and tropical warm. The water was turquoise blue like in Tahiti. There were beaches and palm trees along the shore.  In the morning I did a little work, like a few minor maintenance items (as always), but mostly I spent my day on the important tasks-  trying out a few fishing accessories I brought along, eating good food, reading a good book, working on my tan, and napping.

The day started with easy sailing under main and genoa, as the 10-knot wind was still a little forward of the beam. By early afternoon, the wind moved aft a bit, perked up to 12-15 knots, and the seas remained very flat, so up went my spinnaker. And I’ve been making better than 8 knots boat speed ever since.
I had forgotten how quickly the miles pass at that speed, and the lines of latitude click by as I pass over them.  Actually, according to my extensive calculations, sailing at 8 knots gets me to my destination approximately twice as fast as sailing at 4 knots. (See, I told you I did a little work).

Two things in particular caught my attention last night. The first was how incredibly long some fishing net setups are. I spotted a line of connected buoys that stretched over 2 miles from end to end. I was very glad to be sailing parallel to it, and not trying to cross it somewhere!  At night the buoys are lit, and with one every 100 meters or so, they look like airplane runways out in the middle of nowhere.

The second item was a meteorite that I thought was going to splash down right next to me. The whole event  didn’t last but maybe 3 seconds, but it was scary close. I was looking out towards a fishing boat in the distance when a very bright light suddenly appeared over my head.  It was as though a police helicopter turned a huge spotlight on me, as I was lit up with very bright white light. I immediately looked up at the light (just like all dumb animals)and saw the meteorite streaking almost straight down at me. I watched it burn out after 2 seconds, and held my breath listening for the splash! It really felt that close.  Well, I didn’t hear a splash nor see a cloud of steam,  but good god, great balls of fire, that was a moment of excitement.

Today looks to be another perfect day, but Saturday and Sunday may bring some strong southerly winds from a storm off Argentina, so I think I’m going to park somewhere along the way and watch that go by from a comfy anchorage. Salvador looks like the best candidate around latitude 13, and I should get there a few hours before the wind and rain.

10.52S  36.24W   3252nm gone,  1996nm to go.  8am  9/2