I bring you news as newly anointed Shellbacks. Today at 2020 UTC, coordinates 0°00.000 South 130°00.000 West, Bravo and crew crossed the Equator, thereby transitioning from lowly Pollywogs to distinguished Shellbacks.
As dictated by tradition and as the sole Shellback onboard, Captain Andy led the ceremony. We asked the Gods for forgiveness for our Pollywaggery, permission to cross the Equator, thanked them for the blessings along the way, and humbly requested to become Shellbacks. For our sins as Pollywogs, he issued punishments to Matt and me in the form a mouthful of slivered almonds (to Matt, who hates them) and a forced enjoyment of gangster rap (to me, who hates this), followed by walking the plank.
Keeping with tradition we gathered a feast and made our offerings to the Gods. Having just read Christopher Moore’s Lamb (hysterical by the way), it felt appropriate to break fresh bread. This being 2018 and all, we also brought forth Trader Joe’s bacon jerky, chocolate chip brownies and cold bubbly. A toast and nibble to us, and one to Neptune (and Zeus, Poseidon, Pachamama, all mighty JC, …). The treats were delicious and the punishments fair so the Gods agreed, blessing us with 10 knots of wind abeam. The three of us commemorated the celebration with a nice dip in da sea (man).
With this milestone complete and the southern trades beginning to build, we shut off the motor, hoisted the spinnaker and began our final sail towards the Marquesas.
Until tomorrow, Bravo out
Stats
- Date: 3/31/18
- Time: 0000 UTC
- Position: 00°15.2’ S 130°10.9’ W
- Course (Heading): 200 T
- Speed: 5.5 knots
- Wind direction and speed: E 7 knots
- Swell direction and height: NE 1-3 ft
- Cloud cover: 5%
- Barometer: 1012 hPA
- Status: finally Shellbacks! All great onboard.
- Distance traveled (nm): 2049
- Distance to go (nm): 845
(P.S. BTW the toilet still spins counterclockwise)
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Sailing on SV Bravo 