Las Perlas>Galapagos July 6th 2011 - Day 7: DTF 65nm (00:09.6S 89:26.4W)

Aquamante
Vries Peter Pons
Wed 6 Jul 2011 22:50
After heaving to last night we drifted only slightly more north and some
23nm west, so partly in the right direction, but with the continuing SSW
winds of some 15-20 knots, we have a hard time following a more southerly
course. And it is not the right moment for tacking yet. But we're getting
closer and closer to the equator. Quickly checked with family what
initiation ritual to follow and how we're supposed to honor Neptune, when we
actually cross the equator and the advice varies from slaughtering a black
bull on deck to covering your head with water and flour, or any other messy
liquid for that matter, and drink something awful.

At 23.05h local time we cross the equator, and manage to take a picture of
the plotter screen with all details exactly at the right moment, at
0.00,000N, which in fact is harder than it sounds, as you've got about a
second to make the picture and neither of us felt like going back to the
north a couple of times to redo it. From now on the water will turn
anticlockwise when we drain the sink, which seems to be amazingly accurate.
We celebrate the moment by toasting with a limoncello and throwing one
overboard for Neptune to join us in our celebration.

Shortly afterwards we decide to finally tack to get on a more southerly
course, as we already are way west of our final destination San Cristóbal.


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