Passing the Equator
Take Off
Jörgen Wennberg
Tue 16 Feb 2016 20:56
0.00 S 87.45 W  This happening is said to be one of the biggest moment a real sailor can experience: to pass the Equator! The traditions says that Neptune will rise from the sea asking who is knocking on his door. Traditionally it is the captain who is Neptune, however if you have someone on board who already has passed the Equator, this person gets to be Neptune and the procedure of the crossing lays totally in this person’s hand. We were lucky to have Ellen. She had already passed the Equator several years ago and planned this procedure how to baptise the rest of the fleet with anything suiting her ;-)!  Neptune Ellen knocked on the hull asking “Who is knocking on my door?”. We had prepared the kids for the Neptune’s arrival and they were all excited to meet Neptune. However they were disappointed to see Ellen being Neptune…. in their gear! Alex’s Batman mask and Inez’s mermaid doll on the “stick”, they did not quite buy the game at first.  Neptune Ellen started with the Captain asking him to first dress as a woman! When Jörgen came up it was difficult not too laugh and Alex and Inez were in the game again!   “You have been charged of drinking too much beer and throwing the cans overboard believing they rust quickly? Do you plead guilty?”. Yes….! And off Neptune baptised Jörgen with beer all over him.   Once baptised Jörgen got his certificate!   Then it was Alex and Inez’s turn. Neptune Ellen had prepared a whole speech about Ketchup and sweets but as they disliked how Neptune had treated Daddy with beer all over, the game was not fun anymore… so they were baptised very quickly!   And so to Louise, Neptune Ellen accused her of being falsely healthy… nipping chocolate here and there and loving Nutella! “Louise, you are charged of eating too much chocolate! Do you plead guilty?”. Yes! And so Neptune Ellen poured over Nutella mixed with water all over Louise. And so she was baptised too!     Then for Nilla. Neptune Ellen accused her of having too much honey in her tea! “Nilla, you are charged of having too much honey! Do you plead guilty?”. Yes! And so Neptune Ellen poured over honey mixed with water all over Nilla. And so she is baptised too!   Neptune Ellen satisfied of everyone’s honesty let everyone pass her sea kingdom and over the Equator and disappeared where she came from.  So now for celebration!! Champagne!!...  … and the longing swim across the Equator!       Right after we had several dolphins jumping of happiness in the far horizon, like they were welcoming us to the Southern side.     |