Champagne sailing today, the sun was out the sea had calmed down a little and we were tracking along well under sail.

All sat down for lunch in the cockpit and just as we were about to eat the line ran.  Jonathan spent the next half hour on the rod and hauled in  a 150-200lb Marlin; we took 'photos of it as it reached the yacht and then released it.  Secretly wished it had been a yellow fin Tuna.

At 6.30 p.m. we crossed the Equator! so we are now all Shellbacks and not Pollywogs!  Shellbacks are those that have crossed the Equator before at sea and the Pollywogs are novices.  The girls (Amanda and I) dressed as pirates and much to the suprise of the boys we produced Hawaian costumes for them to wear just as we crossed the line. Allan is quite taken by the pink flowers of his necklace and bracelets!!  Photo's will be following in the next couple of days.  Champagne opened, fog horn blaring, balloons set off. We are now officially in the Southern Hemisphere.  Trying to get Allan to think of a suitable poem for the crossing of the Equator.

The bird that I mentioned in my last blog is a Red Footed Boobie, so comical with its red feet and blue bill.

Everybody  has crashed except J and I the sky is fantastic with Mars, the Southern Cross, Alpha and Beta pointing towards it, Milky Way beyound and Sirius and Canas shining very brightly.

We hope to be in Admiralty Bay, Santa Cruz at about 9am tomorrow.