00:53.9S 089:36.8W - Crossing the Line
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Crossing the Line At 06:15 on Sunday, 27th February, Louis awoke with a start! His watch is set to begin at 05:30. At 05:15 he had unconsciously stopped his alarm and promptly gone right back to sleep again! At 06:16 he rushed
up on deck, where John was gladly letting Louis sleep a little longer while enjoying the beginning of another exquisite mid ocean sunrise. Louis immediately checked Irene IV’s position and discovered that we were a mere 3 ½ miles from crossing the equator.
“Should we wake Rob and Sabine?”, they pondered, or slow the boat down and let them sleep after their late-night watches? It was decided to rouse both. Initially we had thought the crossing would be at a respectable 11:00, but a favourable wind in the early
evening the day before had moved things along.
The Crossing the Line (equator) ceremony dates back to the sixteenth century.
The early ceremonies were comprised chiefly of two parts: a religious ceremony of thanksgiving, and an initiation that marked the transformation of inexperienced sailors into trusted crew members. Pollywogs, those
that have not crossed the line before, become Shellbacks having successfully navigated various trials and rites of passage. The ceremonies invariably include, costumes, a good wetting and eating somewhat unsavoury food items. King Neptune, Queen Amphitrite,
Neptune’s Herald, Davy Jones, a doctor, an astronomer, and a barber all made an appearance at the ceremony aboard Irene IV. The tradition dictates that King Neptune alone can allow a Pollywog to cross the line into his domain, and achieve Shellback status,
if he sees fit. Thankfully, all aboard our ship were admitted. We enter the Southern Hemisphere, the entire motley crew of 4, present, correct and a little sleepy.
Louis JM Goor JL Goor Ltd Annacrivey, Glencree Road Enniskerry, Bray, Co. Wicklow Ireland t +353 1 286
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