Shellbacks!
Scott-Free’s blog
Steve & Chris
Mon 1 Apr 2013 18:19
00:33.671S 88:20.898W
Monday 1st April 2013
Distance run day 5: 116 nmiles
Distance run day 6: 108 nmiles
Total distance run: 829
nmiles
Yes, we are now officially 'shellbacks'!
This, apparently, is the title earned by sailors who have sailed across the
equator. We achieved this feat at around 1730 yesterday, crossing,
obviously, from the northern to the southern hemisphere. Such an event
cannot go uncelebrated, so we baked a 'crossing the equator' cake (well
chocolate brownies actually) and cracked open a can of beer, which we shared
with Neptune in the age-old tradition. Our sailing buddies Rod & Mary
on 'Sheer Tenacity' crossed at the same time, as the chart plotter photo will
attest. They are the little triangle to the right with the label 'Sheer
Tenacity' (their AIS signal), we are the mass of arrows/lines on the left.Our
icon is actually a black boat shape, the back half of which you can see, the
front half of which is obscured by a green line (our heading), a big blue arrow
(current) and a yellow arrow (wind). The dotted line out of our stern is
our track i.e. where we've just come from!) Note the GPS position of the
vessel (i.e. us) displaying all the zeros.
The chart plotter screen showing us crossing
the equator.
'Crossing the equator' chocolate brownies.
Skipper enjoying a celebratory
Balboa.
The distance we are making is reducing each day as
the winds become lighter and more variable around the equator. We have
used the engine very little so far though, which is a bonus. Today the
wind is very light and so we hoisted the cruising chute for the first time in
ages, and she is doing a wonderful job of giving us 4 knots of speed in 5-6
knots of wind. Of course the sea is flat, with just a gentle swell, so
that helps, and we have a fair current too. Since we won't make landfall
before dark, we are not in any hurry as we'll only have to wait around until
dawn if we get there any sooner. But we hope to drop anchor in Puerto
Baquerizo Moreno, Isla San Cristobal, Galapagos sometime tomorrow morning.
In the meantime we're just enjoying a gentle
sail in the sunshine, with nothing to see but sea ( and Sheer Tenacity
off the port beam!) unless we are treated to another acrobatic display
by the Pacific dolphins.
The cruising chute doing a grand
job.