As of 1700 Zulu (or about 9AM San Francisco time) we crossed the equator. We now have a picture of the GPS reading 00 00S, 126 05 West. Woo Hoo! Ann and I are now Shellbacks. Here’s how the event unfolded.

Decorating Charisma for the crossing

This is it...

Crossing the equator with King Neptune...

...and his lovely Mermaid "Bobarina"...

...from Polliwogs to Shellbacks...

...fun and silliness abounds when Charisma crossed the equator.

Last night when it became clear we would get to the equator in the dark, we sailed to within 14 miles, hove to at about 0045 hours and went to sleep. Charisma happily stopped for the night in the middle of the Paciific Ocean for about 7 hours. We all needed some rest anyway. Ann woke up at first light and got me up with the promise of fresh coffee. We sat in the cockpit and watched the sunrise with a crescent moon right above it. Had some of Ann’s homemade yogurt with granola and a mystery fruit that tastes like mango. Then, Ann announced that it was time! We went down below and dressed in our crossing costumes. Took some effort to get me into my bra (made of a small fruit hammock). Besides that, I had a mermaid skirt decorated with balloons and a wig made out of some old three strand rope I donated to the cause. Ann, AKA King Neptune had black and white striped knee socks, a sweeping cape (made from the bathroom curtain), a lovely silver crown (OK, aluminum foil over cardboard) and a fearsome trident based on the boat hook. Oh, she also had a beard applied by me with menthol shaving crème. A sight to behold, no question. Ann also decorated Charisma and she was thrilled to be sporting balloons on her headstay, which she is still proudly wearing as she prances down the trades toward Hiva Oa. The first booby (a red-footed one) we’ve seen in days was impressed and circled us numerous times. I’m guessing he decided this did NOT look like a safe place to land.

Once suitably dressed we sailed the five or so miles we needed to cover to get to the equator, having drifted about six miles during the night while hove to. Upon reaching the vaunted line, we mixed a Charisma for Neptune, each took a sip, gave Charisma a sip and poured the rest to old Neptune in thanks for our grand adventure. That was about a mile from the line. Once at the line, we took a picture of the GPS reading 00 00S and popped the Champagne. It tasted mighty nice and complemented by smoked oysters and crackers, a veritable feast to celebrate our transition from lowly pollywogs to mighty Shellbacks. Some silliness and picture taking ensued. Finally, we set the sails, engaged the wind vane and are now heading 190 degrees in 10 knots of Easterly wind at almost six knots. We’re going to go more South for a day to get well out of the doldrum influence and then turn to 214 degrees direct Hiva Oa. 944 miles to go. Our only issue at this point is whether to sandbag or not and slow down. Our group of about 8-10 boats left pretty much at the same point, but all the other boats are 44-50 feet and I anticipated they would go much faster than we could. Turns out after 17 days, we’re well out in front and now they are started to claim that the first boat in must make cocktails for the rest. Hmmm. What to do?

P.S. We weren’t able to go swimming at the equator and there was too much wind. The “coulda, shoulda, woulda meter” said we should have done that about sixty miles back while in the doldrums. Oh well, there will be lots of swimming going forward and maybe a quiet moment one day during this final leg.