Here’s a few notes to catch up with folks: Cliff; that’s hilarious that PH Record is going to publish the picture of us all on Espiritu Santo. We’ll look forward to seeing a copy. Send a note and let us know how it came out. Also, you’re right, the moon is most amazing right now surrounded by gazillions of miles of water. The horizon is amazing and the moon is so bright you can almost read by it. (Comment from Ann: The moon, which is actually full tonight, was still setting in all of its splendor as the sun started rising behind me on my shift last night. Not something you get to see everyday!)
Sue; glad to hear Ann’s sewing machine is getting a work-out. Ann is channeling good thoughts toward Missy’s project. On board before we left Ann made a sail cover for the storm jib so we can leave it on deck and it won’t be in the way. I imagine the sewing machine will come out again soon as the sun is getting so intense it would be nice to have a bimini (cockpit cover). We have some Sunbrella fabric and there’s already a zipper on the dodger where the thing is supposed to attach.
Elan; thanks for the info on the trades. We’re in a transition zone and I am looking forward to more solid wind. It’s been mostly less than 10 knots which is why we’re only putting in 90-100 miles per day right now. Also makes night watches more of a challenge because the wind vane won’t steer when it gets really light. Last night I steered most of my watch from 2100 to 0300. I would just aim the boat, tighten down the helm brake, close my eyes and then wake up when my forehead hit the wheel as I nodded off. Recheck helm and repeat. Will be nice when Wilson can just steer all night, but we need solid 7 knots of wind to do that. Good advice on 120 degrees. We’re heading down the rhumb line for now with 128 degrees being our “do not pass” line. Somewhere as we approach 120 we’ll start to look for a “hole” in the ITCZ, duck through and try to dodge bad weather.
Joan: See, it is not Ann who is falling asleep on watch! (This is obviously by Ann.) I spend my watches reading iBooks (just finished The Paris Wife – good read) or playing Scrabble. Not as fun as Words with Friends but keeps me entertained. I have even resorted to Angry Birds a time or two. Luckily I was able to use the iPod and music to keep me awake during my watch last night. Nothing like dancing when no one can see you! (Maybe this is the fishing problem?!) Night Watches: As you probably have deduced, we are not sticking to the 3 hours on, 3 hours off watch system that we originally intended. It works great to go as long as you are awake and then wake the co-captain (see how I snuck that in!) to change shifts. Bob is particularly good about taking longer shifts when the air is light and I really appreciate it.
Jerry; Hmm, a wind dance. We’re already doing a “fish dance”. Problem is that’s not working, so I’m not sure if we’ll do any better with a wind dance, although it IS fun to watch. Ann’s getting quite creative.
For all; thanks again for following us. Also, I have a request. I forgot to research the history behind “Shellbacks” clearing across the equator. Since we’re both Shellbacks at this point, we need to know what ceremony we should perform. Any thoughts/research would be helpful, but please keep it to a paragraph so our email doesn’t get bombed by a long file. I know there’s hazing rituals out there that we need to uphold.
And your coordinates are …???
Re crossing the equator; Make up something good. The key is to toss overboard a gift to Neptune. When we crossed seven years ago we decided to do it swimming naked. So just as the GPS ticked close to zero we all jumped in and swam behind the boat. It was a dead calm just before dawn. Perfect conditions for a swim. And we drank some Champagne while swimming. The dawn half and hour later was spectacular. As a precaution, of course, we dragged a line behind the boat and one person stayed on board at all times. With just two people it may not be as much fun. 🙁
i read that you switch ranks, dress in drag, eat after shave mixed with hot sauce and eat whole uncooked eggs. also you undergo a number of increasingly embarrassing ordeals (wearing clothing inside out and backwards; crawling on hands and knees on nonskid-coated decks; being swatted with short lengths of firehose; being locked in stocks and pillories and pelted with mushy fruit; being locked in a water coffin of salt-water and bright green sea dye (fluorescent sodium salt); crawling through chutes or large tubs of rotting garbage; kissing the Royal Baby’s belly coated with axle grease, hair chopping, etc.), largely for the entertainment of the Shellbacks. and you’re not a shellback until you cross, you’re both still Pollywogs 🙂 I think the idea of making it up yourself sounds better.
also this: The rarest Shellback status is that of the Emerald Shellback (USA), or Royal Diamond Shellback (Commonwealth), which is received after crossing the Equator at the Prime Meridian.[6] When a ship must cross the Equator reasonably close to one of these Meridians, the ship’s captain will typically plot a course across the Golden X so that the ship’s crew can be initiated as Golden or Emerald/Royal Diamond Shellbacks