Be The Jam

S 00°5034'

E 051°05.32'

Heading 345° - No wind at all, under engine power for the moment. (Doldrums - Maybe Neptune is hung over?).

Heading for the Equator. Can't wait to meet Neptune . Woke up this morning to be told that we will cross the equator today. Predicted crossing about 1800 hrs. There are many stories and fables that are attached to crossing the equator for the first time at sea. Everyone has different ideas as to what should and shouldn't happen. The one that seems to be most common is 'The visitation of the Neptune God'. Neptune is said to rise from the deep and present himself on board. We in turn have to be dressed for the occasion and we have to present him with a gift. On this boat we have a hell of a lot of Bananas that are ripening fast! So banana cake it shall be. If Neptune likes our presentation and gift he will let us pass and hopefully keep an eye on us and grant us safe passage through the rest of our journey.

2100 hrs

We all dressed up and did a little jig on deck, through over board some banana cake as an offering, Tuna head as well. We took our pictures and said a few prayers, I think he was listening, as soon as we crossed the equator we picked up the South-westerly trades ( Sam e wind as the South easterly, but as it gets nearer the coast it tends to follow it.) We are back on Bridget (The Aries) with a 15-20 knot wind on a heading of 350°.