5/24/14 Crossing the equator

THE EQUATOR!

The polliwogs are now shellbacks! Last night we crossed the equator at approx 11.44 pm. We toasted Neptune, Nirvana, our friends and ship mates. It was again a really nice evening with 12-20 knots of breeze, a reefed main and stay'sl. The crew of Nirvana served Neptune his share of Mt Gay rum. And finally had a sky full of stars!  No where near the cloud cover we have had the past couple weeks! This morning King Neptune made a special appearance to initiate the new shellbacks. He was appropriately adorned in royal garb with all of the appropriate accroutrements. With a superhero cape (read shower curtain), inflatable crown (thx Angelas coworkers), swim goggles, magnificent staff(read fishing gaff), Bikram yoga shorts, and his polliwog/shellback pendant King Neptune began the ceremony. All polliwogs had to sacrifice something personal to the ocean and take communion (100% agave - only the good stuff) The Nirvana soon to be shellbacks sacrificed many personal items but Harrison, he took the cake! King Neptune took all of his hair! Yes, Harrison is now as bald as King Neptune himself (formerly known as Gary Mitchell). (video and time lapse photos to follow eventually) After the considerable process of removing the thick and luxurious locks of Harrison, King Neptune had one more suprise before finishing the ceremony- he took the shorn locks and installed them on his unadorned bald head. He ingeniously put some of Harrisons hair in beaten egg and then proceeded to stick it to his head...along with that shock the soon to be shellbacks were treated to the skimpier Neptune outfit. Quite an awesome production!
On to the Marquesas!

S/V Nirvana