This morning at six when I handed watch over to Don, I set a new waypoint right on the equator, and asked Don to wake Thomas and myself when we are about ten minutes away. At half past seven Don woke us, and we got ready to cross the equator. We were sailing with just the genoa and thus easy to slow down quick and alter course if we needed to.
Just before we reached the equator, I took over the helm and Don and Thomas readied themselves to jump into the ocean, and to swim across the equator. I was now sailing parallel to the equator, and when they were ready I turned the bow of the boat through the wind into a hove to position. It is in a nutshell stalling the boat and slowing you right down. We were now floating with the current across the line, and just before we crossed I gave them the signal and they both jumped in. Jane was sitting on the sugarscoop with her feet in the water, to also cross the line with some part of her in the water.
I was taking a few photos of the proceedings, and before long, we crossed the equator, and a short while later the guys were back on board. The water temperature is a balmy twenty seven degrees Celsius on the equator, and they loved the experience. Exhilarating to say the least. We each had a swig of vodka and also dropped a drink for Neptune, as tradition would have it.
Last night the wind already started backing from east and south east towards the north east, as we expect in the northern hemisphere. It couldn't wait for the man drawn line we call the equator. We had to motor for four hours as we experienced the slightest bit of doldrums. Doldrums are areas of no wind and vary in size. After weeks of downwind sailing, we could now raise our full main sail and unfurl our headsail. The wind is now flowing from about eighty degrees through our sails, and the swell direction also changed. Eighty degrees angle is what I call the power zone. On catamarans you get the best sail performance at this angle, just forward of the beam. Telltales flying perfectly, and still with great assistance from the current. In the afternoon we decided to drop down to second reef in the main sail and are making good miles. Soon we will be sailing pass the mighty Amazon.
The change in wind direction and swell reminded of the only constant factor in Nature, and that is that things change. Nothing stands still. And things can spiral upwards or downwards, and expand and contract. We are in a continuous state of flux. Also as the human race. As in my previous blog, in the last three hundred years, we have made great progress in curbing hunger, disease and war. Since the beginning of mankind we have battled with these challenges. We are far from perfect, but we have have come a long way.
We have now started turning more time, energy and thought towards happiness, to beating death, and to experience the divine in all of us. We have no idea what our potential as human beings are, or even what we are, besides also being part of the animal kingdom. We have an inkling, we can sometimes see a flicker in the distance becking us. New frontiers are awaiting us.
Blessings to you from the northern hemisphere. Chat again tomorrow.
Paul
Sent from Iridium Mail & Web.
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