The wind has turned a bit so that we make good speed towards the next stopover in Punta del Este. The reaching conditions (wind from side to aft) mean also our heel has reduced so the boat is much flatter. On the other hand we are rolling more from one side to the other as the waves pass through underneath us.

With the slightly easier conditions we could also do our equator ceremony we had all been waiting for. It was a nice ceremony which triggered a feeling of belonging and companionship. At least this is what I felt. After a collective wash and a symbolic shave we were ready to meet King Neptun. Each pollywog was read his or her charges before Kong Neptun announced the sentence. In my case it seemed that I work too much and do not smile enough. I am not entirely sure if these accusations are correct. But I accepted the sentence and took a 30 minute rest in the saloon area with a big smile on my face.

The ceremony lifted the mood of everyone. Even the rain shower which passed somewhen during the ceremony could not stop us. Only the paper with the charges and the sentences suffered a bit. But that’s part of the life on a boat. It ranges from not quite dry to completely under the water. Depending on the conditions you are then somewhere in between. But dry is an almost utopian illusion.

With the aforementioned reaching conditions we could hoist again pur spinnaker. Since we are quite consistently doing more than ten knots of boat speed. Often even doing above twelve knots. Helming in these conditions is not really easy. But it makes it just the more rewarding if you manage to do it well. With good boat speed we are hoping for a good finishing position in Punta del Este. This is even more important now, as we did not get any bonus points from the ocean sprint this time around. Four boats were faster than us. Even though the gap to the fastest boat is just a few hours. But that is part of the game. Sometimes the others are just a tiny bit more lucky. Because everyone has been working hard. That’s for sure.