Last year on this same date, PUMA was heading to Cape Town and has corssed the equator for the first time. Kenny, Casey and Michi were all introduced to King Neptune. Here’s the blog that came off the boat…

I’m glad that’s over with – crossing the Equator that is.

It should have been dubbed “and now for a break in the action…The infamous equator crossing.” King Neptune visits the first timers and gives out a little punishment for “past sins” whatever that may mean. Personally the entire thing has a bit of college hazing to it. Or a bachelor’s party gone bad without the alcohol.

Why am I so intent then on writing about a ritual that doesn’t exactly make much sense to me? Because I was an interested party like it or not. Casey Smith, Michi Mueller and I were the first timers aboard il mostro. There had been months of speculation on the deeds that would be performed- all in a humorous sort of way, all with a twinkle in the eye of the person expressing the inappropriate deeds.

But, two things happened that were not anticipated. First, the breeze picked up to a rough 20 knot beat with uncomfortable choppy waves. Second, there was a race at hand- as we are still in a complete dog fight with Ericsson 4 who has been slowly edging up to us all day. In fact I think they have been in sight for a majority of this leg so far. These two factors clearly became a major player in the ritual.

We were called on deck and all of a sudden a glimmering Justin Ferris came up with a bucket of who knows what. All the rancid food that he had put together over the last day or two, mixed with my personal favorite and the most disgusting food on earth- Vegemite.

Step one: make sure each of the three of us was wearing enough of it to feel pretty gross.

Step two: each of us individually was given a personal gift. Mine was a nice hair gel sort of swipe with Justin’s two hands dipped in the Vegemite, and then oozing through my hair. Very gross! Then to Casey who in essence wore the rest of the rancid food. Not too creative there. And finally to our pony-tailed young crewman Michi…

He was simply handed a pair of scissors. I don’t think any of the boys had the guts to cut Michi hair for fear of retribution. But they gave Michi the chance and he immediately reached back, grabbed the pony tail and cut off the last inch or so of the long blond locks- all to the huge amusement of the entire team.

The final bit to the scene was played with a French Brandy called (shockingly) Napoleon. A sip was given to Neptune, one to each crewmember and two for the boats safety. Done. Whew. Pretty painless, except it took me about 10 minutes on the bow getting waves crashed over me with dishwashing liquid in my hair trying to get the Vegemite out. I thought I did- until I tried to sleep last night and all I could do was smell that rancid stuff. I have a feeling that the smell will be around for a while, either for real or in my mind.

But thank goodness for the wind and the waves and the boats that were near by. I think they all saved us quite a bit of humiliation when it was all said and done.

- Kenny