Day 24, Jan 28, Crossing the Equator

 And the big event today is crossing the equator . The equator is at 0 degrees latitude. Everything north of the equator is a positive latitude (or has a N after it for North), everything south of the equator has a negative latitude (or has a S after it for South). We were moving closer to 0.0 degrees and the equator.

First was where were when we woke up.

Then we were just over 2 degrees above the equator.

And then at 1/2 degree.

Then just as we transitioned into the southern hemisphere later in the afternoon.

Toni changed up the door decorations. Rob was hoping it would change the recent losses for both Buckeye BB teams. But it didn't work for the men today and we will see how the women's team does tomorrow.

After breakfast, Toni and Rob went to Stretch class today.  And then Line Dancing.

And then Goofy Golf

Toni hit 3 of the "sand traps" on her first shot, each with a one stroke penalty. But made it on the next putt for a 5.

Rob missed the sand traps but went long and under a chair and then another chair and tied Toni with a 5.

And that was all in the morning.  But the big event of the day was in the afternoon.  It was the Crossing the Line ceremony. The line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator.  More can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line-crossing_ceremony

The Captain was there.

Some of the staff dressed as nymphs (mythological spirit of nature imagined as a beautiful maiden inhabiting rivers, woods, or other locations). 

 

The ceremony was led by King Neptune (Neptune (Latin: Neptūnus [nɛpˈtuːnʊs]) is the god of freshwater and the sea[3] in Roman religion) and Salacia (Roman goddess of salt water).  They had groups of pollywags (those who had never crossed the equator) put on trial. We were charged with Gluttony (eating too much, which everyone on a cruise ship does). Each of the groups were deemed guilty and received their sentence. 

They were definitely having too much fun mixing the spaghetti up with other things before they used it on us.

The new Shellbacks with King Neptune and Queen Salacia

We were a mess.  Toni was smart and had her phone in a water tight case. Think she still had a lot of whipped cream on her when we got back to the room.

I kept looking and I never saw the line we crossed!!  It is on the map but not in the water!!

Somehow they were able to clean up and get to a pre-dinner drink and dinner on time.

Flor makes Toni's Milky Way Martini special each time.  This time she wrote Milky Way and Toni inside the glass with chocolate syrup.

And then off to dinner

French Onion Soup and Caesar Salad 

Even though on McKeegan Christmas Eve dinners, Snuffy and I have tried to get Toni to try anchovies.  I tried again.

Spaghetti Carbonara and Roast Beef

Vanilla Ice Cream and Apple Sorbet

This is the layout of the Island Princes. Decks 1-3 are off limits to passengers. But deck 13 is missing. Superstitions!!