We spent New Years 2000 on the Equator. They burn effigies in South America to celebrate the New Year. We were on a very small ship and there was this fire on board. I was a bit surprised and disconcerted. It didn’t seem like a very good idea at the time. It still doesn’t. The fire was at the end of a loading boom that had been extended over the side of the ship.

We joined the Neptune Society, then and there. Not the one for quick cremation. It is a society limited to those who sail across the equator. It has it’s privileges, but I am not at liberty to discuss them with outsiders.

We, the pollywogs, became shellbacks when we sailed across the equator. In the old days, sailors looked forward to this as a right of passage and much rum was consumed. A member of our crew dressed up Like King Neptune and reads us the riot act.

We were chastised for our sins and baptized into shellbacks.

This rights of passage helped create some fun and lightheartedness on long and difficult sea passages in distant history for the lonesome and sometimes angry crewmen.

We too had had a long journey, but it was not so difficult.

Read my novels, The Adventures of the Smith Family and the follow up novel Sailing Away. It’s about Sailing in the 18th century. I think that they are historically interesting and informative as well as exciting and thoughtfully written. They are available on Amazon in all formats. You can read them from the kindle lending library for free and as e books or in paperback.

If you love to travel and read, call Anne at Book Carnival in Orange, California. Her number is 714-538-3210. We need to support our local businesses and especially book stores. Tell Anne that I gave you her number. Thanks.