Location: Atlantic Ocean
Having just left Fernando De Noronha, we are all stocked to the brim with snacks. Even though we are two weeks ahead of us, away from civilization, there is still a lot of excitement because we are supposed to be crossing the equator tomorrow. Having just finished our 2nd Marine Biology exam the break from classes associated with the crossing is great. Last night, we received notes from the council of Poseidon telling us we would have to sacrifice something of importance in order to ensure a safe passage through the equatorial doldrums. In preparation, Charlton and I gave ourselves preliminary haircuts before it all took a trip to Davy Jones’ Locker. Today Jake made us an incredible set of meals cheese quesadillas for lunch and penne alla vodka minus the vodka with chicken for dinner. We are making steady progress towards Devil’s Island as we ride the current that runs north along the continental shelf of the Americas. We aren’t sailing currently due to the light winds, but hopefully, as we move into the northern hemisphere, that changes, and we can really start cruising up the coast. Last night I also found a bird up in a foc’sle which made for an eventful evening as we decided what to do with it. Although many of us wanted to keep it, we eventually released it into the dinghy on deck in hopes that it would calm down and make its way home.
Furthermore, the stars last night were the best they have been since before arriving in Noronha. It gave us a chance to see how the sky has changed since moving north and also a chance to spot some new constellations. The Big Dipper is super prominent now, and the Little Dipper is finally showing itself, with the North Star still hanging just beneath the horizon. I also had the chance to identify our namesake constellation Vela Honestly a pretty underwhelming shape, but nonetheless super cool to be able to see at night. Overall, today was a very positive day. Stay tuned for tomorrow when we cross the equator because I am sure there will be many shenanigans to share with all the people following our adventures through these blogs.