And
we thought the Swedes were a friendly bunch...
28th August, 1999
Our
first week aboard WinterWave couldn't have been better.... By day, we
relaxed on the pool deck, splashed around in the pool,
sunbathed on the bow while Whales and Dolphins came to say hello. Using
the swimming pool as a testing ground for our Scubapro equipment, we also
took the opportunity to offer trial scuba dives to willing crew members.
Cruising down the West African Coast was such a good idea. So glad we're
here. We were looking forward to crossing the Equator where we could test
out Coreolis' Theory in the bathroom sink (because we're sad tourists)
and of course look for the Southern Cross.
Chief Cook - Hans, kept hinting that there is an initiation for those
who have never crossed the Equator. Something about King Neptune... I
don't know. We assumed, wrongly, that as passengers, we would be looked
after well. So we relaxed.
We crossed, the evening of 29th August. No drama. No storm. No flash of
light. No Keel Hauling. No ship turning upside down. In fact, the only
odd thing all evening was that it was freezing. The hottest place in the
world and it was damn cold. So where was the initiation ceremony? Phew.
Got away with it....
THE ARREST
At around 4pm the following day, Mark and I were handcuffed, arrested and thrown into a locked cell by 2 inebriated, red-cheeked men dressed in sheets and seaweed. Strange. During the course of the next 30minutes, other unitiated crew were thrown into the cell with us. Our wardours at first seemed to take pity on us and gave us a beer each. We later realised that this was not in fact very friendly at all if you consider the foul mixtures that were to be forced down our gullets later on. Charlie was first to be dragged away, leaving Mark to only wonder what was being done to her...THE BAPTISM
I think the pictures speak for themselves. I feel rather uneasy about reliving the experience so just concentrate on the picture of the syringe and Mark's face and just imagine what that vile medicine tasted like.... excuse me, I've just got to go to the bathroom........
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