Crossing the Equator - Post dedicated to Abhilash Tomy

I have a dream, a song to sing 

To help me cope with anything 

If you see the wonder of a fairy tale 

You can take the future even if you fail 

I believe in angels 

Something good in everything I see 

I believe in angels 

When I know the time is right for me 

I'll cross the stream - I have a dream 

Crossing the Equator

In fact when I checked the facebook update from Mhadei and Abhilash Tomy, he had written that he was just a few hours away from crossing the Equator. I could feel that excitement  and the urge to pull a bit faster and cross it over, it was somekind  of a milestone, a benchmark in the voyage. As it is known that the Mhadei will be crossing the Equator twice.  At that time, I was a bit under the weather  but the upcoming event made me forget my own woes and look forward to the historic event if I may call it so. It was Dewali time here in India and the whole country was basking in the festivities. This was going to be the icing on the top.   On reaching home from office, I checked up with my ready reckoner, my hubby Capt. Todiwan. I asked him how many times had he crossed the equator, he said many times he didn’t remember the count but must have been over 10 times. Since he sailed around the world on chemical and oil tankers, had crossed the Equator many a times. I asked him how he felt the first time. He said that he had crossed the equator, the first time when he was a cadet and he remembered it to be a grand ceremony onboard and the fun that followed. They were given a certificate on the conclusion of the ceremony. He has kept that with him and the subsequent crossings over were ceremonies. He says the highlight was the punch, whatever was available was mixed up and filled in the boots that was then served to the first timers. But when he was the Captain of the vessel crossing the Equator, he got the best punch created but had to keep with the tradition on serving it in the boots, he asked the store keeper to get the new pairs and had the punch served in them.

Abhilash in his blog on crossing the Equator also gives a count of his first time crossing the Equator when he was a cadet.  Here are two people who spoke about their first experience of crossing that line across the globe but the subsequent ones were more of a matter of fact.  That makes me think people always talk about the first love, the first crush, the first kiss and all the” firsts “ in their lives. The images remain vivid in their memories.  One moves on, matures but the significance and beauty of the first time always holds a special place in their hearts.  Abhilash proudly puts it as sixth time shellback, but this time the voyage is maiden as far as the purpose is concerned that makes the occasion special like that first crush that might still bring a few goose bumps.

The weather conditions at the equator region are certainly hot and humid, scorching heat would be more apt.  The water that generally brings about cool breeze will be radiating heat.  There’s hotness around….. Are you Hot enough to beat the heat? Is what at this point of time I feel like asking Tomy in a lighter vein!  In the post he uses too many jargons which don’t make much sense to a layperson like me but what is undoubtedly clear is that the physical conditions at this time in the voyage are absolutely trying. The discomfort that we feel stepping out of our homes or air conditioned offices is just a drop in the ocean when we compare it with the equatorial heat.  Had read somewhere that these patches are just pebbles on the pathway!

 …. Sailor take them as pebbles on the pathway you’ll cross them over.

Check:  www.sagarparikrama2.blogspot.com

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