Yachting: King Neptune leaves mark on Minoprio

Adam Minoprio and Hamish Hooper. Photo / Team NZ

Rotting food, flying fish and cross-dressing sailors have been the order of the day for Camper as they crossed the Equator overnight and observed the centuries old tradition of 'crossing the line'.

A rite of passage for all sailors, the ceremony involves crew crossing the Equator for the first time being hauled before King Neptune and his court to be punished for their sins. The tradition of appeasing King Neptune and ensuring good luck for the voyage has been passed down from generation to generation and is a recipe for some light hearted relief aboard.

On Camper first-timers Hamish Hooper and Adam Minoprio paid a heavy price with King Neptune (Tony Rae) and Queen Codfish (Rob Salthouse) ensuring that appropriate sacrifices were made.

VOLVO OCEAN RACE TRACKER

Punishments laden out on the inductees during the ceremony included hair being shaved off and being coated in a disgusting mix of rotting food, 'aged' flying fish and bilge water.

Rae said Hooper and Minoprio did a fine job of being initiated into King Neptune's realm.

"They both coped well and, now the sacrifices have been made, they can consider themselves real offshore sailors," Rae said. "This is one of the great traditions of ocean sailing and an opportunity for all the guys except Hamish and Adam to have a bit of fun."

Minoprio, sporting a newly acquired bald patch, is just pleased to have the ceremony behind him.

"It was pretty bad," he said. "I was almost dry retching and with this bald patch I look more like Hamish Hooper now, but at least I can stop glancing nervously over my shoulder every five minutes."

Camper's hopes that the two front-runners would do the same in the Ocean Race haven't eventuated and Camper were 132 nautical miles behind leaders Puma, who have an eight-mile lead over Telefonica. Groupama are a distant fourth, 378 miles behind.