Halfway cake

There are plenty of great sailing traditions. One of the best known ocean voyaging traditions are the line-crossing ceremonies wherein King Neptune initiates the pollywogs at their first crossing of the equator.
    On his recent Atlantic crossing, ON’s own Charlie Humphries took part in another tradition that is routinely practiced on Virago, the Swan 100 he was aboard. When the vessel reaches the halfway point, a cake is baked and party is held. Charlie claims this involves black tie and tails, but we suspect that may be a bit of ocean sailor hyperbole. And even cake is something of a misnomer — it was a banana cream pie concocted by crewmember Tom O’Donnell.