What's a lline, anyway?

At our current speed and course, we should cross the equator sometime in the late afternoon. This imaginary geographical line that separates north from south. Of course, we're hoping to see a large, dashed white line - much like a line that divides a city street - complete with a wide ribbon to sail through with throngs of people cheering us on. I can see bandstands with dignitaries and pretty girls doing cheers. There will be great arches of balloons and a marching band playing John Phillip Souza's famous march. On the other hand, probably not.

Regardless, lines are important to us. We spend too much time standing in line. Sometimes I step out of line. We draw lines in the sand that we dare not cross. "Dress that line, Mister" said Niedermeyer to his ROTC cadets in the movie Animal House. We've all signed on the dotted line, confirming our commitment to one agreement or another. Some people line dance. We have arbitrary political lines for boundaries of countries, states, cities and even parts of town that one should avoid at night.

Perhaps I'm making too much of this milestone. Really, the only thing we'll notice is that our GPS coordinates will no longer have the N - for North - suffix as it will be replaced with an S. However, if you listen closely in the late afternoon and off in the distance you can faintly hear cheering and hollering, that may well be the crew of Rutea celebrating.
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At 4/5/2011 5:16 PM (utc) Rutea's position was 00°32.91'N 130°38.89'W

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