Mar 30 - Gan, Addu Atoll / Our 5th Equator Crossing!

Pos: S00deg41.144min/ E073deg08.64min We went thru the channel at 1600 with good light, anchoring 2 miles away to stage for a night exit thru the narrow pass out of the atoll. Stuart had gone out and back in the pass, so we used his coordinates to safely make a 0115 exit without any problem. It was pitch black, and winds were NE 8-10 knots. After a few hours the wind died, so the motor went on and stayed on all the way across the Equatorial Channel. At 0418, at longitude 073deg13.056min, we crossed the equator for our fifth time! We had an appropriate celebration (for the hour), and toasted King Neptune in a proper fashion. We entered Addu atoll and went thru the Man (I've seen it spelled Maa also) channel at 7 knots; this is an all-weather channel and can be entered most any conditions. However, the state of the tide has to be reckoned with, as ebb and flood tides can reach 5 knots! (Thanks Ally for the info!) Entry should timed to be made on a flood tide or at slack water. Wouldn't want any of that 5 knots against me! Lowest depth we saw was 46'. We anchored in a small lagoon next to the causeway between Gan and Feydhoo, and shortly thereafter went to meet our agent.