a signal being given I was tilted head over heels into the water, where two men received me & ducked me. The fun has just begun, and its going to continue for another 24 hours. I had my baptism ceremony nine years ago, in the beautiful waters of the Indian Ocean, somewhere North of the Seychelles Islands, while heading towards the West Coast of Australia. Officers rebelled and did it anyway, which ultimately led to court martials. Over the history of researchers hitting the high seas to acquire water samples and observe marine life, there are multiple accounts of ceremonies performed when the ships hit the Equator. The ceremony observes a mariner's transformation from slimy Pollywog, a seaman who hasn't crossed the equator, to trusty Shellback, also called a Son or Daughter of Neptune. Once at the anchor, the newly initiated are made to crack open a can of beer on the anchor itself at the first go. WebEquator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are common in the Navy and are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and cruise ships. Learn how your comment data is processed. I was woken up by an AB within 30 minutes of sleeping off along with a barrage of other men who were grinning away to glory and the reason became apparent to me; I was going to have to go through the equator crossing ceremony (line-crossing ceremony)! This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. It was also an initiation rite commemoratedthe first time a sailor crossed over. These roles are all played by shellbacksthose who have gone through the ritual before. CALCULATE: Calculate your VA Loan savings. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Wogs then returned to the forecastle, where they were hosed off by firehose and then allowed to kiss, in turn, the belly of the sea-baby, the foot of the sea-hag, and the ring of King Neptune, each personified by Shellbacks. Its kind of a nice tradition, said one US-based ocean researcher when I asked her about her experience. [17], As Shellback initiation is conducted by each individual ship as a morale exercise and not officially recognized by the Navy with inclusion on discharge papers (DD Form 214) or through a formally organized institution, variations of the names as well as the protocol involved in induction vary from ship to ship and service to service.[18]. King Neptune is said to be the ruler of the seas and this entire shindig is orchestrated to appease the King by showing Him respect, to keep a sailor away from the perils of the sea and to bring good luck. Youwill see old military footage from an actual King Neptune Ceremony. On Navy cruises everyone is considered a crew member, maintaining the ship in all ways needed. They then lathered my face & mouth with pitch and paint, & scraped some of it off with a piece of roughened iron hoop. David Moore is a content contributor at Veterans United Network. DhD!D4n4I8P5>U`_FC.i`p8~xz_ep;MtBgCrf"FB:&t#W>V98}&I75(*^bqYe[A_xJ4k) Bx^c;.vT{c,kv8J>U_ t a terrible thing it would be if a Navy man became gay. The Iron Shellback are those on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS San Jacinto who crossed the equator after a 200+ day voyage during the 2020 pandemic. Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. NH 106226. People hear a knock on their door and they know it has begun. Beside him is seated his wife, Queen Amphitrite and theyre both surrounded by a few more (including a Davy Jones impersonator) to replicate a royal proceeding. The tradition began with the Navy over 400 years ago, says anthropology and sociology professor Carie Little Hersh in her 2002 paper Crossing the Line: Sex, Power, Justice, and the U.S. Navy at the Equator. Given its long history, the ritual has changed over the years, but it remains a well-knownalbeit sometimes controversiallinchpin of Naval culture. x]KsSjF r.Kq9r_t)RMH[f~F`j4z0R.wo,y?_6 zXw{^7'/Vu:l~|cW;F:yVR0cSEQl:6hQOZr:iusl B9Pn~-~u6= f{w}XYaKn)VSwA#/Ye6=~ui)f{jL??GOn2{ >y 7KOs!Oy4+,Cc[`_rXVe(soAyG:x[HT1J-aFn-gfEXU0)EJhSsfD~5c6 ^Ub2?\%"0s5nFM 6VNG1ymVMgi;THbV:XB"`/8v6h?4`"n@? Those who were not favored fared worse. From their ships berth, floating in the middle of the ocean, they are ushered into a room to begin the trial. Check out this weeks video at the bottom. One former Navy man posted videos of the ritual to YouTube. However, the essence of it will remain the same. Most modern navies have instituted regulations that prohibit physical attacks on sailors undergoing the line-crossing ceremony. The Pollywogs are put through some physical tests to be initiated into the ancient mysteries of the deep! 1. realtor.com is hosting and helping to administer and promote the sweepstakes. All the same, its not a secret. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. This is how I mostly startmy ship visit. Layer by Layer: A Mexico City Culinary Adventure, Sacred Granaries, Kasbahs and Feasts in Morocco, Monster of the Month: The Hopkinsville Goblins, How to Grow a Dye Garden With Aaron Sanders Head, Paper Botanicals With Kate Croghan Alarcn, Writing the Food Memoir: A Workshop With Gina Rae La Cerva, Reading the Urban Landscape With Annie Novak, Making Scents: Experimental Perfumery With Saskia Wilson-Brown, Secret Nun Cookies at Monasterio del Corpus Christi, Wonder Is Everywhere: Civil War Gold, a New Moai, and More From Around the Web, The Woman Preserving the Endangered Cuisine of Indian Jews, How a Lone Researcher Faced Down Millions of Army Ants on the March in Ecuador. This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. [13] Depending on the Ocean or Fleet AOR, there can be variations in the rite. The Pollywogs (also referred to as landlubbers) must be dipped in water for the initiation and passing into the realm of the seas. For a while, said Hersh, some boats tried to stop the ceremonies from even happening. Showing gratitude towards the sea and its masters may come in the form of a whispering pray behind the four walls of your cabin, but it sometimes requires a loud shout and a real ceremony which must be attended by everybody else on board. Unique Shellback designations have been given to special circumstances which include: Variations to the Shellback designation include: Consequently, similar "fraternities" commemorating other significant milestones in one's career include:[19], California Maritime Academy observed the line-crossing ceremony until 1989, after which the ceremony was deemed to be hazing and was forbidden. hVYoH+=#E Mclu"m*~Ks4/ mF[S,N8Z tpX#?H8Aao5Fh7FAc1!)o5Sq. %PDF-1.3 They never turned into a nightmare for the new comers and they were accompanied only by laughter and happy faces. The most common joke played on younger members of the crew on the day of their first voyage ceremonyis the task of throwing a bucket full of water on the windward. It is a memory that is etched into each and every seafarer, for it is an event that ushers in a sense of belonging to ones profession. My wife did hers on SS Acavus in 1980 when she sailed with me. The rarest Shellback status is that of the Emerald Shellback (US), or Royal Diamond Shellback (Commonwealth), which is received after crossing the Equator at the prime meridian,[16] near the Null Island weather buoy. A videotape of the ceremony was obtained by the Nine Network and aired on Australian television. The ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. As they approached the equator on the evening of 16 February 1832, a pseudo-Neptune hailed the ship. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. WebEquator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are common in the Navy and are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and cruise ships. On the voyage of HMS Endeavour to the Pacific in 1768, captained by James Cook, Joseph Banks described how the crew drew up a list of everyone on board, including cats and dogs, and interrogated them as to whether they had crossed the equator. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. Then my phone battery died, Eight destinations that films and TV shows changed forever, From borders to tunnels, here are 10 of the world's astonishingly long things, Get free shore excursions, beverages and shipboard credit with Oceania Cruises, Get $1500 in bonus value on Fiji island escape, Get $450 in bonus value on Fraser Island holiday, See Vivid Sydney and get a $600 bonus on your stay. The custom of crossing the line was immediately adopted following the formation of the Royal Australian Navy, as seen here onboard HMAS Australia (I) in 1913. 14 0 obj The US Navy holds a massive, two-day line crossing ceremony wherein experienced sailors (those who have been across the equator) are called Shellbacks, Trusty Shellbacks and Honorable Shellbacks, the Sons of Neptune. Some people may find this a silly game, but seafarers know for certain that receiving the blessing from the God of the Sea is always an honor and must be regarded as such.Equator Crossing ceremony is just a humble way of recognizing Neptune as Master of the Seas and all the seafarers who receive Neptunes permission to sail his waters have to be celebrated and congratulated by all the crew on board. The excitement and enthusiasm that prevails among fellow shipmates at the time of conducting the line-crossing ceremony is one that beams of a happy past experience of the same and that of passing on the baton of the art of sailing to newbies. It was also called crossing the line. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. #marinersgalaxy, A post shared by marinersgalaxy.com (@mariners_galaxy) on May 2, 2020 at 9:10am PDT, google.com, pub-5737237464543751, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0, My name is Oana and I come from Romania. Did mine in 1978 in the Indian Ocean on the SS Lepeta. The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. There, they crawled down a gauntlet of Shellbacks on both sides of a long, heavy canvas runner, about 1012 meters. [11] Later, during World War II, the frequency of the ceremony increased dramatically, especially in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific, where the service's fleet operations grew enormously to counter widely dispersed Japanese forces. The writer was a guest of Royal Caribbean Cruises. A Queen represents confidence and unconditional dedication towards her task. Your email address will not be published. Other people often show up, including a surgeon, a barber, people dressed as bears, and a judge. Why fly home from Bali when you can cruise in style? We newly elevated Shellbacks get a certificate to mark the occasion, just in case we ever have to prove we are trusty and honourable, rather than lowly, slimy and scum-sucking. However, most lenders have similar criteria. The crew were expected to become seasoned-sailors, capable of handling long periods of time with rough seas. At sea you are not woman or man, you are sailor. 731|+pvwX` In the PBS documentary Carrier, filmed in 2005 (Episode 7, "Rites of Passage"), a crossing-the-line ceremony on USSNimitz is extensively documented. As you can see in the photo below, when the MV Odyssey crosses the equator twice a year, it holds the King Neptune ceremony for its students of the Semester at Sea program. Following this aspect of the grand event, the sailors are tied together and marched forward to the anchor with the sound of a drum to coordinate movement. Sailors and Marines from the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Peru and Uruguay crossed the equator together aboard the USS New Orleans. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. The crew finally converted the Wogs after the endurance tests were accomplished, ending the ceremonywith an affirmation of the new Shellbacks by way of a certificate declaring their new status. It is therefore no wonder that the shore folk are appalled and excited at the same time when the ceremony is told to them in detail. [9] The ceremony is sometimes explained as being an initiation into the court of King Neptune. It is very seldom to find an age-old tradition that is carried out with such gusto at shore. I wouldnt call it hazing per se, the researcher said. Each ship might have their own traditions and nuances, but the fundamental structure goes something like this: Many accounts dwell only on the final, elaborate ceremony that takes place on the day a ship traverses the equator, but the month leading up to King Neptune's arrival, when the Pollywogs are separated off from the Shellbacks, is also significant. In her experience, people were given the chance to opt out if they didnt want to participate in the ritual. crossing the equator, Commanding Officer Captain J. Scott Jones, for instance, publicly announced that the USS Bonhomme Richard had a great celebration of this important passage. 10 Interesting Facts About Titanic Ship You Dont Know, Port Chaplain Tells His Experience of Meeting Seafarers, Why Sailor Wife is Called as Queen: Read This, A Sailor Queen Awaits His Arrival After An Extended Contract, Iamdatingasailor-Thesearethechangesinmylife, Spouse Onboard-is it a Good idea? It was also called crossing the line. "Major Combatant Ships Added to United States Fleet, 7 December 1941 - 1 October 1945", ibiblio.org. This ceremony is still practised onboard numerous ships today. VA-approved lender. Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. Crawling through long containers filled withrotten garbage. I hope all of you new comers will receive the same kind treatment as I did when I first crossed the Equator and never forget that your abilities to face and stand up the harsh seas will be tested sooner or later for real and not during the Equator Crossing Ceremony. So, you are [], Ahoy Ahoy, Port Chaplain coming on board. Retrieved June 7, 2017. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. Copyright 2023 Mortgage Research Center, LLC. Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are common in the Navy and are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and cruise ships. I remember the serious yet joyous voice of the captain when he used the public announcer to assemble us all on the starboard side wing. 7 0 obj (Photo: Neptune and his entourage during a Polish line-crossing ceremony. This is a usually light-hearted event that allows the ships crew to take some time out from their hectic schedules and have fun with the rest of the crewmates. Though ceremonies differ, theres a general form and a common cast of characters. The whole ship was a shower bath: & water was flying about in every direction: of course not one person, even the Captain, got clear of being wet through." There were pageants where wogs were forced to crossdress in front of their superiors, and then spend the rest of their day performing often degrading tasks. Prior to writing for Veterans United Network, David served in the United States Air Force and spent 7 months in Afghanistan as a Logistics Officer and Brigade Engineering Officer with the Army National Guard. )\gXpj 4_M\ ot%H8#,}u{ XXej4nM+#I ", "List of Unofficial U.S. Navy Certificates", "The Short Snorter Project - Harry F. Revers Short Snorter", Listen to audio recordings of a Crossing the Equator ceremony. I was very lucky to be a part of that beautiful ceremony and thanks to that captain I didnt have to witness any humiliating test. It was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. While now its as much a spectacle as it is a test, the line-crossing ceremony reportedly has its roots in practicality. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. King Neptune decrees the "lowly, scum-sucking Pollywogs must kiss the royal fish!". With the pollywog to shellback transition complete, a certificate was often awarded to the new shellback as a rite of passage. The Navy has spent decades trying to rein in on hazing; the line-crossing ceremony represents a great deal of this. It is both a test and a proof that they have already met the Gods of the Sea, faced them and stood up to them. 1400 Forum Blvd. For instance, the ship's captain might play the part of King Neptune himself. Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. Let's look at the minimum credit score for a VA loan and what lenders typically expect. Your email address will not be published. The US Navy holds a massive, two-day line crossing ceremony wherein experienced sailors (those who have been across the equator) are called Shellbacks, Trusty Shellbacks and Honorable Shellbacks, the Sons of Neptune. privacy policy. A feast is prepared at night for dinner with thorough fanfare. As the cruise ship Voyager of the Seas nears the equator, excitement mounts and all Pollywogs those who have never crossed the line are encouraged to register for the crossing the equator ceremony. Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and Use tab to navigate through the menu items. As the cruise ship Voyager of the Seas nears the equator, excitement mounts and all Pollywogs those who have never crossed the line are encouraged to register for the crossing the equator The Wogs then ascended a ladder to the boat deck to slide down a makeshift chute into the baptism of messdeck leavings in sea water in an inflated liferaft back on the superstructure deck. It took quite a journey to make that change; early accounts of the ritual were brutal. MO When the ceremonies were first conducted, they were physically challenging and could even be painful or embarrassing to the Sailors. Download image. [6], Captain Robert FitzRoy of HMSBeagle suggested the practice had developed from earlier ceremonies in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian vessels passing notable headlands. From that moment on, they are no longer seen as outsiders, but they fully deserved to be included in the seafarers family. Required fields are marked *. But it was also authorised by Captains to entertain the passengers on merchant ships like the Ashmore. After we drank our glasses with that awful tasting liquid, we received our certificates together with everybodys congratulations and enjoyed a wonderful party thrown in our honor. Read about: Joining Ship? (Photo:The Field Museum Library/flickr). Interrogations were held by King Neptune and his entourage who used truth serum (aftershave and hot sauce), or whole uncooked eggs in the Pollywoggers mouth. As the cruise ship Voyager of the Seas nears the equator, excitement mounts and all Pollywogs those who have never crossed the line are encouraged to register for the crossing the equator <> It was also called crossing the line. Your email address will not be published. Not affiliated with any government agency. Fortunately no head shaving but the foul mixture was foul in the extreme. Throughout history, line-crossing ceremonies have sometimes become dangerous hazing rituals. King Neptune Ceremony This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). By submitting your email you are agreeing to Nine Publishing's Anyhow, as people on board grow more and more connected with each other by sharing the same interests, leisure activities and hard work this kind of ceremony becomes less and less popular. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. One sailor was then sexually assaulted with a long stick before all sailors undergoing the ceremony were forced to jump overboard and tread water until permitted to climb back aboard the submarine. endobj Those who have not crossed are nicknamed Pollywogs, or Slimy Pollywogs, or sometimes simply Slimy Wogs. NH 106226. (Photo: Public domain/WikiCommons). Behind the Strange and Controversial Ritual When You Cross the Equator At Sea. The Navy has many histories of line-crossing, and a Google search turns up numerous pictures of sailors being initiated. WebCrossing The Equator (The Script of the Ceremony in HMCS Stettler 1957 February 26, 1957 at 106 East Longitude) (Name of original author not recorded 1957) Note to Reader: This is a typical script for a Crossing the Line ceremony. Required fields are marked *. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard have well-established line-crossing rituals. King Neptune and his royal court: his queen, Davy Jones, the royal baby, and other dignitaries, arrive to the ship the evening prior to the equator crossing. MORE: Check if you meet the official VA loan requirements. They were always followed by a barbecue party with good food and music and the hundreds of photos taken during the event were always shared with families and friends as a proof of being recognized as a true seafarer. Considered a crew member, maintaining the ship a feast is prepared at night for dinner with fanfare! 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