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. King Neptune's First Mate was called Davy Jones and the Second Mate was called Her Highness Amphitrite. The Shellbacks plan the coming festivities, but they also spend the entire month taunting the Pollywogs until a mock mutiny is staged by them on the day before the Equator crossing Pollywog Day. 1400 Forum Blvd. Cast of characters during a Crossing the Line ceremony, DANFS - Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Permitting Policy and Resource Management, The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks: 20 Years Later, "Ex Scientia Tridens": The U.S. Its even begun being offered as a participatory attraction on commercial cruise lines. The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. and normally, dipped in the water gathered in the save-all tray! 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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. 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. She is a symbol of strength, love, patience, responsibility, beauty, happiness and honesty. 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. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. 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. US Navy at War 1941-1945: Official Report to the Secretary of the Navy. 6 0 obj The ship's artist, Augustus Earle, made a sketch of the scene.[5]. The Pollywogs are accused of various atrocities and crimes against humanity, including pushing in at the buffet, singing karaoke out of tune and dancing without rhythm. Learn how your comment data is processed. [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 Pollywogs are put through some physical tests to be initiated into the ancient mysteries of the deep! Fortunately no head shaving but the foul mixture was foul in the extreme. U.S. sailors and Marines participate in a line-crossing ceremony. A beauty contest was held with one man from each department dressed up in womens swimsuit drag. It was also called crossing the line. WebAlthough crossing the equator may seem like a routine event for any modern-day naval vessel, navies have celebrated the time-honored tradition for centuries. Crossing the Line is nearly as old as seafaring itself; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels. MORE: Check if you meet the official VA loan requirements. WebEquator crossing certificate. 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. Most modern navies have instituted regulations that prohibit physical attacks on sailors undergoing the line-crossing ceremony. I remember going back to my cabin at 1200 hrs after completing some important deck work. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. According to Banks, some of those ducked were "grinning and exulting in their hardiness", but others "were almost suffocated". The event often lasted two days and normally followed a standard transition. 7 0 obj 767 ), largely for the entertainment of the Shellbacks. "It is interesting to see how similar our maritime cultures are to one another. Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and Did mine in 1978 in the Indian Ocean on the SS Lepeta. As is with all cadets, sleep is the all-engulfing element that overpowers the necessity to change ones boiler suit and go in for a shower! 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. KISS THE FISH!" Cracking it open at once pertains to long luck and safe seas. 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. The Golden Shellback was awarded to those who also crossed the equator and the International Date Line or 180th meridian, (where the world is divided between Eastern and Western Hemispheres) at the same time. With the pollywog to shellback transition complete, a certificate was often awarded to the new shellback as a rite of passage. A Neptune party to celebrate crossing the equator, 1923. MO The Navy has spent decades trying to rein in on hazing; the line-crossing ceremony represents a great deal of this. endobj Photo: Getty Images A Pollywog makes the transition to Shellback. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. Pollywogs received subpoenas after crossing the equator and were made to appear before King Neptune and his court. It is a ceremony which has its roots centuries ago when the first adventurous discoverers started their quest for the unknown seas in all four corners of our planet, taking untraveled routes and praying for Gods to bring fair winds, good captures to take back home and pirate free waters. Sailors and Marines from the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Peru and Uruguay crossed the equator together aboard the USS New Orleans. This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. [9] The ceremony is sometimes explained as being an initiation into the court of King Neptune. endobj Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. Our modern practice is believed to have evolved from Viking rituals, executed upon crossing the 30th parallel, a tradition (July 14): NNS130704-01. I love the sea and all the beauties it brings along, I love travelling, nature and taking photos.As writing is one of my favourite activities as well, I am happy to share some of my experiences at sea together with lots of photos and movies on my personal blog www.travellingoncontainervessels.com. This amounted to over 70% of the world's total number of military ships measuring 1,000 tons or greater. Youwill see old military footage from an actual King Neptune Ceremony. hVYoH+=#E Mclu"m*~Ks4/ mF[S,N8Z tpX#?H8Aao5Fh7FAc1!)o5Sq. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard have well-established line-crossing rituals. The first "griffin" was Charles Darwin, who noted in his diary how he "was then placed on a plank, which could be easily tilted up into a large bath of water. It is these little gems that bind us seafarers together in work and spirit and give us the inner strength to carry forward inspire rough seas and long periods away from home. It is not at all easy to hold the position of a Queen in [], Sir..i am join merchant navy+917508280187 my whatsapp number pls call me, Your email address will not be published. Those who were not favored fared worse. 1. realtor.com is hosting and helping to administer and promote the sweepstakes. My wife did hers on SS Acavus in 1980 when she sailed with me. 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. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, too, received a summons to appear before the sea god and pay his respects. 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. [10], U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt described his crossing-the-line ceremony aboard the "Happy Ship" USSIndianapolis with his "Jolly Companions" in a letter to his wife Eleanor Roosevelt on 26 November 1936. The 90s saw large groups of people balking at its existence. most of the others were treated much worse, dirty mixtures being put in their mouths & rubbed on their faces. It was also called crossing the line. So we though lets compile one of those facts about titanic ship that probably you are unaware of. Many cases of unbelievable cruelty were reported especially in the years after the II World War and some maritime companies even banned these ceremonies on board their vessels. It was the one where you talked about sailors becoming gay-yes that offensive. Anyone inducted is quick to say they are part of this Order, but resistant to go into more detail. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. In more than one instance, sailors were reported to have been killed while participating in a line-crossing ceremony. 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 Honorable Shellbacks or Sons of Neptune was the namegiven to a sailor who has already crossed the equator. They then lathered my face & mouth with pitch and paint, & scraped some of it off with a piece of roughened iron hoop. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Ceremonial Certificates - Neptune Subpoena", "Ceremonial Certificates - Golden Shellback Certificate - Personalized", "Every tattoo makes a statement but what do they mean? Source: Offer subject to change without notice. Not affiliated with any government agency. [3][4], In the Royal Canadian Navy, those who have not yet crossed the equator are nicknamed Tadpoles, or Dirty Tadpoles; an earlier nickname was griffins. Mind you, no harm or hurt is involved, however the minor embarrassments must be taken in the right spirit. 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. These roles are all played by shellbacksthose who have gone through the ritual before. Once at the anchor, the newly initiated are made to crack open a can of beer on the anchor itself at the first go. On Navy cruises everyone is considered a crew member, maintaining the ship in all ways needed. 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. Equator Crossing or Baptism Ceremony 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. One person, in fact, did. Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Directory stream And there are no two thoughts on that. The chant goes up: "KISS THE FISH! #ashmore #sailingships #tallships #youngadult #historicalfiction #truestory #captain #shipsurgeon #interactiveadventure #kiwiauthor #immigration #youngadultfiction #kingneptune #ceremony #crossingthequator #shellbacks #pollywoggers #sonsofneptune. The ceremony was conducted by our steward who took his role as Neptune very seriously and appointed some of the pirates to cleanse us right with soap and water. Church, Andrew. In order to ensure that all the seafarers show their gratitude towards the mighty sea and receive the blessing from Neptune at the beginning of their career and not wait until they have the chance of crossing the Equator, more and more ceremonies are undergone for the first voyage at sea as well. NH 106226. Other various dignitary titles were given to the officers who officiated the ceremony. Nowadays, the most common ceremonies always include at least two members of the crew willing to conduct the show, the fire hoses ready to splash, glasses of miraculous drinks, baptism certificates, a noisy and supportive crowd and a well deserved party afterwards. 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. of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. Pollywogs are then doused with water to symbolise a baptism and are duly admitted to the District of Equatorius as Trusty and Honourable Shellbacks and Sons of Neptune. Professor Hersh described the proceedings of the ritual to me as an inversion. While you are going through the ritual, she explained, you are constantly submissive. In her paper she points to some examples where men were made to perform simulated sexual acts. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. The transition flows from established order to the "controlled chaos" of the Pollywog Revolt, the beginnings of re-order in the initiation rite as the fewer but experienced enlisted crew converts the Wogs through physical tests, then back to, and thereby affirming, the pre-established order of officers and enlisted. a signal being given I was tilted head over heels into the water, where two men received me & ducked me. This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. The scientist I spoke to was also proud of her line-crossing, describing it as really positive. But from her account, the experience seems to have been an inclusive, constructive one, fully compatible with what the Navy member called political correctness. 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. The crew were expected to become seasoned-sailors, capable of handling long periods of time with rough seas. Although crossing the equator may seem like a routine event for any modern-day naval vessel, navies have celebrated the time-honored tradition for centuries. WebAlthough crossing the equator may seem like a routine event for any modern-day naval vessel, navies have celebrated the time-honored tradition for centuries. 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. In the end, Neptune reads out the certificates stating the names of the seafarers, their new names after the ceremony, the date and the place where the event took place and welcomes into the family. Then the heads are shaved in the most uneven manner possible (no historical reasoning for it, but personally judging, it is most likely to do with a purging process) and paint is applied at random all over the body (privates aside!). Next, the Pollywogs kneel before the King and kiss the royal baby's belly, which according to some accounts is covered in grease. It was also an initiation rite commemoratedthe first time a sailor crossed over. But line-crossing has expanded to other corners of seafaring culture, including the unlikely place of scientific research cruises. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. [5], By the eighteenth century, there were well-established line-crossing rituals in the British Royal Navy. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. 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. 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. hbbd```b``"ZA$Sd&0,4 ,FHXL*H(H2 2 Columbia, From that moment on, they are no longer seen as outsiders, but they fully deserved to be included in the seafarers family. The eve of the equatorial crossing is called Wog Day and, as with many other night-before rituals, is a mild type of reversal of the day to come. The Schooner Bar pianist and crooner comes in for some particularly harsh treatment, possibly for playing Living Next Door to Alice too often. 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. %PDF-1.3 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. As we approach the middle of the world, quite a few passengers rush to the rails for a look, as though there might be an actual line drawn on the ocean. 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