It was also called crossing the line. 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. Once you are initiated, Hersh told me, you are then in the masculine position If youre a woman that doesnt make sense. As the battle to include women on long-term Navy cruises ramped upalong with the campaign to end Dont Ask Dont Tellso too began a huge backlash against the age old ceremony. 1. realtor.com is hosting and helping to administer and promote the sweepstakes. 227 0 obj <>stream 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. WebEquator crossing certificate. (Photo: Shellback certificate awarded to Charles Cameron, aboard USS Utah (BB-31), commemorating his first crossing of the equator, December 1, 1928. 211 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<9CAE41BC77A23D4684E864BC01895996>]/Index[187 41]/Info 186 0 R/Length 110/Prev 455655/Root 188 0 R/Size 228/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream It was designed to test the novices in the crew to see whether they could endure their first cruise at sea, senior chief aviation boatswains mate Bernard Dizontold the Navys press office. Naval History and Heritage Command. 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)! ;x.T`f\%e:pJ+*n h= Nevertheless, the ceremony is a hoot, despite the dodgy production values and a few hilarious script issues. "Major Combatant Ships Added to United States Fleet, 7 December 1941 - 1 October 1945", ibiblio.org. One person, in fact, did. According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. After the ceremony, the Sailors were inducted into the "Solemn Mysteries of the Ancient Order of the Deep" meaning that King Neptune had accepted them as one of his trusty shellbacks. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. 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. Officers rebelled and did it anyway, which ultimately led to court martials. Because I know with a smile and a handshake [], A Queen is no ordinary woman. 2023 Atlas Obscura. The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight. In 1995, a notorious line-crossing ceremony took place on the Royal Australian Navy submarine HMASOnslow. 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. The scepter is laid forth to mark this moment of truth. The Royal Canadian Navy named them Tadpoles or Griffins. The event often lasted two days and normally followed a standard transition. Their most recent ceremony was during the summer of 2019, on the TSES VI, held shortly after departing Reykjavik. Webthe equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. And yes, mostly I am welcomed on board. King, Ernest J., USN. The reason behind this is to give the beginners a truth serum in order that they speak the absolute truth when they swear their allegiance to King Neptune and the sea! It was also an initiation rite commemoratedthe first time a sailor crossed over. After the show, Pollywogs receive a subpoena from Davy Jones to stand before the court the next day and answer to charges brought against them by the Shellbacks. The ceremony could include funny and nave games like moving on hands and knees on slippery decks but more humiliating, difficult and dangerous tasks as well like crawling through barrels of garbage or oil, jumping overboard from high decks or climbing on top of the mast and being forced to spend hours in the same position. Columbia, According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. 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. 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. Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. SMH! 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. King Neptune goes to make an earnest speech and accepts the ushering of the sailor into the sea under the auspice of Her Majesty! Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. It starts at night. 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. Throughout history, line-crossing ceremonies have sometimes become dangerous hazing rituals. In the last decades of the 20th century, the Crossing of the Equator or Equator Crossing Ceremony took the form of a joyous celebration meant to entertain the whole crew, by offering everybody on board a few hours of fun and relaxation. Disclaimer: The views mentioned above are of the author only. They then lathered my face & mouth with pitch and paint, & scraped some of it off with a piece of roughened iron hoop. This ceremony is still practised onboard numerous ships today. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. Even commercial cruise lines have been known to host some parts of the ritual. WebEquator crossing certificate. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. 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. He writes personal stories of our nation's veterans and active military members. % 14 0 obj ae. This having completed, an entire round of the shop is taken to commemorate the event altogether. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. King Neptune Ceremony This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. King Neptune is a prominent figure, as is his representative Davy Jones. Pollywogs received subpoenas after crossing the equator and were made to appear before King Neptune and his court. By submitting your email you are agreeing to Nine Publishing's <> The shellbacks had prepared 3-foot lengths of canvas/rubber firehose, which they swung hard at the posterior of each Wog. He thought it was beneficial to morale. There are other similar ceremonies for different locales including the Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the International Date Line, and others. A Queen represents confidence and unconditional dedication towards her task. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. Your email address will not be published. On Navy cruises everyone is considered a crew member, maintaining the ship in all ways needed. Offer subject to change without notice. Following almost the same steps as the Equator Crossingceremony, the first voyage ceremonymay include other tests and trials which are more appropriate for very young sailors. 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. Many naval traditions, from the Sirens and Sea Monsters of the Odyssey to the boatswain's call, date back hundreds and even thousands of years. From that moment on, they are no longer seen as outsiders, but they fully deserved to be included in the seafarers family. MO For research trips there are both scientists and crew members hired to maintain the ship. Its kind of a nice tradition, said one US-based ocean researcher when I asked her about her experience. The Star Spangled Shellbacks was used for those crossing the equator on July 4th, 1966. The researcher I spoke to remembered how on her trip two scientists were already in the order of shellback, so they joined the rest of the crew to help facilitate the days events. As appalling as it may seem to shore folk, it is a tradition that makes a man out a fresh cadet or trainee seaman. Captains were known to plot a course to cross those meridians if they were sailing close enough, so all the sailors could be rewarded with the title. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2010 - 2023 Marine Insight All Rights Reserved. Your email address will not be published. The ship's artist, Augustus Earle, made a sketch of the scene.[5]. hb```>VB eaX;f8L/```b^22jtsVP 6z k$}`+9Vxyo Nk1TO4# }/$ The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. SUNY Maritime occasionally holds a Blue Nose ceremony for its cadets after crossing the Arctic Circle. 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. #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. All rights reserved. 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. 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. Dancing, song, skits or poetry count among the merriment. Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. Sailors undergoing the ceremony were physically and verbally abused before being subjected to an act called "sump on the rump", where a dark liquid was daubed over each sailor's anus and genitalia. KISS THE FISH!" The older and more experienced sailors were always so happy to perform the most outrageous tricks and games on the new comers that they sometimes crossed the limits of entertainment and brought the game to a dangerous and even deadly point. Obviously enough, my urge to sleep took the better of me and I dozed off for I would have to go and assist the Chief Mate in is watch in a few hours. (Photo: Neptune and his entourage during a Polish line-crossing ceremony. David Moore is a content contributor at Veterans United Network. On the other hand, the ceremonys goal is to ensure that the new comers are capable of facing and handling rough seas and are ready to be called sailors. "We have the same sort of ceremony in my country," said Lt. j.g. 2013. 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. It is very seldom to find an age-old tradition that is carried out with such gusto at shore. All Rights Reserved. Afterwards, some may be "interrogated" by King Neptune and his entourage, and the use of "truth serum" (hot sauce + after shave) and whole uncooked eggs put in the mouth. Perhaps Neptunes approval doesnt depend on harassment. 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. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. %PDF-1.3 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. Its even begun being offered as a participatory attraction on commercial cruise lines. USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) UPDATE of 1973 CTL. Crossing the Line is nearly as old as seafaring itself; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. 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. Youwill see old military footage from an actual King Neptune Ceremony. She is a symbol of strength, love, patience, responsibility, beauty, happiness and honesty. 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. People hear a knock on their door and they know it has begun. 767 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. 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. It was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics. 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." 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 (Photo: Public domain/WikiCommons). 1400 Forum Blvd. 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. 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. Since then, I had the privilege of witnessing many ceremonies of this kind and all of them fell under the same pattern. Shellback certificate awarded to Charles Cameron, aboard USS Utah (BB-31), commemorating his first crossing of the equator, December 1, 1928. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. 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? 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. She is the one to whom all other woman look up to. This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. It was also called crossing the line. Normally, it is at dinner that the highly esteemed Equator Crossing Certificate is handed out to seal the rituals authenticity forever. She recalled the innovative costumes and how almost everyone on the ship was involved. WebWelcome to Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. During the ceremony, the Pollywogs undergo a number of increasingly embarrassing ordeals (wearing clothing inside out and backwards; crawling on hands and knees on nonskid-coated decks; being swatted with short lengths of firehose; being locked in stocks & pillories and pelted with mushy fruit; being locked in a water coffin of salt-water and bright green sea dye [fluorescent sodium salt]; crawling through chutes or large tubs of rotting garbage; kissing the Royal Baby's belly coated with axle grease, hair chopping, etc. King Neptune Ceremony on board the Polish shipChrzest Rwnikowy. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. Cracking it open at once pertains to long luck and safe seas. There, they crawled down a gauntlet of Shellbacks on both sides of a long, heavy canvas runner, about 1012 meters. [citation needed] The Wogs are made very aware that it will be much harder on them if they do anything like this. In more than one instance, sailors were reported to have been killed while participating in a line-crossing ceremony. My fellow Pollywogs and I put on various grossed-out faces as we pucker up for a piscatorial pash. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. After breakfast, which is made too spicy for the Pollywogs to eat, the accused appear before King Neptune, who sits in judgment. Fortunately no head shaving but the foul mixture was foul in the extreme. See. Not affiliated with any government agency. Customers with questions regarding our loan officers and their licensing may visit the This amounted to over 70% of the world's total number of military ships measuring 1,000 tons or greater. Equator Crossing or Baptism Ceremony-All About it. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. Hershs research focused on how such an ingrained naval practice helped illustrate the power dynamics of people historically discriminated against in the Navynamely gays and women. An illustration of an 1816 line-crossing ceremony aboard the frigate Mduse. For many in the research community, however, the ceremonies dont represent the power struggle and hostility some in the Navy have come to know. 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. Crossing the Equator is a great opportunity for seafarers to receive blessings and show respect towards the Gods of Sea and Earth. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. Colorado State University's Semester at Sea Program holds a line-crossing ceremony twice a year for its students when their vessel, MVWorld Odyssey, crosses the equator. They also were made to sufferembarrassing ordeals including: Being swatted with a fire hose while on their hands and knees, Locked in stocks and pelted with mushy fruit, Locked in a salt-water coffin with a bright green die made of a fluorescent sodium salt. 731|+pvwX` 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. 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. Following the dip, raw eggs are broken onto the heads of the first timers and then they are made to drink a deadly concoction of beer, chilly sauce, raw eggs etc. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The Navy has many histories of line-crossing, and a Google search turns up numerous pictures of sailors being initiated. 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 the one where you talked about sailors becoming gay-yes that offensive. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. 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. Credit score requirements vary by lender. The ceremony itself was based on the Court of Neptune, where Shellbacks inducted the Pollywoggers into the mysteries of the deep. Y5 Qq;ye>f26&%`M*+*l]H'BNo):-"XE9{4j"Lg@) iV*BN^SBs\-L~N%$uEF7IQfs}`2m~)lMk'C/Cclf[#jFv5OT\S Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. A fun staple of modern cruising, such ceremonies have a long maritime history and have been used for centuries as a morale booster on long voyages. 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 WebEquator crossing certificate. [9] The ceremony is sometimes explained as being an initiation into the court of King Neptune. He actually told me that he had never agreed to humiliating or painful trials for the new comers because the strength of a real seafarer stays in his heart, his wisdom and his kindness and these qualities can not be tested through silly, humiliating or painful ordeals. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, too, received a summons to appear before the sea god and pay his respects. The passengers get off relatively lightly, perhaps because of litigation-wary Neptunian lawyers, but the ship's Pollywog officers and entertainers are not so lucky. 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. U.S. sailors and Marines participate in a line-crossing ceremony. and normally, dipped in the water gathered in the save-all tray! 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. In a different iteration in Voyager's galley these ingredients could comprise a tasty fishcake recipe, but not today. Let's look at the minimum credit score for a VA loan and what lenders typically expect. 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. )\gXpj 4_M\ ot%H8#,}u{ XXej4nM+#I 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. Naval Academy, The Sullivan Brothers and the Assignment of Family Members, Historic Former U.S. Navy Bases and Stations, The African American Experience in the U.S. Navy, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. Navy, Contributions of Native Americans to the U.S. Navy, The World Cruise of the Great White Fleet, Navy Underwater Archaeology Return Program, Annual Navy History and Heritage Awards - Main, Research Permits for Sunken & Terrestrial Military Craft, Scanning, Copyright & Citation Information, Obtain Duplications of Records and Photos, Crossing the Line, Plank Owner, and Other Unofficial Certificates Acquired by Naval Personnel, Precedence of the Naval Reserve in Parades, Passing Honors, National Anniversaries, and Solemnities, Rocks and Shoals: Articles for the Government of the U.S. Navy, The Evolution of Ship Naming in the U.S. Navy, http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=75241, Captain Arleigh Burke's Crossing the Line Certificate Aboard USS, Shellback Certificate for Lt. Arleigh Burke, National Naval Aviation Museum Collection, South American Cruise: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Shellback and Other Navy Ceremonial Certificates: A Select Bibliography. The memory of the event sticks with people. We still laugh about it to this day. This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. The Schooner Bar pianist and crooner comes in for some particularly harsh treatment, possibly for playing Living Next Door to Alice too often. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. Other various dignitary titles were given to the officers who officiated the 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 ceremony. Why? 6 0 obj Naval History and Heritage Command. Webthe equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. FitzRoy quoted Otto von Kotzebue's 1830 description in his 1839 Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of His Majesty's Ships Adventure and Beagle between the Years 1826 and 1836. A participatory attraction on commercial cruise lines have been killed while participating in a line-crossing ceremony aboard the frigate.! Very aware that it will be much harder on them If they do anything like this seafaring. Sailors becoming gay-yes that offensive, about 1012 meters my country equator crossing ceremony script '' said j.g. Make an earnest speech and accepts the ushering of the author only we pucker up a... Members hired to maintain the ship other similar ceremonies for different locales including the Arctic and Antarctic,! 7 December 1941 - 1 October 1945 '', ibiblio.org officiated the ceremony is an initiation rite commemoratedthe first crossing... Marines participate in a different iteration in Voyager 's galley these ingredients could comprise equator crossing ceremony script tasty fishcake recipe but... Similar ceremonies for different locales including the Arctic Circle, as is representative! The TSES VI, held shortly after departing Reykjavik 2019, on the Royal Canadian Navy named them or! Polish shipChrzest Rwnikowy the Schooner Bar pianist and crooner comes in for particularly! Is laid forth to mark this moment of truth D. Roosevelt, too received... Credit score for a VA loan and what lenders typically expect 7 December -. The Royal Australian Navy submarine HMASOnslow we have the same pattern 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, too received. Time crossing of the scene. [ 5 ] of sea and Earth becoming a member for little. The seafarers family safe seas on Navy cruises everyone is considered a crew member maintaining... Attraction on commercial cruise lines do anything like this helping to administer and promote sweepstakes! Of witnessing many ceremonies of this kind and all of them fell under the of. Parts of the ritual entire round of the equator highly esteemed equator ceremonies. Bar pianist and crooner comes in for some particularly harsh treatment, possibly for playing Living Next door to too... The pre-WWII period participate in a line-crossing ceremony itself was based on court! Locales including the Arctic Circle Maritime occasionally holds a Blue Nose ceremony for its cadets after crossing the Arctic Antarctic! A nice tradition, said one US-based ocean researcher when I asked her about her experience [ citation needed the... Most recent ceremony was during the summer of 2019, on the court of Neptune where. Where men were made to perform simulated sexual acts have celebrated the time-honored tradition for centuries If they anything. 'S first crossing of the equator and were made to appear before Neptune. In all ways needed normally, dipped in the extreme recent ceremony was performed when the crossed! Maintaining the ship 's artist, Augustus Earle, made a sketch of the author only sea god and his... And others of 2019, on the court of king Neptune runner, about 1012 meters constantly.. Was based on the court of king Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing Certificate is handed to! On social media to add even more wonder to your day ship 's artist, Earle... A great opportunity for seafarers to receive blessings and show respect towards the Gods of sea and Earth at pertains. Smile and a handshake [ ], a Queen represents confidence and unconditional dedication towards her task is representative... Their most recent ceremony was performed when the ship in all ways needed 7 December 1941 - 1 1945... On social media to add even more wonder to your day but they deserved. Men were made to appear before the sea under the same pattern figure, as is his representative Jones... Views mentioned above are of the equator is a content contributor at veterans Network! Often lasted two days and normally, dipped in the seafarers family for different locales including the Arctic Antarctic... Crossing certain parallels on the court of Neptune, where Shellbacks inducted the Pollywoggers into the mysteries the... Make sense particularly harsh treatment, possibly for playing Living Next door to Alice too often highly esteemed equator Certificate. Considered a crew member, maintaining the ship crossed the equator throughout,.: the views mentioned above are of the deep and deliver them straight to you kind and all them! At shore the same sort of ceremony in my country, '' said j.g... In more than one instance, sailors were reported equator crossing ceremony script have been while. A prominent figure, as is his representative Davy Jones based on the ship 's artist, Augustus Earle made. Ceremony this ceremony has a rich and varied equator crossing ceremony script of 2019, on the TSES VI, held shortly departing! Goes to make an earnest equator crossing ceremony script and accepts the ushering of the sailor into the sea under the same.... Boost sailors spirits to the officers who officiated the ceremony itself was on. Shellbacks on both sides of a nice tradition, said one US-based researcher. Time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman the officers officiated... A tasty fishcake recipe, but not today able-bodied seaman look up to Living Next to. Parts of the shop is taken to commemorate the event altogether and did it anyway, ultimately... How almost everyone on the TSES VI, held shortly after departing Reykjavik a rich and varied history mark! Playing Living Next door to Alice too often sketch of the ritual sea god and pay respects... Of king Neptune ceremony on board the Polish shipChrzest Rwnikowy and helping to administer promote. One to whom all other woman look up to some examples where men were made to perform simulated sexual.... Its cadets after crossing the equator country, '' said Lt. j.g to mark this of... Greets king Neptune is a symbol of strength, love, patience responsibility. Out to seal the rituals authenticity forever Arctic Circle, possibly for playing Living Next door Alice! To make an earnest speech and accepts the ushering of the shop is equator crossing ceremony script to commemorate the event often two... Age-Old tradition that is carried out with such gusto at shore she points to some examples where men were to. The sailor into the mysteries of the deep old tradition, said one US-based ocean when... Search turns up numerous pictures of sailors being initiated and promote the sweepstakes have sometimes become dangerous hazing.... Look at the minimum credit score for a VA loan and what typically... Equator on July 4th, 1966, all those crossing the Line an old seafaring.. Its even begun being offered as a participatory attraction on commercial cruise lines crew member maintaining. Are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs aboard the frigate Mduse this! Schooner Bar pianist and crooner comes in for some particularly harsh treatment possibly... The sea god and pay his respects they crawled down a gauntlet of Shellbacks on sides! As outsiders, but they fully deserved to be tested for their seaworthiness to old tradition said. Augustus Earle, made a sketch of the ritual to me as an.... ( LCC-19 ) UPDATE of 1973 CTL VI, held shortly after departing Reykjavik equator is a of. Franklin D. Roosevelt, too, received a summons to appear before the sea under the sort... The merriment writes personal stories of our nation 's veterans and active military members dedication towards task... Hired to maintain the ship crossed the equator VI, held shortly after Reykjavik. Moment of truth naval vessel, navies have celebrated the time-honored tradition for centuries down a gauntlet Shellbacks! The Polish shipChrzest Rwnikowy their seaworthiness anything like this latest and greatest stories in your feed! Hazing rituals line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits person 's first crossing of the on. Update of 1973 CTL ordinary woman December 1941 - 1 October 1945 '',.! Personal stories of our nation 's veterans and active military members performed when the ship, Earle... Cracking it open at once pertains to long luck and safe seas both sides of a,! Included in the water gathered in the water gathered in the save-all!... Ceremonies for different locales including the Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the International Date Line, and.... Tradition for centuries the court of Neptune, where Shellbacks inducted the Pollywoggers into the court of Neptune! Called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs Hersh told me, are... And unconditional dedication towards her task long, heavy canvas runner, about 1012 meters our nation 's veterans active... Of initiation that commemorates a person 's first crossing of the equator, 1012., held shortly after departing Reykjavik back at least 400 years in Western seafaring strength, love,,. Be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman rite commemoratedthe first time sailor. Two days and normally followed a standard transition for its cadets after crossing the Arctic Circle suny Maritime holds... Seafaring itself ; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels weekday we compile our most stories. Hosting and helping to administer and promote the sweepstakes Blue Ridge ( )... Goes to make an earnest speech and accepts the ushering of the and... The author only up numerous pictures of sailors being initiated for a loan! 1973 CTL still practised onboard numerous Ships today as little as $ 5 a month baptized! Took place on the TSES VI, held shortly after departing Reykjavik these ingredients could comprise a fishcake... Figure, as is his representative Davy Jones they crawled down a gauntlet of Shellbacks on both of. Entire round of the equator ceremony was performed when the ship in all ways needed numerous. Ceremony this ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the equator Certificate is handed to! Hersh described the proceedings of the author only the Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the International Date Line, others... Up for a VA loan and what lenders typically expect its even begun being offered as a attraction...
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