It was also called crossing the line. DhD!D4n4I8P5>U`_FC.i`p8~xz_ep;MtBgCrf"FB:&t#W>V98}&I75(*^bqYe[A_xJ4k) Bx^c;.vT{c,kv8J>U_ And yes, mostly I am welcomed on board. 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. 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. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. This is the beginning of a line-crossing ceremony, a centuries-old ritual to inaugurate Equator-crossing virgins. (Photo: Public domain/WikiCommons). 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. So, you are [], Ahoy Ahoy, Port Chaplain coming on board. 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. Anything else the Shellbacks could think of. 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. Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. stream VA disability pay for 2023 increased by 8.7%. and It was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. Thanks for reading and watching my BLINK. Heinous as the accusations are, no one seems too concerned until the royal handmaidens bring out the fish. So we though lets compile one of those facts about titanic ship that probably you are unaware of. Required fields are marked *. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, too, received a summons to appear before the sea god and pay his respects. She is a symbol of strength, love, patience, responsibility, beauty, happiness and honesty. (Photo: Shellback certificate awarded to Charles Cameron, aboard USS Utah (BB-31), commemorating his first crossing of the equator, December 1, 1928. 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. 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. As this scientist put it, everyone on the ship was fine with someone not participating; No one egged her in her sleep., Neptune and his entourage during a Polish line-crossing ceremony. 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. The ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. (Photo: A Neptune party to celebrate crossing the equator, 1923. While now its as much a spectacle as it is a test, the line-crossing ceremony reportedly has its roots in practicality. The memory of the event sticks with people. 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. 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. 11 0 obj The seamen who have already crossed the equator are referred to as Shellbacks (or, Sons Of Neptune) and those who havent are called Pollywogs. I am one of the disappointed. Juan Pablo Rosato of the Argentine navy. 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. '03aE,#M5fr0|\fs9_'_-Qrzm"\~+?NUzUwx_|],Lf,[~]lly_e)ETJJ Gz#. The line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. When a ship crosses the equator, King Neptune comes aboard to exercise authority over his domain and to judge charges brought against Pollywogs that they are only posing as sailors and haven't paid proper homage to the god of the sea. Throughout history, line-crossing ceremonies have sometimes become dangerous hazing rituals. Dancing, song, skits or poetry count among the merriment. Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. Using a speaking trumpet he questioned Neptune, who would visit them the next morning. 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. 7 0 obj Wha NH 106226. Hersh mentioned how the ceremony morphed as more people entered the Navy. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. In this case, the whole ceremony can turn into a complete nightmare for the young seamen who would rather forget about the event than recording it in hundreds of photos and movies. endobj An illustration of an 1816 line-crossing ceremony aboard the frigate Mduse. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. endobj Pollywogs or Slimy Pollywogs were those who have not yet crossed the line. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This having completed, an entire round of the shop is taken to commemorate the event altogether. [2][7], A similar ceremony took place during the second survey voyage of HMS Beagle. This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. terms and conditions This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. MO 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. Officers rebelled and did it anyway, which ultimately led to court martials. 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. The Schooner Bar pianist and crooner comes in for some particularly harsh treatment, possibly for playing Living Next Door to Alice too often. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. I emailed him asking if hed be willing to talk about his experience, but he didnt seem too interested in going into great detail. But line-crossing has expanded to other corners of seafaring culture, including the unlikely place of scientific research cruises. 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. Beatings were often still common, usually with wet firehoses, and several World War II Navy deck logs speak of sailors visiting sick bay after 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. Those credulous enough to run forward to see Neptune "were received with the watery honours which it is customary to bestow". [citation needed]. Some rites have discussed a role reversal as follows, but this is not always a normal feature, and may be dependent on whether a small number of Shellbacks exist to conduct the initiation. King Neptune's First Mate was called Davy Jones and the Second Mate was called Her Highness Amphitrite. The Line Crossing Ceremony might just be the most interesting of today's naval traditions. ;x.T`f\%e:pJ+*n h= [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]. 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. Get the latest news and updates emailed straight to your inbox. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. 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. 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. hVYoH+=#E Mclu"m*~Ks4/ mF[S,N8Z tpX#?H8Aao5Fh7FAc1!)o5Sq. In 1995, a notorious line-crossing ceremony took place on the Royal Australian Navy submarine HMASOnslow. [6], Captain Robert FitzRoy of HMSBeagle suggested the practice had developed from earlier ceremonies in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian vessels passing notable headlands. My fellow Pollywogs and I put on various grossed-out faces as we pucker up for a piscatorial pash. The Pollywogs (also referred to as landlubbers) must be dipped in water for the initiation and passing into the realm of the seas. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. Flour and eggs are added to their humiliation; nor do they escape the fish, which by now seems like a bit of a flirt. #ashmore #sailingships #tallships #youngadult #historicalfiction #truestory #captain #shipsurgeon #interactiveadventure #kiwiauthor #immigration #youngadultfiction #kingneptune #ceremony #crossingthequator #shellbacks #pollywoggers #sonsofneptune. As they approached the equator on the evening of 16 February 1832, a pseudo-Neptune hailed the ship. 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. 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. Crossing The Equator - King Neptune Ceremony, This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. Naval History and Heritage Command. It was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. 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!). They are being summoned into Neptunes Court for crimes theyve committed against the god. He concluded, As far as I know they are still being performed but they are not as fun as they used to be since all the politically correct people have ruined it.. 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. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. Even commercial cruise lines have been known to host some parts of the ritual. WebThis is a continuation of EQUATOR CROSSING CEREMONY PART 1. <> All Rights Reserved. 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? Church, Andrew. If they had not, they must choose to give up their allowance of wine for four days, or undergo a ducking ceremony in which they were ducked three times into the ocean. [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. Initiation rite for first crossing of the equator, Honors for line crossings and other navigational events. Let's look at the minimum credit score for a VA loan and what lenders typically expect. 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. Webthe equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and Wogs (all of the uninitiated) are allowed to capture and interrogate any Shellbacks they can find (e.g., tying them up, cracking eggs or pouring aftershave lotion on their heads). Perhaps the pride and secrecy stems from a desire to maintain the ritual unchanged. I contacted many people while researching this vessel, who would quickly and proudly mention the various lines they crossed but then shut down further questioning. This is how I mostly startmy ship visit. 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. According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. But though these changes are intended to make the ritual less exclusionary and abusive, some long for a line-crossings of yore. Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. (Photo:The Field Museum Library/flickr). What perhaps differentiates the research experience from the Navy one is the chance to bond with more people on the ship. endobj Shilavadra Bhattacharjee is a shipbroker with a background in commercial operations after having sailed onboard as a Third Officer. ), largely for the entertainment of the Shellbacks. Retrieved June 7, 2017. WebThe modern ceremony follows an approved prescriptive format that ensures the event remains enjoyable and memorable for all concerned. One former Navy man posted videos of the ritual to YouTube. 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. Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. 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)! Veterans United Home Loans provided more VA Home Loans by volume than any other lender as of Oct. 2022. Lets know your experience in the comments below or mail us at info@marineinsight.com. The Star Spangled Shellbacks was used for those crossing the equator on July 4th, 1966. I wouldnt call it hazing per se, the researcher said. This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. The shellbacks had prepared 3-foot lengths of canvas/rubber firehose, which they swung hard at the posterior of each Wog. Nevertheless, the ceremony is a hoot, despite the dodgy production values and a few hilarious script issues. She is the one to whom all other woman look up to. 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. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. 767 [13] Physical hardship, in keeping with the spirit of the initiation, is tolerated, and each Pollywog is expected to endure a standard initiation rite in order to become a Shellback. 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. 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. stream 227 0 obj <>stream When a ship must cross the Equator reasonably close to one of these meridians, the ship's captain might plot a course across the Golden X so that the ship's crew can be initiated as Golden or Emerald/Royal Diamond Shellbacks. Top VA Purchase Lender each Fiscal Year between 2016-2022. 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. Ship passengers who have never traversed the nautical line are forced to prove they are worthy to make the transition. Other milestones such as crossing the Antarctic Circle and deep sea diving have also been adopted in this tradition. 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