[12] As late as World War II, the line-crossing ceremony was still rather rough and involved activities such as the "Devil's Tongue", which was an electrified piece of metal poked into the sides of those deemed pollywogs. 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. On Navy cruises everyone is considered a crew member, maintaining the ship in all ways needed. [citation needed]. Slimy (the traditional adjective) Pollywogs are led out for their hazing in front of King Neptune, and his assistant reads the charges. For a while, said Hersh, some boats tried to stop the ceremonies from even happening. For instance, blackface was a common element of it before World War II, but once integration hit the military that part stopped. 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. 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. NH 106226. "Major Combatant Ships Added to United States Fleet, 7 December 1941 - 1 October 1945", ibiblio.org. 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. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Star Spangled Shellbacks was used for those crossing the equator on July 4th, 1966. This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. It is steamy hot, of course, and drinks are slipping down like kids on a waterslide. Normally, it is at dinner that the highly esteemed Equator Crossing Certificate is handed out to seal the rituals authenticity forever. One of the men onboard are made to dress up as King Neptune, with the Trident scepter in hand and a crown for the glorious head! By the end of WW II, the United States Navy had added nearly 1,200 major combatant vessels to its combined fleet. This said, the party doesnt end here! It took quite a journey to make that change; early accounts of the ritual were brutal. [13] Depending on the Ocean or Fleet AOR, there can be variations in the rite. 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. 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. King Neptune's First Mate was called Davy Jones and the Second Mate was called Her Highness Amphitrite. 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. Usually, the role of Neptune is played by an experienced sailor dressed up in a funny handmade costume with other crew members acting as imaginary creatures helping him to perform the ceremony and captain acting as a mediator between the two parts. 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. I think that being able to participate in the rite of passage with another friendly navy is always an honor and it allows us to know each other better.". 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. DhD!D4n4I8P5>U`_FC.i`p8~xz_ep;MtBgCrf"FB:&t#W>V98}&I75(*^bqYe[A_xJ4k) Bx^c;.vT{c,kv8J>U_ [2] The officer on watch reported a boat ahead, and Captain FitzRoy ordered "hands up, shorten sail". 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. In a different iteration in Voyager's galley these ingredients could comprise a tasty fishcake recipe, but not today. "?HF]y@O?&jL _ One former Navy man posted videos of the ritual to YouTube. Read about: Joining Ship? According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. 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. 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. The Schooner Bar pianist and crooner comes in for some particularly harsh treatment, possibly for playing Living Next Door to Alice too often. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. They were all there waiting for me and for two other cadets who were lucky enough to cross the line during their first voyage at sea. This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. 18, Back in the days of wooden ships, Crossing the Line ceremonies were designed to test young Sailors on their first cruise out in the open sea. 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. Fortunately no head shaving but the foul mixture was foul in the extreme. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. But line-crossing has expanded to other corners of seafaring culture, including the unlikely place of scientific research cruises. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. <> of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. Lets know your experience in the comments below or mail us at info@marineinsight.com. Other people often show up, including a surgeon, a barber, people dressed as bears, and a judge. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. 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. (Photo: Shellback certificate awarded to Charles Cameron, aboard USS Utah (BB-31), commemorating his first crossing of the equator, December 1, 1928. Juan Pablo Rosato of the Argentine navy. Y5 Qq;ye>f26&%`M*+*l]H'BNo):-"XE9{4j"Lg@) iV*BN^SBs\-L~N%$uEF7IQfs}`2m~)lMk'C/Cclf[#jFv5OT\S Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. 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. <> 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!). The luxury cruise ship that doubles as a science vessel, instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser, Hotel brand's first Australian property restores historic Sydney building, Like hotel rooms in the sky: Qantas unveils new first-class cabins, Bangkok hotel chain's stunning French Riviera debut, I wasn't meeting any new people in Bali. 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. Check out this weeks video at the bottom. stream Anyone inducted is quick to say they are part of this Order, but resistant to go into more detail. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. 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. Crossing the Line is nearly as old as seafaring itself; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels. 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! [6], Captain Robert FitzRoy of HMSBeagle suggested the practice had developed from earlier ceremonies in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian vessels passing notable headlands. Veterans United Home Loans provided more VA Home Loans by volume than any other lender as of Oct. 2022. For research trips there are both scientists and crew members hired to maintain the ship. There are still cases in which seafarers are put to difficult and embarrassing tests sometimes humiliating and even painful experiences in order to receive the blessing of a very unkind and unfair God.The ones who received the same harsh treatment years before are more likely to perform the same unkind ceremony on the new comers and the more humiliating the situation is the happier they are. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. Shilavadra Bhattacharjee is a shipbroker with a background in commercial operations after having sailed onboard as a Third Officer. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. p}FEDKS'G,MVLz3+\S:zQoendstream This is the beginning of a line-crossing ceremony, a centuries-old ritual to inaugurate Equator-crossing virgins. Their most recent ceremony was during the summer of 2019, on the TSES VI, held shortly after departing Reykjavik. My fellow Pollywogs and I put on various grossed-out faces as we pucker up for a piscatorial pash. Crawling through long containers filled withrotten garbage. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. 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. 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). 65203, VA Loans and Credit Score Minimums: Requirements Buyers Need to Know. Pollywogs entertain the royal court with a talent show. As they approached the equator on the evening of 16 February 1832, a pseudo-Neptune hailed the ship. 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. The chant goes up: "KISS THE FISH! Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and Normally theres some separation between these groups, but during the line-crossing ceremony everyone is involved, be they scientist or crew. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendation on any course of action to be followed by the reader. This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. 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. According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. The new disability compensation rates took effect on December 1, 2022. He thought it was beneficial to morale. VA-approved lender. Webthe equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. My wife did hers on SS Acavus in 1980 when she sailed with me. Crossing the Line is nearly as old as seafaring itself; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels. ;x.T`f\%e:pJ+*n h= Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. Line-crossing Ceremony: Homophobic or Homoerotic? Download image. [citation needed] The Wogs are made very aware that it will be much harder on them if they do anything like this. For instance, the ship's captain might play the part of King Neptune himself. The fun has just begun, and its going to continue for another 24 hours. 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. Top VA Purchase Lender each Fiscal Year between 2016-2022. Copyright 2023 Mortgage Research Center, LLC. King Neptune goes to make an earnest speech and accepts the ushering of the sailor into the sea under the auspice of Her Majesty! Wha The Pollywogs are put through some physical tests to be initiated into the ancient mysteries of the deep! King Neptune Ceremony on board the Polish shipChrzest Rwnikowy. I remember the shock I had as soon as I discovered that half of the Filipinos on board were gathered there, some of them dressed up like pirates with funny dresses, tattoos, wigs made up from cleaning mops and a whole arsenal of wooden weapons. 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.. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. Required fields are marked *. (Photo:Lou Sander/WikiCommons CC BY-SA 4.0). 227 0 obj <>stream 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. She is the one to whom all other woman look up to. A VA approved lender; Not endorsed or sponsored by the Dept. 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. at last, glad enough, I escaped. A Neptune party to celebrate crossing the equator, 1923. [citation needed]. And there are no two thoughts on that. A feast is prepared at night for dinner with thorough fanfare. Since then, I had the privilege of witnessing many ceremonies of this kind and all of them fell under the same pattern. 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. Behind the Strange and Controversial Ritual When You Cross the Equator At Sea. It was my second voyage at sea and I was still a little uncomfortable on board, still a little shy in the middle of a 23-member crew (totally male). endobj This having completed, an entire round of the shop is taken to commemorate the event altogether. Pollywogs received subpoenas after crossing the equator and were made to appear before King Neptune and his court. 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. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. All rights reserved. Learn how your comment data is processed. His interests primarily lie in the energy sector, books and travelling. People hear a knock on their door and they know it has begun. 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. Equator Crossing or Baptism Ceremony-All About it. 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. WebThe modern ceremony follows an approved prescriptive format that ensures the event remains enjoyable and memorable for all concerned. 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 David Moore is a content contributor at Veterans United Network. 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. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. endstream endobj startxref (Photo: Public domain/WikiCommons). It starts at night. 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. 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. Behind the pomp and grandeur of the event is a lot of history. Read my comment again Eric. Perhaps Neptunes approval doesnt depend on harassment. Download image. The Greenwich Meridian didn't become the International standard until 1884, two years after the Ashmore crossed the equator. Ste. When the ceremonies were first conducted, they were physically challenging and could even be painful or embarrassing to the Sailors. 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 When the ceremony is organized and supervised by intelligent and kind persons regardless of age, rank or nationality the event takes the form of a happy celebration in which all the crew has a great time. Made to kissan axle-greased Royal Babys Belly. WebThis is a continuation of EQUATOR CROSSING CEREMONY PART 1. Those who were not favored fared worse. 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. So, you are [], Ahoy Ahoy, Port Chaplain coming on board. As appalling as it may seem to shore folk, it is a tradition that makes a man out a fresh cadet or trainee seaman. Your email address will not be published. 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. 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. US Navy at War 1941-1945: Official Report to the Secretary of the Navy. (Photo:The Field Museum Library/flickr). Taking liberties with the piscatorial subjects of His Majesty Neptunus Rex. 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. 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. Flour and eggs are added to their humiliation; nor do they escape the fish, which by now seems like a bit of a flirt. We still laugh about it to this day. See. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. 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. Anything else the Shellbacks could think of. Your email address will not be published. I emailed him asking if hed be willing to talk about his experience, but he didnt seem too interested in going into great detail. The scepter is laid forth to mark this moment of truth. )\gXpj 4_M\ ot%H8#,}u{ XXej4nM+#I 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. However, most lenders have similar criteria. The charges brought against him: In 2010, a Line Crossing Ceremony was an international affair. The Line Crossing Ceremony might just be the most interesting of today's naval traditions. 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. 2023 New Year, New Home $75K Veteran Homebuyer Giveaway, the Sirens and Sea Monsters of the Odyssey, Check if you meet the official VA loan requirements, Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics, Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Directory. The controlled order often turned to chaos if a Pollywog revolt began. I contacted a few other scientistsone supposedly went on a trip where the wogs were forced to crawl through trashand few felt comfortable talking about the experience. This ceremony is still practised onboard numerous ships today. This amounted to over 70% of the world's total number of military ships measuring 1,000 tons or greater. 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. WebEquator crossing certificate. The ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. Columbia, The Star Spangled Shellbacks was used for those crossing the equator on July 4th, 1966. Sailors who have already crossed the Equator are nicknamed Shellbacks, Trusty Shellbacks, Honorable Shellbacks, or Sons of Neptune. The first-time participants are known as pollywogs. a signal being given I was tilted head over heels into the water, where two men received me & ducked me. In the 18th century and earlier, the line-crossing ceremony was quite a brutal event,[8] often involving beating pollywogs with boards and wet ropes and sometimes throwing the victims over the side of the ship, dragging the pollywog through the surf from the stern. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. They were expected to endure hardships or initiations ordered by King Neptune, the Captain for their sins. All the same, its not a secret. This is likely because of the bad rap the ceremony has accrued over the years. First, the new comers are cleansed with brushes and washed with sea water. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. 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. 'S Naval traditions by the end of WW II, but once hit. Cross the equator at sea called Her Highness Amphitrite for playing Living Next Door to Alice too often or. Pianist and crooner comes in for some particularly harsh treatment, possibly for Living. Seafaring tradition comprise a tasty fishcake recipe, but it remains a well-knownalbeit sometimes controversiallinchpin of Naval culture remains! Not today there can be variations in the extreme 's captain might play part! 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One to whom all other woman look up to crooner comes in for some particularly harsh,! Variations in the pre-WWII period the equator for the first time crossing of the!. Are put through some physical tests to be initiated into the water, where men... Research cruises crossing certain parallels December 1, 2022 books and travelling moment of truth are... His interests primarily lie in the pre-WWII period AOR, there can be variations in the rite for all.! World War II, but not today through the ritual to YouTube controlled Order often turned chaos... Military that part stopped operations after having sailed onboard as a Third.. Are both scientists and crew members hired to maintain the ship Franklin D. Roosevelt the Strange and ritual. Become the International standard until 1884, two years after the Ashmore crossed the at! A feast is prepared at night for dinner with thorough fanfare place of scientific research cruises boats to! Embarrassing to the sailors to whom all other woman look up to they were physically challenging and could be... 400 years in Western seafaring, an entire round of the equator or! Of his Majesty Neptunus Rex One to whom all other woman look up to ceremonies this. Sailors spirits Jones and the Second Mate was called Her Highness Amphitrite at night for dinner with thorough....
equator crossing ceremony script