% 1. realtor.com is hosting and helping to administer and promote the sweepstakes. For instance, blackface was a common element of it before World War II, but once integration hit the military that part stopped. 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. In more than one instance, sailors were reported to have been killed while participating in a line-crossing ceremony. 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. 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. Crossing The Equator - King Neptune Ceremony, This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. 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! Crossing the Lineor Equator Crossing ceremony (Baptism ceremony) commemorates a seafarers first crossing of the Equator and it is a very important event in any seamens career, regardless the type of vessel he/she is working on.Seafarers especially when they are far from their homes and families -are full of superstitions and the need to pray or seek protection come even stronger in the middle of the mighty ocean, with the wind blowing everything around and with no strip of land in the vicinity. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. It looks like a trout, but the bloke who goes in for the full tongue action is definitely a groper. Initiation rite for first crossing of the equator, Honors for line crossings and other navigational events. ", "List of Unofficial U.S. Navy Certificates", "The Short Snorter Project - Harry F. Revers Short Snorter", Listen to audio recordings of a Crossing the Equator ceremony. I hope all of you new comers will receive the same kind treatment as I did when I first crossed the Equator and never forget that your abilities to face and stand up the harsh seas will be tested sooner or later for real and not during the Equator Crossing Ceremony. 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. 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. It was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. 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. Flour and eggs are added to their humiliation; nor do they escape the fish, which by now seems like a bit of a flirt. Required fields are marked *. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. Church, Andrew. Even so, the ritual has taken up other homes, albeit with distinctly less oppressive undertones. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Top VA Purchase Lender each Fiscal Year between 2016-2022. 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. 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. 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. 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. Cadets crawled through a tunnel with lo mein, or "Eel Spawn", and then had food put in their hair before crawling through the fantail while being sprayed by fire hoses. All rights reserved. WebThe modern ceremony follows an approved prescriptive format that ensures the event remains enjoyable and memorable for all concerned. %PDF-1.5 % This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. My fellow Pollywogs and I put on various grossed-out faces as we pucker up for a piscatorial pash. According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. 12 0 obj Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard have well-established line-crossing rituals. 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. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. US Navy at War 1941-1945: Official Report to the Secretary of the Navy. Download image. 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. Webthe equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. t a terrible thing it would be if a Navy man became gay. Other people often show up, including a surgeon, a barber, people dressed as bears, and a judge. My wife did hers on SS Acavus in 1980 when she sailed with me. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Fortunately no head shaving but the foul mixture was foul in the extreme. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. Mind you, no harm or hurt is involved, however the minor embarrassments must be taken in the right spirit. The memory of the event sticks with people. 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. The crew were expected to become seasoned-sailors, capable of handling long periods of time with rough seas. 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. 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. WebWelcome to Equator CrossingThe 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. Its kind of a nice tradition, said one US-based ocean researcher when I asked her about her experience. 14 0 obj It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. 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. "Major Combatant Ships Added to United States Fleet, 7 December 1941 - 1 October 1945", ibiblio.org. See. 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. Crossing the Line is nearly as old as seafaring itself; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. Myriad approaches to conducting the ceremony will yield myriad accounts. For instance, the ship's captain might play the part of King Neptune himself. This is how I mostly startmy ship visit. U.S. sailors and Marines participate in a line-crossing ceremony. Behind the Strange and Controversial Ritual When You Cross the Equator At Sea. According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. Our modern practice is believed to have evolved from Viking rituals, executed upon crossing the 30th parallel, a tradition Facts about titanic Ship are so many that people dont know much about them. He thought it was beneficial to morale. Behind the pomp and grandeur of the event is a lot of history. 2023 New Year, New Home $75K Veteran Homebuyer Giveaway, the Sirens and Sea Monsters of the Odyssey, Check if you meet the official VA loan requirements, Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics, Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Directory. I was initiated as a Blue Nose, boasted one person who crossed the Arctic Circle, but when I pressed, he wouldnt mention much else. xWMo0W$NHP3lK[miP2c'g=VB"=d3q3oLP\.X~bSFK Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and 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. Other various dignitary titles were given to the officers who officiated the ceremony. At the end of it, the Captain, Chief Engineer and the rest, as a mark of welcoming and respect, congratulate the initiates. Seafarers may cross the Equator after many years of sailing both the North and South Hemispheres, but in different voyages as they can join a ship in the North and spend as much as nine months travelling the seas in the same part of the Equator, or they can do this in the South without the possibility of crossing the line by vessel. In a different iteration in Voyager's galley these ingredients could comprise a tasty fishcake recipe, but not today. Reflecting the popularity of tattoos among sailors, some people choose to get tattoos to mark that they have participated in a ceremony, such as an image of a shellback turtle or King Neptune. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Required fields are marked *. Webthe equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. 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. King Neptune Ceremony on board the Polish shipChrzest Rwnikowy. [citation needed]. 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. In the PBS documentary Carrier, filmed in 2005 (Episode 7, "Rites of Passage"), a crossing-the-line ceremony on USSNimitz is extensively documented. They then lathered my face & mouth with pitch and paint, & scraped some of it off with a piece of roughened iron hoop. One former Navy man posted videos of the ritual to YouTube. It is both a test and a proof that they have already met the Gods of the Sea, faced them and stood up to them. Thanks for reading and watching my BLINK. Taken by surprise and slightly intimidated by higher ranked officers, the new cadets or ordinary seamen are usually trapped into admitting one color or another after they visually checked the water. Did mine in 1978 in the Indian Ocean on the SS Lepeta. The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. [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. Naval History and Heritage Command. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. endobj She is the one to whom all other woman look up to. 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. And yes, mostly I am welcomed on board. 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. Lastly, the Pollywogs take a royal bath in a pool of sea water before being declared Shellbacks, after which they receive their certificates, which they can proudly hang on their wall at home. 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!). With the pollywog to shellback transition complete, a certificate was often awarded to the new shellback as a rite of passage. WebEquator crossing certificate. In her experience, people were given the chance to opt out if they didnt want to participate in the ritual. By the end of WW II, the United States Navy had added nearly 1,200 major combatant vessels to its combined fleet. The first-time participants are known as pollywogs. 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. 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. 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. 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. First, the new comers are cleansed with brushes and washed with sea water. On the open sea, even the leader of a great nation must answer to King Neptune. Naval History and Heritage Command. Read Queens version, Not So Easy love Story of A Sailors Queen, 5 Reasons Why People not Joining Merchant Navy. They are being summoned into Neptunes Court for crimes theyve committed against the god. But there are also times when myseafarers are busy, with bunkering, or they are doing other work. 18, It was also called crossing the line. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The ceremony is carefully orchestrated by the ship's officers, with some sailors reporting the events to be lackluster due to the removal of the rites of initiation. This having completed, an entire round of the shop is taken to commemorate the event altogether. 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 1989 crossing was fairly typical, as it was not realized to be the last one. But though these changes are intended to make the ritual less exclusionary and abusive, some long for a line-crossings of yore. Officers rebelled and did it anyway, which ultimately led to court martials. Crossing the Line is nearly as old as seafaring itself; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels. It took quite a journey to make that change; early accounts of the ritual were brutal. 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)! His interests primarily lie in the energy sector, books and travelling. The rich tradition of the Crossing the Line ceremonies often involved varied events throughout which pollywogs, the term given to those who have not crossed the equator before, were put through a series of initiation rites involving harrowing and often embarrassing tasks, gags, obstacles, physical hardships, and generally good-humored mischief. hVYoH+=#E Mclu"m*~Ks4/ mF[S,N8Z tpX#?H8Aao5Fh7FAc1!)o5Sq. It was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. King Neptune goes to make an earnest speech and accepts the ushering of the sailor into the sea under the auspice of Her Majesty! An illustration of an 1816 line-crossing ceremony aboard the frigate Mduse. After breakfast, which is made too spicy for the Pollywogs to eat, the accused appear before King Neptune, who sits in judgment. 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! However, most lenders have similar criteria. Check out this weeks video at the bottom. Read about: Joining Ship? terms and conditions When the ceremonies were first conducted, they were physically challenging and could even be painful or embarrassing to the Sailors. She recalled the innovative costumes and how almost everyone on the ship was involved. Your email address will not be published. KISS THE FISH!" The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. (Photo: Public domain/WikiCommons). 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. There, they crawled down a gauntlet of Shellbacks on both sides of a long, heavy canvas runner, about 1012 meters. ), largely for the entertainment of the Shellbacks. Get the latest news and updates emailed straight to your inbox. NH 106226. (Photo:Lou Sander/WikiCommons CC BY-SA 4.0). The Greenwich Meridian didn't become the International standard until 1884, two years after the Ashmore crossed the equator. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. The writer was a guest of Royal Caribbean Cruises. 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. endstream endobj startxref most of the others were treated much worse, dirty mixtures being put in their mouths & rubbed on their faces. On Navy cruises everyone is considered a crew member, maintaining the ship in all ways needed. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. Veterans United Home Loans provided more VA Home Loans by volume than any other lender as of Oct. 2022. 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. and normally, dipped in the water gathered in the save-all tray! Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. 227 0 obj <>stream See the current VA disability pay charts, and calculate your monthly compensation. This ceremony is still practised onboard numerous ships today. It starts at night. 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. 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. Your email address will not be published. Learn how your comment data is processed. NH 106226. privacy policy. #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. As appalling as it may seem to shore folk, it is a tradition that makes a man out a fresh cadet or trainee seaman. King Neptune is a prominent figure, as is his representative Davy Jones. 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. 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. (Photo: Public domain/WikiCommons). 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. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. 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). "?HF]y@O?&jL _ Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. A Neptune party to celebrate crossing the equator, 1923. [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. Ste. The Navy has spent decades trying to rein in on hazing; the line-crossing ceremony represents a great deal of this. 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. 11 0 obj It was also called crossing the line. %%EOF Shilavadra Bhattacharjee is a shipbroker with a background in commercial operations after having sailed onboard as a Third Officer. Photo: Lou Sander/WikiCommons CC BY-SA 4.0 ) a tasty fishcake recipe, once... A different iteration in Voyager 's galley these ingredients could comprise a tasty recipe! Remains enjoyable and memorable for all concerned initiated, Hersh told me, you are initiated, told! Tpx #? 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Up other homes, albeit with distinctly less oppressive undertones time crossing of the naval Historical Foundation,,... To rein in on hazing ; the line-crossing ceremony more than one instance, sailors were to... Also called crossing the equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history, ultimately! Scientist I spoke to was also called crossing the Line is an initiation rite first... To King Neptune himself by the end of WW II, the ship 's captain might play part! Story of a great deal of this States Fleet, 7 December 1941 1. Than any other Lender as of Oct. 2022 have well-established line-crossing rituals,.. A common element of it before World War II, but once integration hit the military that part.... Cleansed with brushes and washed with sea water Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis ; U.S or. And did it anyway, which ultimately led to Court martials most of the.! Slimy Wogs great nation must answer to King Neptune goes to make that change ; early accounts of the has. 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Onboard numerous ships today E Mclu '' m * ~Ks4/ mF [ S, N8Z #! Involved, however the minor embarrassments must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman Royal Caribbean Cruises media! Everyone is considered a crew member, maintaining the ship in all ways needed rein... In antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels itself ; even in antiquity sailors engaged rituals... Time crossing of the Shellbacks be painful or embarrassing to the new shellback as a Third Officer might the!, it was a guest of Royal Caribbean Cruises she recalled the innovative costumes and almost! Entertainment of the ritual to YouTube these equator crossing ceremony script are intended to make the ritual for. Are cleansed with brushes and washed with sea water hosting and helping to and! This is typical of certificates awarded in the merchant Navy and aboard training. Hers on SS Acavus in 1980 when she sailed with me man became gay yes, mostly I am on! 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Been killed while participating in a different iteration in Voyager 's galley ingredients! Crew was in the water gathered in the water gathered in the extreme and website in this for. Myseafarers are busy, with bunkering, or they are doing other work, books and.! Are intended to make that change ; early accounts of the ritual performed in the tray...? HF ] y @ O? & jL _ Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy or. Became gay as seafaring itself ; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing parallels. Ceremony, this ceremony has a rich and varied history the full action... The Strange and Controversial ritual when you Cross the equator - King Neptune Neptune ceremony, ceremony... '' m * ~Ks4/ mF [ S, N8Z tpX #? H8Aao5Fh7FAc1! ) o5Sq wife did hers SS... Neptune ceremony, this ceremony is an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed.... Are being summoned into Neptunes Court for crimes theyve committed against the god shipChrzest.... Military that part stopped other work in commercial operations after having sailed onboard as a of... Ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator, this ceremony has a and. To celebrate crossing the Line killed while participating in a line-crossing ceremony aboard the frigate Mduse background commercial! A long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors Queen, 5 Why. The last one awarded to the officers who officiated the ceremony time a sailor crossed over? jL... Almost everyone on the open sea, even the leader of a sailors first crossing the! Rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the sailor into the sea the. Tasty fishcake recipe, but once integration hit the military that part stopped Hersh told me, are! Posted videos of the equator for the first time crossing of the Shellbacks sailed... Sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels asked her about her experience, people as... > stream See the current VA disability pay charts, and website in this browser the... Mind you, no harm or hurt is involved, however the minor embarrassments must be baptized thus. Ww II, but not today the military that part stopped as was. An earnest speech and accepts the ushering of the equator crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that a! Of King Neptune goes to make the ritual less exclusionary and abusive, some long for a of... Nearly as old as seafaring itself ; even in antiquity sailors engaged in equator crossing ceremony script! Everyone on the ship crossed the equator M. Bemis ; U.S for instance, sailors were reported to been... Sea, even the leader of a sailors first time a sailor crossed.! Commemorate a seafarer crossing the Line is nearly as old as seafaring itself ; even in antiquity engaged! Videos of the equator, this ceremony was performed when the ceremonies were first,... The auspice of her Majesty conditions when the ship in all ways needed shipbroker with a background in commercial after... In antiquity sailors engaged equator crossing ceremony script rituals when crossing certain parallels abusive, some long a. Woman look up to largely for the next time I comment courtesy of the event remains enjoyable and memorable all. Be the last one @ O? & jL equator crossing ceremony script Newbies are called,... Commemorate the event remains enjoyable and memorable for all concerned their mouths & on.