CALCULATE: Calculate your VA Loan savings. 10 Ways to Ensure WellBeing Of Seafarers At Sea, 10 Simple Things That Make Seafarers Happy On Board Ships, 13 Things Sailors Must Keep in Mind About Their Sea Job Contract, 7 Important Points A Seafarers Wife Must Consider When On Board Ship. 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. My fellow Pollywogs and I put on various grossed-out faces as we pucker up for a piscatorial pash. 6 0 obj In a different iteration in Voyager's galley these ingredients could comprise a tasty fishcake recipe, but not today. Behind the Strange and Controversial Ritual When You Cross the Equator At Sea. Once at the anchor, the newly initiated are made to crack open a can of beer on the anchor itself at the first go. Wha The Navy has spent decades trying to rein in on hazing; the line-crossing ceremony represents a great deal of this. endobj 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.". Shilavadra Bhattacharjee is a shipbroker with a background in commercial operations after having sailed onboard as a Third Officer. 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. 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. Naval History and Heritage Command. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. And yes, mostly I am welcomed on board. hbbd```b``"ZA$Sd&0,4 ,FHXL*H(H2 2 MORE: Check if you meet the official VA loan requirements. Your email address will not be published. Layer by Layer: A Mexico City Culinary Adventure, Sacred Granaries, Kasbahs and Feasts in Morocco, Monster of the Month: The Hopkinsville Goblins, How to Grow a Dye Garden With Aaron Sanders Head, Paper Botanicals With Kate Croghan Alarcn, Writing the Food Memoir: A Workshop With Gina Rae La Cerva, Reading the Urban Landscape With Annie Novak, Making Scents: Experimental Perfumery With Saskia Wilson-Brown, Secret Nun Cookies at Monasterio del Corpus Christi, Wonder Is Everywhere: Civil War Gold, a New Moai, and More From Around the Web, The Woman Preserving the Endangered Cuisine of Indian Jews, How a Lone Researcher Faced Down Millions of Army Ants on the March in Ecuador. In her experience, people were given the chance to opt out if they didnt want to participate in the ritual. most of the others were treated much worse, dirty mixtures being put in their mouths & rubbed on their faces. 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. This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. 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. Required fields are marked *. 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. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. [6], Captain Robert FitzRoy of HMSBeagle suggested the practice had developed from earlier ceremonies in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian vessels passing notable headlands. Throughout history, line-crossing ceremonies have sometimes become dangerous hazing rituals. I remember going back to my cabin at 1200 hrs after completing some important deck work. Crossing the Line is nearly as old as seafaring itself; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels. What proceeds is a day of festivities, which builds camaraderie among the seafaring crew. 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. terms and conditions 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. For the coming days, it is very easy to spot the sailors that have recently been through the ordeal, for their hair is either absolutely absent or styled as if rats had a feeding frenzy on them! SMH! Perhaps the pride and secrecy stems from a desire to maintain the ritual unchanged. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. 227 0 obj <>stream And there are no two thoughts on that. Normally, it is at dinner that the highly esteemed Equator Crossing Certificate is handed out to seal the rituals authenticity forever. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. endobj 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. NH 106226. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. 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? WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. As with most healthy traditions, the small indignities are a symbolism for inclusion and frolic. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. 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. According to Banks, some of those ducked were "grinning and exulting in their hardiness", but others "were almost suffocated". Taking liberties with the piscatorial subjects of His Majesty Neptunus Rex. 7 0 obj 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! For instance, blackface was a common element of it before World War II, but once integration hit the military that part stopped. Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. Help using this website - Accessibility statement, Luxury cruise offers a taste of the Succession lifestyle. %PDF-1.3 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. 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). All the same, its not a secret. Anyone inducted is quick to say they are part of this Order, but resistant to go into more detail. The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. 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. The ceremony was conducted by our steward who took his role as Neptune very seriously and appointed some of the pirates to cleanse us right with soap and water. King, Ernest J., USN. They then lathered my face & mouth with pitch and paint, & scraped some of it off with a piece of roughened iron hoop. 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.. 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. One by one, all the older and more experienced seafarers take their turn in congratulating the newly anointed sailors, glasses are raised in their honor and even a party can be thrown to emphasize the event. The crew finally converted the Wogs after the endurance tests were accomplished, ending the ceremonywith an affirmation of the new Shellbacks by way of a certificate declaring their new status. 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. <> 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. 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. 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. 731|+pvwX` Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. Ste. Video of 1957 Coast Guard crossing ritual. A VA approved lender; Not endorsed or sponsored by the Dept. This is the beginning of a line-crossing ceremony, a centuries-old ritual to inaugurate Equator-crossing virgins. 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. The Navy is chock full of myth and tradition, and what happens at sea even affects our language. Pollywogs or Slimy Pollywogs were those who have not yet crossed the line. 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. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. Thanks for reading and watching my BLINK. Required fields are marked *. Did mine in 1978 in the Indian Ocean on the SS Lepeta. Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. Once the ceremony is complete, a Pollywog receives a certificate[15] declaring his new status. Though ceremonies differ, theres a general form and a common cast of characters. endstream endobj startxref 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. Sailors who have already crossed the Equator are nicknamed Shellbacks, Trusty Shellbacks, Honorable Shellbacks, or Sons of Neptune. A Neptune party to celebrate crossing the equator, 1923. 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. Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and On the open sea, even the leader of a great nation must answer to King Neptune. King Neptune Ceremony This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. It looks like a trout, but the bloke who goes in for the full tongue action is definitely a groper. (Photo: A Neptune party to celebrate crossing the equator, 1923. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. 12 0 obj WebThis is a continuation of EQUATOR CROSSING CEREMONY PART 1. Flour and eggs are added to their humiliation; nor do they escape the fish, which by now seems like a bit of a flirt. 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. WebThe modern ceremony follows an approved prescriptive format that ensures the event remains enjoyable and memorable for all concerned. 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. 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. and normally, dipped in the water gathered in the save-all tray! Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Ceremonial Certificates - Neptune Subpoena", "Ceremonial Certificates - Golden Shellback Certificate - Personalized", "Every tattoo makes a statement but what do they mean? The Pollywogs are put through some physical tests to be initiated into the ancient mysteries of the deep! This part is the beginning of the ritual wherein they are stripped down to their underwear (or nothing!) DhD!D4n4I8P5>U`_FC.i`p8~xz_ep;MtBgCrf"FB:&t#W>V98}&I75(*^bqYe[A_xJ4k) Bx^c;.vT{c,kv8J>U_ MO 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. This power asymmetry played a role in the ritual, showcasing innate naval biases. 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 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. 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. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. 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. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. From Wog to Shellback. U.S. Navy website: http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=75241. No purchase necessary. I was initiated as a Blue Nose, boasted one person who crossed the Arctic Circle, but when I pressed, he wouldnt mention much else. 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. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. 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. The memory of the event sticks with people. The Star Spangled Shellbacks was used for those crossing the equator on July 4th, 1966. 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. )\gXpj 4_M\ ot%H8#,}u{ XXej4nM+#I His interests primarily lie in the energy sector, books and travelling. For instance, as Naval backlash increased due to allegations of oppressive line-crossing practices, many officers dug in their heels and vehemently defended the ceremony, despite consequences to their own careers. 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. Download image. 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