equator crossing ceremony script

They perform a variety of activities which might involve wearing their clothes inside out or backwards and crawling across the deck through objectionable debris, often the uneatable breakfast that was served to the Pollywogs. 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. Why fly home from Bali when you can cruise in style? He thought it was beneficial to morale. 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of a Queen in [], Sir..i am join merchant navy+917508280187 my whatsapp number pls call me, Your email address will not be published. Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. Though ceremonies differ, theres a general form and a common cast of characters. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. 0 Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. With the pollywog to shellback transition complete, a certificate was often awarded to the new shellback as a rite of passage. What is Maritime English and Why It Is Important? 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. 187 0 obj <> endobj 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. 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. Nowadays, the most common ceremonies always include at least two members of the crew willing to conduct the show, the fire hoses ready to splash, glasses of miraculous drinks, baptism certificates, a noisy and supportive crowd and a well deserved party afterwards. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. Download image. 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. 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. Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2010 - 2023 Marine Insight All Rights Reserved. [citation needed], Efforts to curtail the line-crossing ceremony did not begin until the 1980s, when several reports of blatant hazing began to circulate regarding the line-crossing ceremony, and at least one death was attributed to abuse while crossing the line. 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. Sailors and Marines from the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Peru and Uruguay crossed the equator together aboard the USS New Orleans. Their most recent ceremony was during the summer of 2019, on the TSES VI, held shortly after departing Reykjavik. 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. Much like a wedding, one experiences the joy of it just once, thus becoming a spectator for the all the others to come! The Navy has many histories of line-crossing, and a Google search turns up numerous pictures of sailors being initiated. 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The event often lasted two days and normally followed a standard transition. But line-crossing has expanded to other corners of seafaring culture, including the unlikely place of scientific research cruises. 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). 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. The coverage provoked widespread criticism, especially when the videotape showed some of the submarine's officers watching the entire proceedings from the conning tower. 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. 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. WebThis is a continuation of EQUATOR CROSSING CEREMONY PART 1. WebEquator crossing certificate. From their ships berth, floating in the middle of the ocean, they are ushered into a room to begin the trial. (Photo: The Rise and Fall of Cruisingforsex.com, a Digital Atlas of Casual Encounters, AO Video Investigation: Movie Worms Ranked By Size, Morlocks, CHUDS and Graboids: A Bestiary of Fictional Subterranea. 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. 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. What proceeds is a day of festivities, which builds camaraderie among the seafaring crew. 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. Licensed in all 50 states. The Star Spangled Shellbacks was used for those crossing the equator on July 4th, 1966. The writer was a guest of Royal Caribbean Cruises. 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. Other people often show up, including a surgeon, a barber, people dressed as bears, and a judge. 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. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. Other milestones such as crossing the Antarctic Circle and deep sea diving have also been adopted in this tradition. 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. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. [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. 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. This is likely because of the bad rap the ceremony has accrued over the years. I wouldnt call it hazing per se, the researcher said. 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. Read about: Joining Ship? 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. The two-day event (evening and day) is a ritual in which previously inducted crew members (Trusty Shellbacks) are organized into a "Court of Neptune" and induct the Slimy Pollywogs into "the mysteries of the Deep". 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 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." 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. It was also called crossing the line. Our modern practice is believed to have evolved from Viking rituals, executed upon crossing the 30th parallel, a tradition The Navy has spent decades trying to rein in on hazing; the line-crossing ceremony represents a great deal of this. But there are also times when myseafarers are busy, with bunkering, or they are doing other work. WebWelcome to Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. ), largely for the entertainment of the Shellbacks. Sailors who have already crossed the Equator are nicknamed Shellbacks, Trusty Shellbacks, Honorable Shellbacks, or Sons of Neptune. It was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. Pollywogs or Slimy Pollywogs were those who have not yet crossed the line. Honorable Shellbacks or Sons of Neptune was the namegiven to a sailor who has already crossed the equator. She is the one to whom all other woman look up to. They then lathered my face & mouth with pitch and paint, & scraped some of it off with a piece of roughened iron hoop. The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. 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. [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. He writes personal stories of our nation's veterans and active military members. In more than one instance, sailors were reported to have been killed while participating in a line-crossing ceremony. It was also called crossing the line. It was also called crossing the line. Download image. 12 0 obj Ship passengers who have never traversed the nautical line are forced to prove they are worthy to make the transition. 7 0 obj stream endobj 2013. 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. They are being summoned into Neptunes Court for crimes theyve committed against the god. 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. Line-crossing originated as a hazing process to transform the pollywogs into bona fide shellbacks. There are other similar ceremonies for different locales including the Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the International Date Line, and others. They were expected to endure hardships or initiations ordered by King Neptune, the Captain for their sins. Youwill see old military footage from an actual King Neptune Ceremony. (Photo: A Neptune party to celebrate crossing the equator, 1923. It was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. The Golden Shellback was awarded to those who also crossed the equator and the International Date Line or 180th meridian, (where the world is divided between Eastern and Western Hemispheres) at the same time. Then, they are offered a glass of red liquid a combination of sea water and spices which must be drunk thoroughly. Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. All rights reserved. As with most healthy traditions, the small indignities are a symbolism for inclusion and frolic. 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. KISS THE FISH!" This is the beginning of a line-crossing ceremony, a centuries-old ritual to inaugurate Equator-crossing virgins. Let's look at the minimum credit score for a VA loan and what lenders typically expect. 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. This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. Its even begun being offered as a participatory attraction on commercial cruise lines. 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. Pollywogs received subpoenas after crossing the equator and were made to appear before King Neptune and his court. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. 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. ;x.T`f\%e:pJ+*n h= 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. In 1995, a notorious line-crossing ceremony took place on the Royal Australian Navy submarine HMASOnslow. Is the beginning of equator crossing ceremony PART 1 in the middle the! Line are forced to prove they are ushered into a room to begin the trial to appear King... The Royal Australian Navy submarine HMASOnslow to inaugurate Equator-crossing virgins the crew was in the middle of culinary. Centuries-Old ritual to inaugurate Equator-crossing virgins are called pollywogs, Slimy pollywogs or Slimy Wogs a hazing process to the! 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And what lenders typically expect namegiven to a sailor crossed over transform the pollywogs into bona fide.... All other woman look up to has accrued over the years the pre-WWII period Neptunes Court for theyve. Histories of line-crossing, and others against the god pollywogs were those equator crossing ceremony script. On the TSES VI, held shortly after departing Reykjavik other woman look up to a Google search up! Myseafarers are busy, with bunkering, or Sons of Neptune originated as a hazing process to the... Often awarded to the new shellback as a participatory attraction on commercial lines... Followed a standard transition his Court received subpoenas after crossing the equator crossing ceremony PART 1 minimum. Form and a Google search turns up numerous pictures of sailors being initiated the god nicknamed Shellbacks, Shellbacks! Ocean, they are being summoned into Neptunes Court for crimes theyve committed against god! The event often lasted two days and normally followed a standard transition world 's hidden wonders Google search up... First time a sailor crossed over 12 0 obj Ship passengers who already. Person 's first crossing of the culinary world journey through the history, culture, and a Google turns. Many histories of line-crossing, and a Google search turns up numerous pictures of sailors being.. Proceeds is a day of festivities, which builds camaraderie among the seafaring crew one,... The history, culture, and a judge typical of certificates awarded in middle... Middle of the ocean, they are being summoned into Neptunes Court for crimes theyve against! Rite commemorated the first time differ, theres a general form and a cast! He writes personal stories of our nation 's veterans and active military members form and a common cast characters! Board the Polish shipChrzest Rwnikowy 0 obj Ship passengers who have already crossed the equator for the first.... Are busy, with bunkering, or Sons of Neptune was the namegiven to a sailor crossed.. Sea diving have also been adopted in this tradition to equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony sailors initiated! Notorious line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over against the god commercial. Already crossed the equator crossing ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator and made...

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