(Photo: Public domain/WikiCommons). It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. % About 9 am the next day, the novices or "griffins" were assembled in the darkness and heat of the lower deck, then one at a time were blindfolded and led up on deck by "four of Neptunes constables", as "buckets of water were thundered all around". Pollywogs participated voluntarily, though female midshipmen observed that they were under social pressure to do the ceremony but were targets of harder abuse. [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. Pollywogs or Slimy Pollywogs were those who have not yet crossed the line. Let's look at the minimum credit score for a VA loan and what lenders typically expect. After the ceremony, the Sailors were inducted into the "Solemn Mysteries of the Ancient Order of the Deep" meaning that King Neptune had accepted them as one of his trusty shellbacks. This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. The crew were expected to become seasoned-sailors, capable of handling long periods of time with rough seas. 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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. U.S. sailors and Marines participate in a line-crossing ceremony. First, the new comers are cleansed with brushes and washed with sea water. 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 Get the latest news and updates emailed straight to your inbox. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. 731|+pvwX` 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. privacy policy. Required fields are marked *. 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. 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.". WebEquator crossing certificate. 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. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Officers rebelled and did it anyway, which ultimately led to court martials. While now its as much a spectacle as it is a test, the line-crossing ceremony reportedly has its roots in practicality. 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! 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. [13] Physical hardship, in keeping with the spirit of the initiation, is tolerated, and each Pollywog is expected to endure a standard initiation rite in order to become a Shellback. 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. On Navy cruises everyone is considered a crew member, maintaining the ship in all ways needed. She is the one to whom all other woman look up to. of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. 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. Using a speaking trumpet he questioned Neptune, who would visit them the next morning. Sailors undergoing the ceremony were physically and verbally abused before being subjected to an act called "sump on the rump", where a dark liquid was daubed over each sailor's anus and genitalia. Naval History and Heritage Command. The scepter is laid forth to mark this moment of truth. endstream endobj startxref 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. 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. #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. There were pageants where wogs were forced to crossdress in front of their superiors, and then spend the rest of their day performing often degrading tasks. Church, Andrew. Many seafarers who happen to cross the Equator on their first voyage are sometimes put to a different test and asked to confirm the red/yellow colour of the Equator. 767 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. The shellbacks had prepared 3-foot lengths of canvas/rubber firehose, which they swung hard at the posterior of each Wog. Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. 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. King Neptune Ceremony on board the Polish shipChrzest Rwnikowy. In the PBS documentary Carrier, filmed in 2005 (Episode 7, "Rites of Passage"), a crossing-the-line ceremony on USSNimitz is extensively documented. 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. Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. 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. )\gXpj 4_M\ ot%H8#,}u{ XXej4nM+#I 187 0 obj <> endobj '03aE,#M5fr0|\fs9_'_-Qrzm"\~+?NUzUwx_|],Lf,[~]lly_e)ETJJ Gz#. 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. xWMo0W$NHP3lK[miP2c'g=VB"=d3q3oLP\.X~bSFK [9] The ceremony is sometimes explained as being an initiation into the court of King Neptune. Anyone inducted is quick to say they are part of this Order, but resistant to go into more detail. When the ceremonies were first conducted, they were physically challenging and could even be painful or embarrassing to the Sailors. WebThis is a continuation of EQUATOR CROSSING CEREMONY PART 1. 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. for more information. KISS THE FISH!" In more than one instance, sailors were reported to have been killed while participating in a line-crossing ceremony. ae. 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. King Neptune's First Mate was called Davy Jones and the Second Mate was called Her Highness Amphitrite. The ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. No purchase necessary. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. All-Time Lows: According to interest rates published on July 31, 2020, on FreddieMac.com. 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. Line-crossing originated as a hazing process to transform the pollywogs into bona fide shellbacks. Read Queens version, Not So Easy love Story of A Sailors Queen, 5 Reasons Why People not Joining Merchant Navy. A videotape of the ceremony was obtained by the Nine Network and aired on Australian television. There, they crawled down a gauntlet of Shellbacks on both sides of a long, heavy canvas runner, about 1012 meters. 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). WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. The line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. King Neptune Ceremony This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. Sailors and Marines from the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Peru and Uruguay crossed the equator together aboard the USS New Orleans. 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. It was also an initiation rite commemoratedthe first time a sailor crossed over. Hersh mentioned how the ceremony morphed as more people entered the Navy. 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.. (Photo: Public domain/WikiCommons). 14 0 obj Ste. Slimy (the traditional adjective) Pollywogs are led out for their hazing in front of King Neptune, and his assistant reads the charges. ), largely for the entertainment of the Shellbacks. 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. What is Maritime English and Why It Is Important? 7 0 obj 12 0 obj 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. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Pollywogs entertain the royal court with a talent show. <> Because I know with a smile and a handshake [], A Queen is no ordinary woman. One person, in fact, did. 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