Once at the anchor, the newly initiated are made to crack open a can of beer on the anchor itself at the first go. [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. We still laugh about it to this day. By the end of WW II, the United States Navy had added nearly 1,200 major combatant vessels to its combined fleet. Pollywogs participated voluntarily, though female midshipmen observed that they were under social pressure to do the ceremony but were targets of harder abuse. 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. 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. 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. Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. endstream endobj 188 0 obj <>/Metadata 16 0 R/PageLayout/OneColumn/Pages 185 0 R/StructTreeRoot 25 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 189 0 obj <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Type/Page>> endobj 190 0 obj <>stream 731|+pvwX` They were always followed by a barbecue party with good food and music and the hundreds of photos taken during the event were always shared with families and friends as a proof of being recognized as a true seafarer. I remember going back to my cabin at 1200 hrs after completing some important deck work. In the PBS documentary Carrier, filmed in 2005 (Episode 7, "Rites of Passage"), a crossing-the-line ceremony on USSNimitz is extensively documented. This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. The scepter is laid forth to mark this moment of truth. Why? First, the new comers are cleansed with brushes and washed with sea water. Many cases of unbelievable cruelty were reported especially in the years after the II World War and some maritime companies even banned these ceremonies on board their vessels. 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. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Video of 1957 Coast Guard crossing ritual. Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. xWMo0W$NHP3lK[miP2c'g=VB"=d3q3oLP\.X~bSFK 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. Webthe equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. 65203, VA Loans and Credit Score Minimums: Requirements Buyers Need to Know. The glimmer in the eyes of those that have already experienced it, telling you to live every moment of it, for it is never to happen again, is priceless. This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. This ceremony is still practised onboard numerous ships today. The eve of the equatorial crossing is called Wog Day and, as with many other night-before rituals, is a mild type of reversal of the day to come. After the show, Pollywogs receive a subpoena from Davy Jones to stand before the court the next day and answer to charges brought against them by the Shellbacks. "We have the same sort of ceremony in my country," said Lt. j.g. 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. Crawling through long containers filled withrotten garbage. His interests primarily lie in the energy sector, books and travelling. People hear a knock on their door and they know it has begun. Your email address will not be published. King Neptune is a prominent figure, as is his representative Davy Jones. A Queen represents confidence and unconditional dedication towards her task. 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. Your email address will not be published. Webthe equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. U.S. sailors and Marines participate in a line-crossing ceremony. The writer was a guest of Royal Caribbean Cruises. 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. I am one of the disappointed. (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. They were expected to endure hardships or initiations ordered by King Neptune, the Captain for their sins. 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! King Neptune Ceremony on board the Polish shipChrzest Rwnikowy. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of 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. 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. terms and conditions The transition flows from established order to the "controlled chaos" of the Pollywog Revolt, the beginnings of re-order in the initiation rite as the fewer but experienced enlisted crew converts the Wogs through physical tests, then back to, and thereby affirming, the pre-established order of officers and enlisted. At sea you are not woman or man, you are sailor. 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. It is therefore no wonder that the shore folk are appalled and excited at the same time when the ceremony is told to them in detail. 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. 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. Help using this website - Accessibility statement, Luxury cruise offers a taste of the Succession lifestyle. This said, the party doesnt end here! But it was also authorised by Captains to entertain the passengers on merchant ships like the. After breakfast, which is made too spicy for the Pollywogs to eat, the accused appear before King Neptune, who sits in judgment. Anyone inducted is quick to say they are part of this Order, but resistant to go into more detail. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. 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". Even commercial cruise lines have been known to host some parts of the ritual. [11] Later, during World War II, the frequency of the ceremony increased dramatically, especially in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific, where the service's fleet operations grew enormously to counter widely dispersed Japanese forces. According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. High ranking members of the crew and those who have been Shellbacks the longest dress up in elaborate costume and each play the part of King Neptune's court. Read about: Joining Ship? Pollywogs are then doused with water to symbolise a baptism and are duly admitted to the District of Equatorius as Trusty and Honourable Shellbacks and Sons of Neptune. Download image. SUNY Maritime occasionally holds a Blue Nose ceremony for its cadets after crossing the Arctic Circle. of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. 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. But their businessis for me no problem. One person, in fact, did. They never turned into a nightmare for the new comers and they were accompanied only by laughter and happy faces. 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. This part is the beginning of the ritual wherein they are stripped down to their underwear (or nothing!) Next, the Pollywogs kneel before the King and kiss the royal baby's belly, which according to some accounts is covered in grease. Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. endstream endobj startxref Behind the Strange and Controversial Ritual When You Cross the Equator At Sea. [6], Captain Robert FitzRoy of HMSBeagle suggested the practice had developed from earlier ceremonies in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian vessels passing notable headlands. The Pollywogs are put through some physical tests to be initiated into the ancient mysteries of the deep! 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. Your email address will not be published. hVYoH+=#E Mclu"m*~Ks4/ mF[S,N8Z tpX#?H8Aao5Fh7FAc1!)o5Sq. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. 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. The chant goes up: "KISS THE FISH! Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. Normally theres some separation between these groups, but during the line-crossing ceremony everyone is involved, be they scientist or crew. 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. 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? ae. Facts about titanic Ship are so many that people dont know much about them. From their ships berth, floating in the middle of the ocean, they are ushered into a room to begin the trial. Some people may find this a silly game, but seafarers know for certain that receiving the blessing from the God of the Sea is always an honor and must be regarded as such.Equator Crossing ceremony is just a humble way of recognizing Neptune as Master of the Seas and all the seafarers who receive Neptunes permission to sail his waters have to be celebrated and congratulated by all the crew on board. WebThe modern ceremony follows an approved prescriptive format that ensures the event remains enjoyable and memorable for all concerned. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. As is with all cadets, sleep is the all-engulfing element that overpowers the necessity to change ones boiler suit and go in for a shower! The most common joke played on younger members of the crew on the day of their first voyage ceremonyis the task of throwing a bucket full of water on the windward. He concluded, As far as I know they are still being performed but they are not as fun as they used to be since all the politically correct people have ruined it.. Naval History and Heritage Command. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Our modern practice is believed to have evolved from Viking rituals, executed upon crossing the 30th parallel, a tradition My wife did hers on SS Acavus in 1980 when she sailed with me. 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 was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. On Navy cruises everyone is considered a crew member, maintaining the ship in all ways needed. )\gXpj 4_M\ ot%H8#,}u{ XXej4nM+#I WebWelcome to Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. Myriad approaches to conducting the ceremony will yield myriad accounts. Perhaps the pride and secrecy stems from a desire to maintain the ritual unchanged. Customers with questions regarding our loan officers and their licensing may visit the 11 0 obj stream This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. 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. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. [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. For instance, blackface was a common element of it before World War II, but once integration hit the military that part stopped. Line-crossing originated as a hazing process to transform the pollywogs into bona fide shellbacks. From that moment on, they are no longer seen as outsiders, but they fully deserved to be included in the seafarers family. 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. Read Queens version, Not So Easy love Story of A Sailors Queen, 5 Reasons Why People not Joining Merchant Navy. [citation needed] The Wogs are made very aware that it will be much harder on them if they do anything like this. 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