WebThis is a continuation of EQUATOR CROSSING CEREMONY PART 1. KISS THE FISH!" Juan Pablo Rosato of the Argentine navy. hbbd```b``"ZA$Sd&0,4 ,FHXL*H(H2 2 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. 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.". The new disability compensation rates took effect on December 1, 2022. 2023 Atlas Obscura. 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 From their ships berth, floating in the middle of the ocean, they are ushered into a room to begin the trial. Usually, the role of Neptune is played by an experienced sailor dressed up in a funny handmade costume with other crew members acting as imaginary creatures helping him to perform the ceremony and captain acting as a mediator between the two parts. At that time, the ceremony was regarded as an initiation rite and, like all initiation rituals which are still performed among different tribes around the world,it sure made the adrenaline pumping harder especially for those in question. There, they crawled down a gauntlet of Shellbacks on both sides of a long, heavy canvas runner, about 1012 meters. 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 ship's artist, Augustus Earle, made a sketch of the scene.[5]. at last, glad enough, I escaped. Perhaps Neptunes approval doesnt depend on harassment. 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. U.S. sailors and Marines participate in a line-crossing ceremony. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). The ceremony itself was based on the Court of Neptune, where Shellbacks inducted the Pollywoggers into the mysteries of the deep. 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. Thanks for reading and watching my BLINK. 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. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. 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! Sailors and Marines from the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Peru and Uruguay crossed the equator together aboard the USS New Orleans. (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. 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. 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. 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. WebThis is a continuation of EQUATOR CROSSING CEREMONY PART 1. On the open sea, even the leader of a great nation must answer to King Neptune. 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. 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. USMC Golden shellback here, aboard the USS Denver, 1981 much more fun pitching than catching on Wog Day!!! Their most recent ceremony was during the summer of 2019, on the TSES VI, held shortly after departing Reykjavik. In a different iteration in Voyager's galley these ingredients could comprise a tasty fishcake recipe, but not today. 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. Help using this website - Accessibility statement, Luxury cruise offers a taste of the Succession lifestyle. In 1995, a notorious line-crossing ceremony took place on the Royal Australian Navy submarine HMASOnslow. 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. 11 0 obj 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." This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. 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. [citation needed]. Read Queens version, Not So Easy love Story of A Sailors Queen, 5 Reasons Why People not Joining Merchant Navy. 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. According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. Copyright 2023 Mortgage Research Center, LLC. 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. Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and [6], Captain Robert FitzRoy of HMSBeagle suggested the practice had developed from earlier ceremonies in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian vessels passing notable headlands. Disclaimer: The views mentioned above are of the author only. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. All Rights Reserved. The charges brought against him: In 2010, a Line Crossing Ceremony was an international affair. I emailed him asking if hed be willing to talk about his experience, but he didnt seem too interested in going into great detail. This having completed, an entire round of the shop is taken to commemorate the event altogether. It was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. a signal being given I was tilted head over heels into the water, where two men received me & ducked me. The shellbacks had prepared 3-foot lengths of canvas/rubber firehose, which they swung hard at the posterior of each Wog. and normally, dipped in the water gathered in the save-all tray! Mind you, no harm or hurt is involved, however the minor embarrassments must be taken in the right spirit. This is a usually light-hearted event that allows the ships crew to take some time out from their hectic schedules and have fun with the rest of the crewmates. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. Using a speaking trumpet he questioned Neptune, who would visit them the next morning. Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. 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. 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. Pollywogs received subpoenas after crossing the equator and were made to appear before King Neptune and his court. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. See. 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. What is Maritime English and Why It Is Important? The Wogs then ascended a ladder to the boat deck to slide down a makeshift chute into the baptism of messdeck leavings in sea water in an inflated liferaft back on the superstructure deck. USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) UPDATE of 1973 CTL. 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. 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. It looks like a trout, but the bloke who goes in for the full tongue action is definitely a groper. Your email address will not be published. One former Navy man posted videos of the ritual to YouTube. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. Other people often show up, including a surgeon, a barber, people dressed as bears, and a judge. 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 the one where you talked about sailors becoming gay-yes that offensive. There are other similar ceremonies for different locales including the Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the International Date Line, and others. Taking liberties with the piscatorial subjects of His Majesty Neptunus Rex. So, you are [], Ahoy Ahoy, Port Chaplain coming on board. Its kind of a nice tradition, said one US-based ocean researcher when I asked her about her experience. As appalling as it may seem to shore folk, it is a tradition that makes a man out a fresh cadet or trainee seaman. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. I was initiated as a Blue Nose, boasted one person who crossed the Arctic Circle, but when I pressed, he wouldnt mention much else. 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 memory of the event sticks with people. 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. [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. [citation needed]. 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. It was also an initiation rite commemoratedthe first time a sailor crossed over. %PDF-1.3 When a ship must cross the Equator reasonably close to one of these meridians, the ship's captain might plot a course across the Golden X so that the ship's crew can be initiated as Golden or Emerald/Royal Diamond Shellbacks. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, too, received a summons to appear before the sea god and pay his respects. Those who were not favored fared worse. For instance, blackface was a common element of it before World War II, but once integration hit the military that part stopped. Fortunately no head shaving but the foul mixture was foul in the extreme. 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. This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. Licensed in all 50 states. 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. Following this aspect of the grand event, the sailors are tied together and marched forward to the anchor with the sound of a drum to coordinate movement. #ashmore #sailingships #tallships #youngadult #historicalfiction #truestory #captain #shipsurgeon #interactiveadventure #kiwiauthor #immigration #youngadultfiction #kingneptune #ceremony #crossingthequator #shellbacks #pollywoggers #sonsofneptune. Columbia, This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. ae. The seamen who have already crossed the equator are referred to as Shellbacks (or, Sons Of Neptune) and those who havent are called Pollywogs. FitzRoy quoted Otto von Kotzebue's 1830 description in his 1839 Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of His Majesty's Ships Adventure and Beagle between the Years 1826 and 1836. 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. Let's look at the minimum credit score for a VA loan and what lenders typically expect. It was also called crossing the line. 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. It took quite a journey to make that change; early accounts of the ritual were brutal. Titanic is the best movie that has happened to the world cinema. This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. xWMo0W$NHP3lK[miP2c'g=VB"=d3q3oLP\.X~bSFK A Neptune party to celebrate crossing the equator, 1923. But it was also authorised by Captains to entertain the passengers on merchant ships like the Ashmore. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. 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