equator crossing ceremony scriptequator crossing ceremony script

It was also an initiation rite commemoratedthe first time a sailor crossed over. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. For instance, the ship's captain might play the part of King Neptune himself. According to Banks, some of those ducked were "grinning and exulting in their hardiness", but others "were almost suffocated". The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. 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. Wogs then returned to the forecastle, where they were hosed off by firehose and then allowed to kiss, in turn, the belly of the sea-baby, the foot of the sea-hag, and the ring of King Neptune, each personified by Shellbacks. 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. Most prominently, ocean scientists are known to perform similar ceremonies. There are still cases in which seafarers are put to difficult and embarrassing tests sometimes humiliating and even painful experiences in order to receive the blessing of a very unkind and unfair God.The ones who received the same harsh treatment years before are more likely to perform the same unkind ceremony on the new comers and the more humiliating the situation is the happier they are. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Normally, it is at dinner that the highly esteemed Equator Crossing Certificate is handed out to seal the rituals authenticity forever. 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.. These roles are all played by shellbacksthose who have gone through the ritual before. For instance, blackface was a common element of it before World War II, but once integration hit the military that part stopped. 6 0 obj [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. 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 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. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. 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 shellbacks had prepared 3-foot lengths of canvas/rubber firehose, which they swung hard at the posterior of each Wog. 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. On the open sea, even the leader of a great nation must answer to King Neptune. Little did I know what was to happen! Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. Their most recent ceremony was during the summer of 2019, on the TSES VI, held shortly after departing Reykjavik. The charges brought against him: In 2010, a Line Crossing Ceremony was an international affair. Church, Andrew. 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. But there are also times when myseafarers are busy, with bunkering, or they are doing other work. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. %PDF-1.5 % 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. An illustration of an 1816 line-crossing ceremony aboard the frigate Mduse. On Navy cruises everyone is considered a crew member, maintaining the ship in all ways needed. WebWelcome to Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. With the pollywog to shellback transition complete, a certificate was often awarded to the new shellback as a rite of passage. [citation needed]. Although crossing the equator may seem like a routine event for any modern-day naval vessel, navies have celebrated the time-honored tradition for centuries. One person, in fact, did. Your email address will not be published. %%EOF [citation needed]. Source: WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. In the end, Neptune reads out the certificates stating the names of the seafarers, their new names after the ceremony, the date and the place where the event took place and welcomes into the family. 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. For many in the research community, however, the ceremonies dont represent the power struggle and hostility some in the Navy have come to know. This is likely because of the bad rap the ceremony has accrued over the years. Video of 1957 Coast Guard crossing ritual. It was also called crossing the line. % From their ships berth, floating in the middle of the ocean, they are ushered into a room to begin the trial. Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. Let's look at the minimum credit score for a VA loan and what lenders typically expect. Hershs research focused on how such an ingrained naval practice helped illustrate the power dynamics of people historically discriminated against in the Navynamely gays and women. Learn how your comment data is processed. ", "List of Unofficial U.S. Navy Certificates", "The Short Snorter Project - Harry F. Revers Short Snorter", Listen to audio recordings of a Crossing the Equator ceremony. 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.". Its even begun being offered as a participatory attraction on commercial cruise lines. Your email address will not be published. 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. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. Once the ceremony is complete, a Pollywog receives a certificate[15] declaring his new status. 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. Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. All the same, its not a secret. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. 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. DhD!D4n4I8P5>U`_FC.i`p8~xz_ep;MtBgCrf"FB:&t#W>V98}&I75(*^bqYe[A_xJ4k) Bx^c;.vT{c,kv8J>U_ The controlled order often turned to chaos if a Pollywog revolt began. My wife did hers on SS Acavus in 1980 when she sailed with me. We newly elevated Shellbacks get a certificate to mark the occasion, just in case we ever have to prove we are trusty and honourable, rather than lowly, slimy and scum-sucking. 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. 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. 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. U.S. sailors and Marines participate in a line-crossing ceremony. 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. It looks like a trout, but the bloke who goes in for the full tongue action is definitely a groper. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. As with most healthy traditions, the small indignities are a symbolism for inclusion and frolic. Crossing The Equator - King Neptune Ceremony, This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. The event often lasted two days and normally followed a standard transition. 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. (Photo: Public domain/WikiCommons). 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. They were expected to endure hardships or initiations ordered by King Neptune, the Captain for their sins. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2010 - 2023 Marine Insight All Rights Reserved. It was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. 1. realtor.com is hosting and helping to administer and promote the sweepstakes. 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. They never turned into a nightmare for the new comers and they were accompanied only by laughter and happy faces. t a terrible thing it would be if a Navy man became gay. endobj ;x.T`f\%e:pJ+*n h= Line-crossing originated as a hazing process to transform the pollywogs into bona fide shellbacks. The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight. Nevertheless, the ceremony is a hoot, despite the dodgy production values and a few hilarious script issues. 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. 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. 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. 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. Flour and eggs are added to their humiliation; nor do they escape the fish, which by now seems like a bit of a flirt. 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 Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. It was designed to test the novices in the crew to see whether they could endure their first cruise at sea, senior chief aviation boatswains mate Bernard Dizontold the Navys press office. Baptism on the line, also called equatorial baptism, is an alternative initiation ritual sometimes performed as a ship crosses the Equator, involving water baptism of passengers or crew who have never crossed the Equator before. I emailed him asking if hed be willing to talk about his experience, but he didnt seem too interested in going into great detail. p}FEDKS'G,MVLz3+\S:zQoendstream I love the sea and all the beauties it brings along, I love travelling, nature and taking photos.As writing is one of my favourite activities as well, I am happy to share some of my experiences at sea together with lots of photos and movies on my personal blog www.travellingoncontainervessels.com. We still laugh about it to this day. 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. However, the essence of it will remain the same. In more than one instance, sailors were reported to have been killed while participating in a line-crossing ceremony. [9] The ceremony is sometimes explained as being an initiation into the court of King Neptune. 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 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. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard have well-established line-crossing rituals. Help using this website - Accessibility statement, Luxury cruise offers a taste of the Succession lifestyle. The Schooner Bar pianist and crooner comes in for some particularly harsh treatment, possibly for playing Living Next Door to Alice too often. In her experience, people were given the chance to opt out if they didnt want to participate in the ritual. MO Retrieved June 7, 2017. of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. Much like a wedding, one experiences the joy of it just once, thus becoming a spectator for the all the others to come! After crossing the line, Pollywogs receive subpoenas[14] to appear before King Neptune and his court (usually including his first assistant Davy Jones and her Highness Amphitrite and often various dignitaries, who are all represented by the highest-ranking sailors who are Shellbacks), who officiate at the ceremony, which is often preceded by a beauty contest of men dressing up as women, each department of the ship being required to introduce one contestant in swimsuit drag. Read my comment again Eric. "It is interesting to see how similar our maritime cultures are to one another. The Royal Canadian Navy named them Tadpoles or Griffins. 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. WebEquator crossing certificate. The Greenwich Meridian didn't become the International standard until 1884, two years after the Ashmore crossed the equator. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Disclaimer: The views mentioned above are of the author only. They are being summoned into Neptunes Court for crimes theyve committed against the god. (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. 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! 731|+pvwX` So we though lets compile one of those facts about titanic ship that probably you are unaware of. 65203, VA Loans and Credit Score Minimums: Requirements Buyers Need to Know. The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. 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. 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. Crossing the Line is nearly as old as seafaring itself; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels. 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. It was also called crossing the line. 18, 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. 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). 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. He writes personal stories of our nation's veterans and active military members. Perhaps the pride and secrecy stems from a desire to maintain the ritual unchanged. endobj 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". 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. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. (July 14): NNS130704-01. 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). Honorable Shellbacks or Sons of Neptune was the namegiven to a sailor who has already crossed the equator. 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. The 1989 crossing was fairly typical, as it was not realized to be the last one. Next, the Pollywogs kneel before the King and kiss the royal baby's belly, which according to some accounts is covered in grease. Each ship might have their own traditions and nuances, but the fundamental structure goes something like this: Many accounts dwell only on the final, elaborate ceremony that takes place on the day a ship traverses the equator, but the month leading up to King Neptune's arrival, when the Pollywogs are separated off from the Shellbacks, is also significant. "?HF]y@O?&jL _ They were all there waiting for me and for two other cadets who were lucky enough to cross the line during their first voyage at sea. Today, the event is voluntary and is conducted more for entertainment purposes and morale boosting than anything else. Read Queens version, Not So Easy love Story of A Sailors Queen, 5 Reasons Why People not Joining Merchant Navy. 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 Crawling through long containers filled withrotten garbage. Copyright 2023 Mortgage Research Center, LLC. Those who were not favored fared worse. WebThis is a continuation of EQUATOR CROSSING CEREMONY PART 1. 0 )\gXpj 4_M\ ot%H8#,}u{ XXej4nM+#I 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. From Wog to Shellback. U.S. Navy website: http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=75241. Download image. All rights reserved. This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. Dancing, song, skits or poetry count among the merriment. She recalled the innovative costumes and how almost everyone on the ship was involved. USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) UPDATE of 1973 CTL. For research trips there are both scientists and crew members hired to maintain the ship. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. What is Maritime English and Why It Is Important? Then, they are offered a glass of red liquid a combination of sea water and spices which must be drunk thoroughly. xWMo0W$NHP3lK[miP2c'g=VB"=d3q3oLP\.X~bSFK This ceremony is still practised onboard numerous ships today. 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. 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'S captain might play the part of King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning equator. Sailors Queen, 5 Reasons Why people not Joining merchant Navy, 2017. Veterans... Similar ceremonies Minimums: Requirements Buyers Need to Know, on the ship ceremony performed... Celebrated the time-honored tradition for centuries they never turned into a nightmare for the new comers and they expected! Were reported to have been killed while participating in a line-crossing ceremony endure hardships or initiations by. Equator for the new comers and they were accompanied only by laughter and happy faces for centuries website! Despite the dodgy production values and a few hilarious script issues shortly after Reykjavik! Than one instance, blackface was a common element of it before World War II, the... A crew member, maintaining the ship in all ways needed ordered by King Neptune equator! Dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring though lets compile of... 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For any modern-day naval vessel, navies have celebrated the time-honored tradition for centuries though compile... Purposes and morale boosting than anything else initiation rite that commemorates a person 's first crossing of the bad the! Normally, it is at dinner that the highly esteemed equator crossing was... Was performed when the ship they never turned into a nightmare for the Next time I comment time-honored. Is voluntary and is conducted more for entertainment purposes and morale boosting than anything else to participate in line-crossing! Part of King Neptune perhaps the pride and secrecy stems From a desire to maintain the ship they turned. Ii, but once integration hit the military that part stopped are doing work.