Cadets crawled through a tunnel with lo mein, or "Eel Spawn", and then had food put in their hair before crawling through the fantail while being sprayed by fire hoses. But though these changes are intended to make the ritual less exclusionary and abusive, some long for a line-crossings of yore. It is a ceremony which has its roots centuries ago when the first adventurous discoverers started their quest for the unknown seas in all four corners of our planet, taking untraveled routes and praying for Gods to bring fair winds, good captures to take back home and pirate free waters. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. According to Banks, some of those ducked were "grinning and exulting in their hardiness", but others "were almost suffocated". WebWelcome to Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. most of the others were treated much worse, dirty mixtures being put in their mouths & rubbed on their faces. It was also an initiation rite commemoratedthe first time a sailor crossed over. King Neptune's First Mate was called Davy Jones and the Second Mate was called Her Highness Amphitrite. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. For instance, blackface was a common element of it before World War II, but once integration hit the military that part stopped. 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. 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. 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. 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 ceremony. 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. They then lathered my face & mouth with pitch and paint, & scraped some of it off with a piece of roughened iron hoop. What proceeds is a day of festivities, which builds camaraderie among the seafaring crew. A beauty contest was held with one man from each department dressed up in womens swimsuit drag. Those credulous enough to run forward to see Neptune "were received with the watery honours which it is customary to bestow". Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. 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. hbbd```b``"ZA$Sd&0,4 ,FHXL*H(H2 2 Behind the pomp and grandeur of the event is a lot of history. Pollywogs or Slimy Pollywogs were those who have not yet crossed the line. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. 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. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. On Navy cruises everyone is considered a crew member, maintaining the ship in all ways needed. 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. 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. The Star Spangled Shellbacks was used for those crossing the equator on July 4th, 1966. "We have the same sort of ceremony in my country," said Lt. j.g. (Photo: Shellback certificate awarded to Charles Cameron, aboard USS Utah (BB-31), commemorating his first crossing of the equator, December 1, 1928. The crew were expected to become seasoned-sailors, capable of handling long periods of time with rough seas. It was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. WebEquator crossing certificate. My wife did hers on SS Acavus in 1980 when she sailed with me. [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. They never turned into a nightmare for the new comers and they were accompanied only by laughter and happy faces. Because I know with a smile and a handshake [], A Queen is no ordinary woman. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. The ritual is the subject of a painting by Matthew Benedict named The Mariner's Baptism and of a 1961 book by Henning Henningsen named Crossing the Equator: Sailor's Baptism and Other Initiation Rites. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. 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. In the PBS documentary Carrier, filmed in 2005 (Episode 7, "Rites of Passage"), a crossing-the-line ceremony on USSNimitz is extensively documented. (Photo:Lou Sander/WikiCommons CC BY-SA 4.0). It was also called crossing the line. By the end of WW II, the United States Navy had added nearly 1,200 major combatant vessels to its combined fleet. Download image. (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. From that moment on, they are no longer seen as outsiders, but they fully deserved to be included in the seafarers family. SMH! The Navy has spent decades trying to rein in on hazing; the line-crossing ceremony represents a great deal of this. It starts at night. 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. 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. 2022 by Kin & Kingdoms Books. The tradition began with the Navy over 400 years ago, says anthropology and sociology professor Carie Little Hersh in her 2002 paper Crossing the Line: Sex, Power, Justice, and the U.S. Navy at the Equator. Given its long history, the ritual has changed over the years, but it remains a well-knownalbeit sometimes controversiallinchpin of Naval culture. The Schooner Bar pianist and crooner comes in for some particularly harsh treatment, possibly for playing Living Next Door to Alice too often. 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. 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. Prior to writing for Veterans United Network, David served in the United States Air Force and spent 7 months in Afghanistan as a Logistics Officer and Brigade Engineering Officer with the Army National Guard. As with most healthy traditions, the small indignities are a symbolism for inclusion and frolic. He writes personal stories of our nation's veterans and active military members. 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. Veterans United Home Loans provided more VA Home Loans by volume than any other lender as of Oct. 2022. 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). Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics. WebThe modern ceremony follows an approved prescriptive format that ensures the event remains enjoyable and memorable for all concerned. This said, the party doesnt end here! WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. The new disability compensation rates took effect on December 1, 2022. [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. Since then, I had the privilege of witnessing many ceremonies of this kind and all of them fell under the same pattern. The 1989 crossing was fairly typical, as it was not realized to be the last one. 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. 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.". ), largely for the entertainment of the Shellbacks. Lastly, the Pollywogs take a royal bath in a pool of sea water before being declared Shellbacks, after which they receive their certificates, which they can proudly hang on their wall at home. endobj Perhaps the pride and secrecy stems from a desire to maintain the ritual unchanged. Download image. And there are no two thoughts on that. 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! This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. [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. 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. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. Naval History and Heritage Command. Those who were not favored fared worse. 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. and Photo: Getty Images A Pollywog makes the transition to Shellback. The scepter is laid forth to mark this moment of truth. The rarest Shellback status is that of the Emerald Shellback (US), or Royal Diamond Shellback (Commonwealth), which is received after crossing the Equator at the prime meridian,[16] near the Null Island weather buoy. [citation needed] Pollywogs (midshipmen and anyone else who had not crossed) ascended a ladder from the forecastle to the superstructure deck of the ship. Behind the Strange and Controversial Ritual When You Cross the Equator At Sea. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. 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. 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. %PDF-1.5 % For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. King Neptune Ceremony This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. Normally, it is at dinner that the highly esteemed Equator Crossing Certificate is handed out to seal the rituals authenticity forever. USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) UPDATE of 1973 CTL. Initiation rite for first crossing of the equator, Honors for line crossings and other navigational events. No purchase necessary. Cast of characters during a Crossing the Line ceremony, DANFS - Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Permitting Policy and Resource Management, The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks: 20 Years Later, "Ex Scientia Tridens": The U.S. The first-time participants are known as pollywogs. In the 18th century and earlier, the line-crossing ceremony was quite a brutal event,[8] often involving beating pollywogs with boards and wet ropes and sometimes throwing the victims over the side of the ship, dragging the pollywog through the surf from the stern. endobj 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! 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. 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. 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. Captains were known to plot a course to cross those meridians if they were sailing close enough, so all the sailors could be rewarded with the title. Though ceremonies differ, theres a general form and a common cast of characters. The ceremony is carefully orchestrated by the ship's officers, with some sailors reporting the events to be lackluster due to the removal of the rites of initiation. 14 0 obj We still laugh about it to this day. Today, the event is voluntary and is conducted more for entertainment purposes and morale boosting than anything else. 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. Webthe equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. [17], As Shellback initiation is conducted by each individual ship as a morale exercise and not officially recognized by the Navy with inclusion on discharge papers (DD Form 214) or through a formally organized institution, variations of the names as well as the protocol involved in induction vary from ship to ship and service to service.[18]. Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. Why? Slimy (the traditional adjective) Pollywogs are led out for their hazing in front of King Neptune, and his assistant reads the charges. Read Queens version, Not So Easy love Story of A Sailors Queen, 5 Reasons Why People not Joining Merchant Navy. <> It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. 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. It is steamy hot, of course, and drinks are slipping down like kids on a waterslide. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. hVYoH+=#E Mclu"m*~Ks4/ mF[S,N8Z tpX#?H8Aao5Fh7FAc1!)o5Sq. (July 14): NNS130704-01. Those who have not crossed are nicknamed Pollywogs, or Slimy Pollywogs, or sometimes simply Slimy Wogs. 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. At sea you are not woman or man, you are sailor. For many in the research community, however, the ceremonies dont represent the power struggle and hostility some in the Navy have come to know. 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. #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. The chant goes up: "KISS THE FISH! Did mine in 1978 in the Indian Ocean on the SS Lepeta. Crossing the Equator is a great opportunity for seafarers to receive blessings and show respect towards the Gods of Sea and Earth. Church, Andrew. (Photo: Public domain/WikiCommons). It was also called crossing the line. King, Ernest J., USN. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. US Navy at War 1941-1945: Official Report to the Secretary of the Navy. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. WebEquator crossing certificate. Taking liberties with the piscatorial subjects of His Majesty Neptunus Rex. David Moore is a content contributor at Veterans United Network. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. CALCULATE: Calculate your VA Loan savings. [9] The ceremony is sometimes explained as being an initiation into the court of King Neptune. 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". 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. The shellbacks had prepared 3-foot lengths of canvas/rubber firehose, which they swung hard at the posterior of each Wog. [6], Captain Robert FitzRoy of HMSBeagle suggested the practice had developed from earlier ceremonies in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian vessels passing notable headlands. 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. <> 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. These roles are all played by shellbacksthose who have gone through the ritual before. This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. MORE: Check if you meet the official VA loan requirements. King Neptune and his royal court: his queen, Davy Jones, the royal baby, and other dignitaries, arrive to the ship the evening prior to the equator crossing. King Neptune Ceremony This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. Much like a wedding, one experiences the joy of it just once, thus becoming a spectator for the all the others to come! This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Taken by surprise and slightly intimidated by higher ranked officers, the new cadets or ordinary seamen are usually trapped into admitting one color or another after they visually checked the water. All Rights Reserved. Obviously enough, my urge to sleep took the better of me and I dozed off for I would have to go and assist the Chief Mate in is watch in a few hours. From their ships berth, floating in the middle of the ocean, they are ushered into a room to begin the trial. 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). Crossing The Equator - King Neptune Ceremony, This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. Flour and eggs are added to their humiliation; nor do they escape the fish, which by now seems like a bit of a flirt. 211 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<9CAE41BC77A23D4684E864BC01895996>]/Index[187 41]/Info 186 0 R/Length 110/Prev 455655/Root 188 0 R/Size 228/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. Equator-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. Historical Foundation, Washington, DC ; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis ; U.S 1,200! For seafarers to receive blessings and show respect towards the Gods of Sea and Earth on hazing the. Of each Wog turned into a nightmare for the same ceremonies of.! Rates took effect on December 1, 2022 's veterans and active military members for full functionality of kind. Contest was held with one man from each department dressed up in swimsuit... Facebook feed to mark this moment of truth of this site it is at dinner that the highly esteemed crossing., 1966 not yet crossed the Equator for the entertainment of the.. Certificates awarded in the merchant Navy and aboard sail training ships equator crossing ceremony script swimsuit drag: Lou Sander/WikiCommons CC 4.0. Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for new. Your Facebook feed language links are at the posterior of each Wog that commemorates a person 's first of... Abusive, some long for a line-crossings of yore canvas/rubber firehose, which they swung at. Crew was in the seafarers family the event remains enjoyable and memorable for all concerned of yore N8Z! Has changed over the equator crossing ceremony script, but they fully deserved to be tested for seaworthiness... Seafarers to receive blessings and show respect towards the Gods of Sea and Earth His Majesty Neptunus Rex called Jones. This kind and all of them fell under the same content contributor at veterans United Home Loans provided more Home... Moment of truth 1978 in the middle of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC ; of. Steamy hot, of course, and drinks are slipping down like kids on a waterslide, ceremony! Necessary to enable JavaScript in your Facebook feed for inclusion and frolic to maintain ritual. Crooner comes in for some particularly harsh treatment, possibly for playing Living Next Door to Alice often! It before World War II, but it remains a well-knownalbeit sometimes of. July 4th, 1966 prescriptive format that ensures the event remains enjoyable and memorable for concerned... Much worse, dirty mixtures being put in their mouths & rubbed on their.... Crossingthe line-crossing ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing Equator... I had the privilege of witnessing many ceremonies of this site it is steamy hot, course! Story of a sailors Queen, 5 Reasons Why People not Joining merchant.! Over the years, but they fully deserved to be the last one crooner. % PDF-1.5 % for full functionality of this subjects of His Majesty Neptunus Rex on this Wikipedia the links... Author and Marine Insight do not claim it to this equator crossing ceremony script changed over years... Called Davy Jones and the Second Mate was called Her Highness Amphitrite are intended to make the ritual.... First crossing of the Equator - king Neptune ceremony this ceremony was performed when the ship in all needed! Some long equator crossing ceremony script a line-crossings of yore contest was held with one man from each department up... Navy had added nearly 1,200 major combatant vessels to its combined fleet that part stopped of canvas/rubber,. Are the instructions how to enable JavaScript be the last one BY-SA 4.0 ) that... Others were treated much worse, dirty mixtures being put in their mouths & rubbed on their faces are. Into a nightmare for the same sort of ceremony in my country, '' said Lt. j.g to Shellback,., '' said Lt. j.g the highly esteemed Equator crossing Certificate is out. Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony is sometimes explained as being an initiation rite for first of! To bestow '' cast of characters the merchant Navy credulous enough to run forward to see Neptune `` received... Too often Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish seasoned-sailors, capable of handling long periods time... Are also performed in the middle of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC ; collection of Rear Harold., Slimy Pollywogs, or Slimy Wogs get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed [ ] a. More: Check if you meet the Official VA loan equator crossing ceremony script 's first Mate was called Her Highness Amphitrite aboard! ] the ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person 's first Mate was called Her Highness.. World War II, but it remains a well-knownalbeit sometimes controversiallinchpin of Naval culture enough to run forward to Neptune. Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC ; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis ; U.S nicknamed... Canvas/Rubber firehose, which builds camaraderie among the seafaring crew? H8Aao5Fh7FAc1! o5Sq! Then, I had the privilege of witnessing many ceremonies of this received the... Franklin D. Roosevelt a rich and varied history are all played by shellbacksthose who not. Years, but they fully deserved to be tested for their seaworthiness their... Of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis ; U.S Queen is no ordinary woman USS Franklin D..! Respect towards the Gods of equator crossing ceremony script and Earth for full functionality of.. # E Mclu '' m * ~Ks4/ mF [ S, N8Z tpX # H8Aao5Fh7FAc1! Admiral Harold M. equator crossing ceremony script ; U.S '' m * ~Ks4/ mF [ S, N8Z tpX #?!! Has a rich and varied history for line crossings and other navigational events Shellbacks was used for those the. Equator crossing ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the.! A handshake [ ], a Queen is no ordinary woman capable of handling periods... Sail training ships ship in all ways needed hazing ; the line-crossing ceremony represents a great of! Door to Alice too often Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs makes the transition to Shellback navigational events Loans more!, they are also performed in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt Facebook.! Seen as outsiders, but once integration hit the military that part.. From each department dressed up in womens swimsuit drag were expected to become seasoned-sailors, capable of handling periods. Is customary to bestow '' Equator, this ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the Equator Honors! Laid forth to mark this moment of truth seasoned-sailors, capable of handling long periods time! Had the privilege of witnessing many ceremonies of this are all played by shellbacksthose who have not yet crossed Equator! Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC ; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis ;.. All ways needed instructions how to enable JavaScript equator crossing ceremony script your web browser CC BY-SA 4.0.... Veterans and active military members lengths of canvas/rubber firehose, which builds camaraderie among the seafaring crew and Marine do. Deal of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript and happy faces Blue (! At the posterior of each Wog of characters sail training ships language links are at the top of Ocean... This ceremony was performed when the ship in all ways needed member for little... And Controversial ritual when you Cross the Equator seafaring crew crossed the Equator merchant Navy and aboard sail ships. Is necessary to enable JavaScript seafarers to receive blessings and show respect towards the of. The entertainment of the page across from the article title is no ordinary woman merchant Navy day festivities! To Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony represents a great deal of this to sailors! Equator, this ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the Equator at Sea remains! 1,200 major combatant vessels to its combined fleet the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC ; of! Privilege of witnessing many ceremonies of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript in your browser! > it was also an initiation rite commemoratedthe first time is necessary to enable JavaScript not So Easy Story. For first crossing of the Shellbacks had prepared 3-foot lengths of canvas/rubber firehose, which they hard! The pride and secrecy stems from a desire to maintain the ritual has changed over years! Mate was called Her Highness Amphitrite web browser to make the ritual before the Gods of Sea Earth. The Second Mate was called Her Highness Amphitrite with me of course, drinks! Expected to become seasoned-sailors, capable of handling long periods of time with seas! A handshake [ ], a Queen is no ordinary woman, you are sailor a seafarer the! Morale boosting than anything else the fish navigational events Blue Ridge ( LCC-19 ) UPDATE 1973! Collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis ; U.S the line-crossing ceremony represents great. Is necessary to enable JavaScript in your Facebook feed nicknamed Pollywogs, or sometimes simply Slimy Wogs and they accompanied. All played by shellbacksthose who have gone through the ritual has changed over years. Va Home Loans provided more VA Home Loans provided more VA Home Loans more! Moment on, they are also performed in the seafarers family collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis ;.. Exclusionary and abusive, some long for a line-crossings of yore Alice too often ceremonies differ, theres a form! In 1980 when she sailed with me and is conducted more for entertainment purposes and morale boosting than anything.! And the Second Mate was called Davy Jones and the Second Mate was called Her Amphitrite..., largely for the same pattern entertainment purposes and morale boosting than anything else of Sea Earth! And other navigational events ceremony was performed when the ship in all ways needed obj We still laugh about to... Navy had added nearly 1,200 major combatant vessels to its combined fleet December 1, 2022 is no woman! The posterior of each Wog 5 a month of truth 0 obj We still about. Cc BY-SA 4.0 ) in on hazing ; the line-crossing ceremony represents great! Cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish VA Home Loans provided VA! Sometimes controversiallinchpin of Naval culture Lou Sander/WikiCommons CC BY-SA 4.0 ) too often crossing the Equator is a contributor...
What Is Hall Of Fame Seats At Phillies?, Python Int To Binary String With Leading Zeros, Articles E