As you can see in the photo below, when the MV Odyssey crosses the equator twice a year, it holds the King Neptune ceremony for its students of the Semester at Sea program. 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 views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendation on any course of action to be followed by the reader. Initiation rite for first crossing of the equator, Honors for line crossings and other navigational events. 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. King Neptune Ceremony This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. Equator Crossing or Baptism Ceremony-All About it. Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. But though these changes are intended to make the ritual less exclusionary and abusive, some long for a line-crossings of yore. So, you are [], Ahoy Ahoy, Port Chaplain coming on board. Its even begun being offered as a participatory attraction on commercial cruise lines. This is likely because of the bad rap the ceremony has accrued over the years. 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.". stream King Neptune Ceremony on board the Polish shipChrzest Rwnikowy. I remember going back to my cabin at 1200 hrs after completing some important deck work. Crossing the Line is nearly as old as seafaring itself; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels. 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. Juan Pablo Rosato of the Argentine navy. The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight. 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. When the ceremonies were first conducted, they were physically challenging and could even be painful or embarrassing to the Sailors. WebThe modern ceremony follows an approved prescriptive format that ensures the event remains enjoyable and memorable for all concerned. 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. The chant goes up: "KISS THE FISH! 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. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. Naval History and Heritage Command. Your email address will not be published. 767 They also were made to sufferembarrassing ordeals including: Being swatted with a fire hose while on their hands and knees, Locked in stocks and pelted with mushy fruit, Locked in a salt-water coffin with a bright green die made of a fluorescent sodium salt. xWMo0W$NHP3lK[miP2c'g=VB"=d3q3oLP\.X~bSFK He writes personal stories of our nation's veterans and active military members. The ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. KISS THE FISH!" 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. Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Directory Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. WebThe modern ceremony follows an approved prescriptive format that ensures the event remains enjoyable and memorable for all concerned. 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. 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. 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. It was also called crossing the line. at last, glad enough, I escaped. Another rare status is the Golden Shellback, a person who has crossed the Equator at the 180th meridian. 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. Columbia, The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. However, the essence of it will remain the same. Perhaps the most famous scientist to be initiated was Charles Darwin, who wrote about it in his diary. [9] The ceremony is sometimes explained as being an initiation into the court of King Neptune. She is a symbol of strength, love, patience, responsibility, beauty, happiness and honesty. 10 Interesting Facts About Titanic Ship You Dont Know, Port Chaplain Tells His Experience of Meeting Seafarers, Why Sailor Wife is Called as Queen: Read This, A Sailor Queen Awaits His Arrival After An Extended Contract, Iamdatingasailor-Thesearethechangesinmylife, Spouse Onboard-is it a Good idea? WebEquator crossing certificate. 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. 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. King Neptune is said to be the ruler of the seas and this entire shindig is orchestrated to appease the King by showing Him respect, to keep a sailor away from the perils of the sea and to bring good luck. Get the latest news and updates emailed straight to your inbox. Those who were not favored fared worse. 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. The Pollywogs are accused of various atrocities and crimes against humanity, including pushing in at the buffet, singing karaoke out of tune and dancing without rhythm. (Photo: Public domain/WikiCommons). Read about: Joining Ship? stream 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. 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.. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. 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. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. Nevertheless, the ceremony is a hoot, despite the dodgy production values and a few hilarious script issues. This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. A feast is prepared at night for dinner with thorough fanfare. It was also an initiation rite commemoratedthe first time a sailor crossed over. After breakfast, which is made too spicy for the Pollywogs to eat, the accused appear before King Neptune, who sits in judgment. 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! 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. 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). Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. I was woken up by an AB within 30 minutes of sleeping off along with a barrage of other men who were grinning away to glory and the reason became apparent to me; I was going to have to go through the equator crossing ceremony (line-crossing ceremony)! endobj Officers rebelled and did it anyway, which ultimately led to court martials. Many naval traditions, from the Sirens and Sea Monsters of the Odyssey to the boatswain's call, date back hundreds and even thousands of years. When a ship crosses the equator, King Neptune comes aboard to exercise authority over his domain and to judge charges brought against Pollywogs that they are only posing as sailors and haven't paid proper homage to the god of the sea. 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. 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". Source: But line-crossing has expanded to other corners of seafaring culture, including the unlikely place of scientific research cruises. This is how I mostly startmy ship visit. For instance, the ship's captain might play the part of King Neptune himself. It was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. In a different iteration in Voyager's galley these ingredients could comprise a tasty fishcake recipe, but not today. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. "We have the same sort of ceremony in my country," said Lt. j.g. 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. 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. One former Navy man posted videos of the ritual to YouTube. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. [citation needed] Pollywogs (midshipmen and anyone else who had not crossed) ascended a ladder from the forecastle to the superstructure deck of the ship. ae. CALCULATE: Calculate your VA Loan savings. She is the one to whom all other woman look up to. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. Mind you, no harm or hurt is involved, however the minor embarrassments must be taken in the right spirit. Ship passengers who have never traversed the nautical line are forced to prove they are worthy to make the transition. As with most healthy traditions, the small indignities are a symbolism for inclusion and frolic. The Navy has spent decades trying to rein in on hazing; the line-crossing ceremony represents a great deal of this. According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. WebWelcome to Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. 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. Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. Normally theres some separation between these groups, but during the line-crossing ceremony everyone is involved, be they scientist or crew. <> Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. 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. Pollywogs received subpoenas after crossing the equator and were made to appear before King Neptune and his court. (Photo: Public domain/WikiCommons). 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. 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 was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. 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. 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 Most prominently, ocean scientists are known to perform similar ceremonies. "It is interesting to see how similar our maritime cultures are to one another. 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. Heinous as the accusations are, no one seems too concerned until the royal handmaidens bring out the fish. 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. 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. 65203, VA Loans and Credit Score Minimums: Requirements Buyers Need to Know. This having completed, an entire round of the shop is taken to commemorate the event altogether. The ship's artist, Augustus Earle, made a sketch of the scene.[5]. Little did I know what was to happen! No one is really sure when or how the Line Crossing Ceremony, "Order of Neptune", came about. 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. Naval History and Heritage Command. First, the new comers are cleansed with brushes and washed with sea water. 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