xWMo0W$NHP3lK[miP2c'g=VB"=d3q3oLP\.X~bSFK Crossing the Line is nearly as old as seafaring itself; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels. See the current VA disability pay charts, and calculate your monthly compensation. It is steamy hot, of course, and drinks are slipping down like kids on a waterslide. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. Made to kissan axle-greased Royal Babys Belly. "We have the same sort of ceremony in my country," said Lt. j.g. Webthe equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. (Photo:Lou Sander/WikiCommons CC BY-SA 4.0). They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. His interests primarily lie in the energy sector, books and travelling. Pollywogs received subpoenas after crossing the equator and were made to appear before King Neptune and his court. Using a speaking trumpet he questioned Neptune, who would visit them the next morning. Thanks for reading and watching my BLINK. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. stream King Neptune decrees the "lowly, scum-sucking Pollywogs must kiss the royal 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). WebEquator crossing certificate. 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 Your email address will not be published. WebEquator crossing certificate. The writer was a guest of Royal Caribbean Cruises. WebThis is a continuation of EQUATOR CROSSING CEREMONY PART 1. 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. 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. 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. VA-approved lender. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 731|+pvwX` I contacted many people while researching this vessel, who would quickly and proudly mention the various lines they crossed but then shut down further questioning. The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. 6 0 obj Shilavadra Bhattacharjee is a shipbroker with a background in commercial operations after having sailed onboard as a Third Officer. hb```>VB eaX;f8L/```b^22jtsVP 6z k$}`+9Vxyo Nk1TO4# }/$ 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.. It was also called crossing the line. 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. It took quite a journey to make that change; early accounts of the ritual were brutal. 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. 7 0 obj endobj But though these changes are intended to make the ritual less exclusionary and abusive, some long for a line-crossings of yore. This said, the party doesnt end here! 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. By submitting your email you are agreeing to Nine Publishing's This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. 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. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. These roles are all played by shellbacksthose who have gone through the ritual before. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. 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. This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. This amounted to over 70% of the world's total number of military ships measuring 1,000 tons or greater. 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. He writes personal stories of our nation's veterans and active military members. 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. In her experience, people were given the chance to opt out if they didnt want to participate in the ritual. 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. The new disability compensation rates took effect on December 1, 2022. [citation needed]. One former Navy man posted videos of the ritual to YouTube. U.S. sailors and Marines participate in a line-crossing ceremony. of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. Wha 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. Little did I know what was to happen! It was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. NMLS ID #1907 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org), #1 VA Lender: Since then, I had the privilege of witnessing many ceremonies of this kind and all of them fell under the same pattern. Behind the pomp and grandeur of the event is a lot of history. 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. Other milestones such as crossing the Antarctic Circle and deep sea diving have also been adopted in this tradition. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. %PDF-1.3 Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. [1] The tradition may have originated with ceremonies when passing headlands, and become a "folly" sanctioned as a boost to morale,[2] or have been created as a test for seasoned sailors to ensure their new shipmates were capable of handling long, rough voyages. 11 0 obj 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. Columbia, 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. 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. Initiation rite for first crossing of the equator, Honors for line crossings and other navigational events. 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." As with most healthy traditions, the small indignities are a symbolism for inclusion and frolic. Those who have not crossed are nicknamed Pollywogs, or Slimy Pollywogs, or sometimes simply Slimy Wogs. [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. As they approached the equator on the evening of 16 February 1832, a pseudo-Neptune hailed the ship. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. 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. Perhaps Neptunes approval doesnt depend on harassment. 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. The Schooner Bar pianist and crooner comes in for some particularly harsh treatment, possibly for playing Living Next Door to Alice too often. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. The coverage provoked widespread criticism, especially when the videotape showed some of the submarine's officers watching the entire proceedings from the conning tower. 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. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). ), largely for the entertainment of the Shellbacks. 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 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. Dancing, song, skits or poetry count among the merriment. Hersh writes: Pollywogs who are disliked, or who are suspected of being gay, receive especially harsh treatment, while favored wogs or high-ranking wogs are often pulled out of the ritual early, or are permitted to go through it without too much harassment.. ;x.T`f\%e:pJ+*n h= [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]. Not affiliated with any government agency. On Navy cruises everyone is considered a crew member, maintaining the ship in all ways needed. The first-time participants are known as pollywogs. When the ceremonies were first conducted, they were physically challenging and could even be painful or embarrassing to the Sailors. The Star Spangled Shellbacks was used for those crossing the equator on July 4th, 1966. Winner will be selected at random on 04/01/2023. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. Crossing The Equator - King Neptune Ceremony, This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. 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. With the pollywog to shellback transition complete, a certificate was often awarded to the new shellback as a rite of passage. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. 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. A videotape of the ceremony was obtained by the Nine Network and aired on Australian television. I wouldnt call it hazing per se, the researcher said. Fortunately no head shaving but the foul mixture was foul in the extreme. '03aE,#M5fr0|\fs9_'_-Qrzm"\~+?NUzUwx_|],Lf,[~]lly_e)ETJJ Gz#. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. But it was also authorised by Captains to entertain the passengers on merchant ships like the. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. The memory of the event sticks with people. Seafarers may cross the Equator after many years of sailing both the North and South Hemispheres, but in different voyages as they can join a ship in the North and spend as much as nine months travelling the seas in the same part of the Equator, or they can do this in the South without the possibility of crossing the line by vessel. 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. endobj It was also called crossing the line. 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. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. King Neptune Ceremony This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. The 1989 crossing was fairly typical, as it was not realized to be the last one. 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