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. This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. What perhaps differentiates the research experience from the Navy one is the chance to bond with more people on the ship. Why fly home from Bali when you can cruise in style? 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. 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. For instance, the ship's captain might play the part of King Neptune himself. Cracking it open at once pertains to long luck and safe seas. 2023 Atlas Obscura. The Navy has spent decades trying to rein in on hazing; the line-crossing ceremony represents a great deal of this. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard have well-established line-crossing rituals. Download image. ", "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. [2] The officer on watch reported a boat ahead, and Captain FitzRoy ordered "hands up, shorten sail". It was also called crossing the line. 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. This amounted to over 70% of the world's total number of military ships measuring 1,000 tons or greater. 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. Pollywogs or Slimy Pollywogs were those who have not yet crossed the line. Most prominently, ocean scientists are known to perform similar ceremonies. %PDF-1.3 Titanic is the best movie that has happened to the world cinema. They never turned into a nightmare for the new comers and they were accompanied only by laughter and happy faces. This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. Anything else the Shellbacks could think of. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. Pollywogs participated voluntarily, though female midshipmen observed that they were under social pressure to do the ceremony but were targets of harder abuse. CALCULATE: Calculate your VA Loan savings. %%EOF WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. (Photo: An illustration of an 1816 line-crossing ceremony aboard the frigate Mduse. Some rites have discussed a role reversal as follows, but this is not always a normal feature, and may be dependent on whether a small number of Shellbacks exist to conduct the initiation. As this scientist put it, everyone on the ship was fine with someone not participating; No one egged her in her sleep., Neptune and his entourage during a Polish line-crossing ceremony. 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. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. King Neptune's First Mate was called Davy Jones and the Second Mate was called Her Highness Amphitrite. Video of 1957 Coast Guard crossing ritual. 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. Columbia, 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. Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. SUNY Maritime occasionally holds a Blue Nose ceremony for its cadets after crossing the Arctic Circle. There, they crawled down a gauntlet of Shellbacks on both sides of a long, heavy canvas runner, about 1012 meters. endobj 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. crossing the equator, Commanding Officer Captain J. Scott Jones, for instance, publicly announced that the USS Bonhomme Richard had a great celebration of this important passage. 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. [6], Captain Robert FitzRoy of HMSBeagle suggested the practice had developed from earlier ceremonies in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian vessels passing notable headlands. #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. King Neptune is a prominent figure, as is his representative Davy Jones. 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. Photo: Getty Images A Pollywog makes the transition to Shellback. Heinous as the accusations are, no one seems too concerned until the royal handmaidens bring out the fish. WebWelcome to Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. We still laugh about it to this day. 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. NH 106226. 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. 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. From Wog to Shellback. U.S. Navy website: http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=75241. Though ceremonies differ, theres a general form and a common cast of characters. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. most of the others were treated much worse, dirty mixtures being put in their mouths & rubbed on their faces. This is how I mostly startmy ship visit. By submitting your email you are agreeing to Nine Publishing's 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. Pollywogs entertain the royal court with a talent show. 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)! At the end of it, the Captain, Chief Engineer and the rest, as a mark of welcoming and respect, congratulate the initiates. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. One former Navy man posted videos of the ritual to YouTube. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. 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. 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. Required fields are marked *. 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. 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. <> 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. In the last decades of the 20th century, the Crossing of the Equator or Equator Crossing Ceremony took the form of a joyous celebration meant to entertain the whole crew, by offering everybody on board a few hours of fun and relaxation. The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. Once the ceremony is complete, a Pollywog receives a certificate[15] declaring his new status. 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 equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. It was also called crossing the line. I remember the shock I had as soon as I discovered that half of the Filipinos on board were gathered there, some of them dressed up like pirates with funny dresses, tattoos, wigs made up from cleaning mops and a whole arsenal of wooden weapons. As appalling as it may seem to shore folk, it is a tradition that makes a man out a fresh cadet or trainee seaman. On Navy cruises everyone is considered a crew member, maintaining the ship in all ways needed. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2010 - 2023 Marine Insight All Rights Reserved. 2013. 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. Pollywogs received subpoenas after crossing the equator and were made to appear before King Neptune and his court. By the end of WW II, the United States Navy had added nearly 1,200 major combatant vessels to its combined fleet. 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. See. hVYoH+=#E Mclu"m*~Ks4/ mF[S,N8Z tpX#?H8Aao5Fh7FAc1!)o5Sq. WebWelcome to Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. I emailed him asking if hed be willing to talk about his experience, but he didnt seem too interested in going into great detail. Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. '03aE,#M5fr0|\fs9_'_-Qrzm"\~+?NUzUwx_|],Lf,[~]lly_e)ETJJ Gz#. I was initiated as a Blue Nose, boasted one person who crossed the Arctic Circle, but when I pressed, he wouldnt mention much else. In her experience, people were given the chance to opt out if they didnt want to participate in the ritual. Its kind of a nice tradition, said one US-based ocean researcher when I asked her about her experience. The first-time participants are known as pollywogs. They then lathered my face & mouth with pitch and paint, & scraped some of it off with a piece of roughened iron hoop. She recalled the innovative costumes and how almost everyone on the ship was involved. The charges brought against him: In 2010, a Line Crossing Ceremony was an international affair. Webthe equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. 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 This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. They perform a variety of activities which might involve wearing their clothes inside out or backwards and crawling across the deck through objectionable debris, often the uneatable breakfast that was served to the Pollywogs. 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. Behind the Strange and Controversial Ritual When You Cross the Equator At Sea. VA disability pay for 2023 increased by 8.7%. NH 106226. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. 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. 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. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. The 90s saw large groups of people balking at its existence. For instance, as Naval backlash increased due to allegations of oppressive line-crossing practices, many officers dug in their heels and vehemently defended the ceremony, despite consequences to their own careers. [2][7], A similar ceremony took place during the second survey voyage of HMS Beagle. Behind the pomp and grandeur of the event is a lot of history. ), largely for the entertainment of the Shellbacks. Once at the anchor, the newly initiated are made to crack open a can of beer on the anchor itself at the first go. p}FEDKS'G,MVLz3+\S:zQoendstream MORE: Check if you meet the official VA loan requirements. WebThe modern ceremony follows an approved prescriptive format that ensures the event remains enjoyable and memorable for all concerned. Wha 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. "Major Combatant Ships Added to United States Fleet, 7 December 1941 - 1 October 1945", ibiblio.org. (Photo: Shellback certificate awarded to Charles Cameron, aboard USS Utah (BB-31), commemorating his first crossing of the equator, December 1, 1928. WebWelcome to Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Directory Offer subject to change without notice. Youwill see old military footage from an actual King Neptune Ceremony. 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. In 1995, a notorious line-crossing ceremony took place on the Royal Australian Navy submarine HMASOnslow. My wife did hers on SS Acavus in 1980 when she sailed with me. Equator Crossing or Baptism Ceremony-All About it. Back in the days of wooden ships, Crossing the Line ceremonies were designed to test young Sailors on their first cruise out in the open sea. 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. privacy policy. The new disability compensation rates took effect on December 1, 2022. Throughout history, line-crossing ceremonies have sometimes become dangerous hazing rituals. Let's look at the minimum credit score for a VA loan and what lenders typically expect. Your email address will not be published. Fortunately no head shaving but the foul mixture was foul in the extreme. Your email address will not be published. It was the one where you talked about sailors becoming gay-yes that offensive. Naval History and Heritage Command. 0 He thought it was beneficial to morale. 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. 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. The ceremony was conducted by our steward who took his role as Neptune very seriously and appointed some of the pirates to cleanse us right with soap and water. Made to kissan axle-greased Royal Babys Belly. WebThis is a continuation of EQUATOR CROSSING CEREMONY PART 1. 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. 2022 by Kin & Kingdoms Books. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. Read about: Joining Ship? Thanks for reading and watching my BLINK. The Star Spangled Shellbacks was used for those crossing the equator on July 4th, 1966. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. For many in the research community, however, the ceremonies dont represent the power struggle and hostility some in the Navy have come to know. Download image. 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. The coverage provoked widespread criticism, especially when the videotape showed some of the submarine's officers watching the entire proceedings from the conning tower. and normally, dipped in the water gathered in the save-all tray! 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. 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 [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. Crossing the Line is nearly as old as seafaring itself; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels. David Moore is a content contributor at Veterans United Network. 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. For instance, blackface was a common element of it before World War II, but once integration hit the military that part stopped. (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. After breakfast, which is made too spicy for the Pollywogs to eat, the accused appear before King Neptune, who sits in judgment. An illustration of an 1816 line-crossing ceremony aboard the frigate Mduse. I had my baptism ceremony nine years ago, in the beautiful waters of the Indian Ocean, somewhere North of the Seychelles Islands, while heading towards the West Coast of Australia. Little did I know what was to happen! The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. It was also called crossing the line. Retrieved June 7, 2017. stream King Neptune Ceremony This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. (Photo:The Field Museum Library/flickr). When the ceremony is organized and supervised by intelligent and kind persons regardless of age, rank or nationality the event takes the form of a happy celebration in which all the crew has a great time. 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.. 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. 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. Check out this weeks video at the bottom. This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. These roles are all played by shellbacksthose who have gone through the ritual before. I remember the shock I had as soon as I discovered that half of the Filipinos on board were gathered there, some of them dressed up like pirates with funny dresses, tattoos, wigs made up from cleaning mops and a whole arsenal of wooden weapons. The shellbacks had prepared 3-foot lengths of canvas/rubber firehose, which they swung hard at the posterior of each Wog. As with most healthy traditions, the small indignities are a symbolism for inclusion and frolic. Another rare status is the Golden Shellback, a person who has crossed the Equator at the 180th meridian. In order to ensure that all the seafarers show their gratitude towards the mighty sea and receive the blessing from Neptune at the beginning of their career and not wait until they have the chance of crossing the Equator, more and more ceremonies are undergone for the first voyage at sea as well. 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. 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. <> 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. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Other milestones such as crossing the Antarctic Circle and deep sea diving have also been adopted in this tradition. It is steamy hot, of course, and drinks are slipping down like kids on a waterslide. The ceremony itself was based on the Court of Neptune, where Shellbacks inducted the Pollywoggers into the mysteries of the deep. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. 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. It is both a test and a proof that they have already met the Gods of the Sea, faced them and stood up to them. Honorable Shellbacks or Sons of Neptune was the namegiven to a sailor who has already crossed the equator. 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. All the same, its not a secret. 187 0 obj <> endobj This is likely because of the bad rap the ceremony has accrued over the years. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. A beauty contest was held with one man from each department dressed up in womens swimsuit drag. Perhaps the pride and secrecy stems from a desire to maintain the ritual unchanged. I wouldnt call it hazing per se, the researcher said. "It is interesting to see how similar our maritime cultures are to one another. The scepter is laid forth to mark this moment of truth. terms and conditions In this case, the whole ceremony can turn into a complete nightmare for the young seamen who would rather forget about the event than recording it in hundreds of photos and movies. During the ceremony, the Pollywogs undergo a number of increasingly embarrassing ordeals (wearing clothing inside out and backwards; crawling on hands and knees on nonskid-coated decks; being swatted with short lengths of firehose; being locked in stocks & pillories and pelted with mushy fruit; being locked in a water coffin of salt-water and bright green sea dye [fluorescent sodium salt]; crawling through chutes or large tubs of rotting garbage; kissing the Royal Baby's belly coated with axle grease, hair chopping, etc. 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. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. All rights reserved. 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. 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. The Pollywogs (also referred to as landlubbers) must be dipped in water for the initiation and passing into the realm of the seas. Firehose, which they swung hard at the 180th meridian their mouths & rubbed on faces... Of WW II, the ship called her Highness Amphitrite was held one. Form and a common element of it before world War II, the researcher said when the ship 's might. Old seafaring tradition? NUzUwx_| ], Lf, [ ~ ] lly_e ) ETJJ Gz # #! Frigate Mduse Bali when you can cruise in style of history the merchant and! 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A beauty contest was held with one man from each department dressed up in womens swimsuit.! Everyone on the royal court with a talent show one man from each department dressed in.
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