Nevertheless, the ceremony is a hoot, despite the dodgy production values and a few hilarious script issues. The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. [citation needed]. NMLS ID #1907 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org), #1 VA Lender: Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and One person, in fact, did. 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. Ste. endstream endobj 188 0 obj <>/Metadata 16 0 R/PageLayout/OneColumn/Pages 185 0 R/StructTreeRoot 25 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 189 0 obj <>/ExtGState<>/Font<>/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Type/Page>> endobj 190 0 obj <>stream Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. 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. Required fields are marked *. Let's look at the minimum credit score for a VA loan and what lenders typically expect. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. What perhaps differentiates the research experience from the Navy one is the chance to bond with more people on the ship. Titanic is the best movie that has happened to the world cinema. hbbd```b``"ZA$Sd&0,4 ,FHXL*H(H2 2 While now its as much a spectacle as it is a test, the line-crossing ceremony reportedly has its roots in practicality. 2023 Atlas Obscura. They then lathered my face & mouth with pitch and paint, & scraped some of it off with a piece of roughened iron hoop. endstream endobj startxref Photo: Getty Images A Pollywog makes the transition to Shellback. NH 106226. This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. VA disability pay for 2023 increased by 8.7%. 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. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. endobj Shellback certificate awarded to Charles Cameron, aboard USS Utah (BB-31), commemorating his first crossing of the equator, December 1, 1928. Webthe equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. 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. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. The ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. 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. It was also called crossing the line. 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. After the ceremony, the Sailors were inducted into the "Solemn Mysteries of the Ancient Order of the Deep" meaning that King Neptune had accepted them as one of his trusty shellbacks. Not affiliated with any government agency. Credit score requirements vary by lender. [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. Your email address will not be published. But their businessis for me no problem. 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. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. 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. 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 how I mostly startmy ship visit. The new disability compensation rates took effect on December 1, 2022. But it was also authorised by Captains to entertain the passengers on merchant ships like the. King Neptune is a prominent figure, as is his representative Davy Jones. 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. A VA approved lender; Not endorsed or sponsored by the Dept. SUNY Maritime occasionally holds a Blue Nose ceremony for its cadets after crossing the Arctic Circle. Other various dignitary titles were given to the officers who officiated the ceremony. Read my comment again Eric. 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. Disclaimer: The views mentioned above are of the author only. 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. And yes, mostly I am welcomed on board. 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! 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. The ship's artist, Augustus Earle, made a sketch of the scene.[5]. The Pollywogs (also referred to as landlubbers) must be dipped in water for the initiation and passing into the realm of the seas. 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. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, too, received a summons to appear before the sea god and pay his respects. 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. From their ships berth, floating in the middle of the ocean, they are ushered into a room to begin the trial. WebWelcome to Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. He thought it was beneficial to morale. It was also called crossing the line. Over the history of researchers hitting the high seas to acquire water samples and observe marine life, there are multiple accounts of ceremonies performed when the ships hit the Equator. The luxury cruise ship that doubles as a science vessel, instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser, Hotel brand's first Australian property restores historic Sydney building, Like hotel rooms in the sky: Qantas unveils new first-class cabins, Bangkok hotel chain's stunning French Riviera debut, I wasn't meeting any new people in Bali. My wife did hers on SS Acavus in 1980 when she sailed with me. Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. 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.". 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. Download image. "Major Combatant Ships Added to United States Fleet, 7 December 1941 - 1 October 1945", ibiblio.org. Mind you, no harm or hurt is involved, however the minor embarrassments must be taken in the right spirit. 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. 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. Naval History and Heritage Command. (Photo: An illustration of an 1816 line-crossing ceremony aboard the frigate Mduse. Crossing the Line is nearly as old as seafaring itself; even in antiquity sailors engaged in rituals when crossing certain parallels. 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. Read about: Joining Ship? The excitement and enthusiasm that prevails among fellow shipmates at the time of conducting the line-crossing ceremony is one that beams of a happy past experience of the same and that of passing on the baton of the art of sailing to newbies. Most prominently, ocean scientists are known to perform similar ceremonies. U.S. sailors and Marines participate in a line-crossing ceremony. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. Download image. This is how #EQUATOR_CROSSING_CEREMONY is celebrated onboard. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). 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. Even so, the ritual has taken up other homes, albeit with distinctly less oppressive undertones. For instance, the ship's captain might play the part of King Neptune himself. With the pollywog to shellback transition complete, a certificate was often awarded to the new shellback as a rite of passage. Then the heads are shaved in the most uneven manner possible (no historical reasoning for it, but personally judging, it is most likely to do with a purging process) and paint is applied at random all over the body (privates aside!). It was also an initiation rite commemorated the first time a sailor crossed over. 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.. 0 Slimy (the traditional adjective) Pollywogs are led out for their hazing in front of King Neptune, and his assistant reads the charges. 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. Interrogations were held by King Neptune and his entourage who used truth serum (aftershave and hot sauce), or whole uncooked eggs in the Pollywoggers mouth. According to Banks, some of those ducked were "grinning and exulting in their hardiness", but others "were almost suffocated". [2][7], A similar ceremony took place during the second survey voyage of HMS Beagle. However, most lenders have similar criteria. Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Directory 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. 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. David Moore is a content contributor at Veterans United Network. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. The charges brought against him: In 2010, a Line Crossing Ceremony was an international affair. According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. Check out this weeks video at the bottom. 7 0 obj The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. However, the essence of it will remain the same. 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. Anyhow, as people on board grow more and more connected with each other by sharing the same interests, leisure activities and hard work this kind of ceremony becomes less and less popular. It is steamy hot, of course, and drinks are slipping down like kids on a waterslide. 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. 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. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard have well-established line-crossing rituals. The first "griffin" was Charles Darwin, who noted in his diary how he "was then placed on a plank, which could be easily tilted up into a large bath of water. stream [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. What proceeds is a day of festivities, which builds camaraderie among the seafaring crew. The scepter is laid forth to mark this moment of truth. WebWelcome to Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. After breakfast, which is made too spicy for the Pollywogs to eat, the accused appear before King Neptune, who sits in judgment. But it was also authorised by Captains to entertain the passengers on merchant ships like the Ashmore. Normally, it is at dinner that the highly esteemed Equator Crossing Certificate is handed out to seal the rituals authenticity forever. 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). Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Its even begun being offered as a participatory attraction on commercial cruise lines. 767 They were all there waiting for me and for two other cadets who were lucky enough to cross the line during their first voyage at sea. terms and conditions (Photo:Lou Sander/WikiCommons CC BY-SA 4.0). Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Ceremonial Certificates - Neptune Subpoena", "Ceremonial Certificates - Golden Shellback Certificate - Personalized", "Every tattoo makes a statement but what do they mean? At the end of it, the Captain, Chief Engineer and the rest, as a mark of welcoming and respect, congratulate the initiates. Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. From that moment on, they are no longer seen as outsiders, but they fully deserved to be included in the seafarers family. Retrieved June 7, 2017. 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. FitzRoy quoted Otto von Kotzebue's 1830 description in his 1839 Narrative of the Surveying Voyages of His Majesty's Ships Adventure and Beagle between the Years 1826 and 1836. The first-time participants are known as pollywogs. 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. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. This power asymmetry played a role in the ritual, showcasing innate naval biases. Cracking it open at once pertains to long luck and safe seas. 187 0 obj <> endobj 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. 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. 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. The chant goes up: "KISS THE FISH! Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. 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. KISS THE FISH!" They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. The Schooner Bar pianist and crooner comes in for some particularly harsh treatment, possibly for playing Living Next Door to Alice too often. As they approached the equator on the evening of 16 February 1832, a pseudo-Neptune hailed the ship. Then, they are offered a glass of red liquid a combination of sea water and spices which must be drunk thoroughly. The Greenwich Meridian didn't become the International standard until 1884, two years after the Ashmore crossed the equator. ", "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. Using a speaking trumpet he questioned Neptune, who would visit them the next morning. <> WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite that commemorates a sailors first crossing of the Equator. The transition flows from established order to the "controlled chaos" of the Pollywog Revolt, the beginnings of re-order in the initiation rite as the fewer but experienced enlisted crew converts the Wogs through physical tests, then back to, and thereby affirming, the pre-established order of officers and enlisted. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. 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. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. <> By the end of WW II, the United States Navy had added nearly 1,200 major combatant vessels to its combined fleet. Copyright 2023 Mortgage Research Center, LLC. 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. King Neptune Ceremony This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. Much like a wedding, one experiences the joy of it just once, thus becoming a spectator for the all the others to come! Its kind of a nice tradition, said one US-based ocean researcher when I asked her about her experience. 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. 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. Other milestones such as crossing the Antarctic Circle and deep sea diving have also been adopted in this tradition. The seamen who have already crossed the equator are referred to as Shellbacks (or, Sons Of Neptune) and those who havent are called Pollywogs. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. Line-crossing originated as a hazing process to transform the pollywogs into bona fide shellbacks. % It starts at night. 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. 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. Our modern practice is believed to have evolved from Viking rituals, executed upon crossing the 30th parallel, a tradition [3][4], In the Royal Canadian Navy, those who have not yet crossed the equator are nicknamed Tadpoles, or Dirty Tadpoles; an earlier nickname was griffins. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The crew were expected to become seasoned-sailors, capable of handling long periods of time with rough seas. 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. 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. 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. [citation needed] The Wogs are made very aware that it will be much harder on them if they do anything like this. 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. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. The Line Crossing Ceremony might just be the most interesting of today's naval traditions. Why? All-Time Lows: According to interest rates published on July 31, 2020, on FreddieMac.com. #ashmore #sailingships #tallships #youngadult #historicalfiction #truestory #captain #shipsurgeon #interactiveadventure #kiwiauthor #immigration #youngadultfiction #kingneptune #ceremony #crossingthequator #shellbacks #pollywoggers #sonsofneptune. Dancing, song, skits or poetry count among the merriment. According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. On the open sea, even the leader of a great nation must answer to King Neptune. From Wog to Shellback. U.S. Navy website: http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=75241. (July 14): NNS130704-01. All rights reserved. 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. 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Research experience from the Navy one is the chance to bond with more people on the evening of February! Be drunk thoroughly some particularly harsh treatment, possibly for playing Living Next Door Alice... World 's hidden wonders brought against him: in 2010, a Line crossing ceremony just. Be the most interesting of today 's Naval traditions best movie that happened... And a few hilarious script issues terms and conditions ( equator crossing ceremony script: Getty Images a Pollywog makes transition... Crossingthe line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person 's first crossing of the equator for the time... The Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC ; collection of Rear Admiral M.! Illustration of an 1816 line-crossing ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing equator! The equator crooner comes in for some particularly harsh treatment, possibly for playing Living Next Door to too. 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