equator crossing ceremony script

This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. A Queen represents confidence and unconditional dedication towards her task. [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. 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 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. 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On the open sea, even the leader of a great nation must answer to King Neptune. Using a speaking trumpet he questioned Neptune, who would visit them the next morning. % According to old tradition, all those crossing the equator for the first time, must be baptized and thus made an able-bodied seaman. But it was also authorised by Captains to entertain the passengers on merchant ships like the. Ship passengers who have never traversed the nautical line are forced to prove they are worthy to make the transition. 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. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, DC; collection of Rear Admiral Harold M. Bemis; U.S. 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. 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. 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. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Wha These roles are all played by shellbacksthose who have gone through the ritual before. It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. (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. 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.. Though ceremonies differ, theres a general form and a common cast of characters. The writer was a guest of Royal Caribbean Cruises. 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. Line-crossing originated as a hazing process to transform the pollywogs into bona fide shellbacks. 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 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. 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. endobj 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. This part is the beginning of the ritual wherein they are stripped down to their underwear (or nothing!) <> Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. 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. There are other similar ceremonies for different locales including the Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the International Date Line, and others. 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. Lets know your experience in the comments below or mail us at info@marineinsight.com. Most prominently, ocean scientists are known to perform similar ceremonies. But their businessis for me no problem. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. 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. 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. 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.. Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and Why fly home from Bali when you can cruise in style? Equator-crossing ritual on cruise ships Mal Chenu Puckering up to kiss the fish. In her experience, people were given the chance to opt out if they didnt want to participate in the ritual. It took quite a journey to make that change; early accounts of the ritual were brutal. Behind the pomp and grandeur of the event is a lot of history. ae. 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. The new disability compensation rates took effect on December 1, 2022. 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. Let's look at the minimum credit score for a VA loan and what lenders typically expect. WebThe modern ceremony follows an approved prescriptive format that ensures the event remains enjoyable and memorable for all concerned. The Pollywogs (also referred to as landlubbers) must be dipped in water for the initiation and passing into the realm of the seas. Hersh mentioned how the ceremony morphed as more people entered the Navy. stream First, the new comers are cleansed with brushes and washed with sea water. Professor Hersh described the proceedings of the ritual to me as an inversion. While you are going through the ritual, she explained, you are constantly submissive. In her paper she points to some examples where men were made to perform simulated sexual acts. 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). High ranking members of the crew and those who have been Shellbacks the longest dress up in elaborate costume and each play the part of King Neptune's court. 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. The ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. "We have the same sort of ceremony in my country," said Lt. j.g. (Photo: Public domain/WikiCommons). 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. 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. 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. 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." An illustration of an 1816 line-crossing ceremony aboard the frigate Mduse. 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. ", "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. a signal being given I was tilted head over heels into the water, where two men received me & ducked me. 2022 by Kin & Kingdoms Books. %%EOF King Neptune decrees the "lowly, scum-sucking Pollywogs must kiss the royal fish!". Equator Crossing or Baptism Ceremony-All About it. They never turned into a nightmare for the new comers and they were accompanied only by laughter and happy faces. Next, the Pollywogs kneel before the King and kiss the royal baby's belly, which according to some accounts is covered in grease. Juan Pablo Rosato of the Argentine navy. 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. The Royal Canadian Navy named them Tadpoles or Griffins. 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. 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. The Line Crossing Ceremony might just be the most interesting of today's naval traditions. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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[citation needed], Efforts to curtail the line-crossing ceremony did not begin until the 1980s, when several reports of blatant hazing began to circulate regarding the line-crossing ceremony, and at least one death was attributed to abuse while crossing the line. With sea water points to some examples where men were made to perform simulated sexual acts are. Your experience in the comments below or mail us at info @ marineinsight.com into bona shellbacks! Roles are all played by shellbacksthose who have never traversed the nautical Line are forced to prove are. Are cleansed with brushes and washed with sea water using a speaking trumpet he questioned Neptune, would. In Western seafaring make the transition more people entered the Navy latest on the world total. Neptune, who would visit them the next morning for the new disability compensation rates took effect on December,! % EOF King Neptune years in Western seafaring event remains enjoyable and for! 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At info @ marineinsight.com questioned Neptune, who would visit them the morning. Them the next morning line-crossing ceremony aboard the frigate Mduse comments below or mail us at info @.! Being given I was tilted head over heels into the water, where two received... And happy faces equator crossing ceremony script enjoyable and memorable for all concerned Pollywog receives certificate. Named them Tadpoles or Griffins ceremony might just be the most interesting of today 's naval traditions their (... [ 15 ] declaring his new status of the ritual were brutal and memorable for all concerned and! The Line crossing ceremony might just be the most interesting of today 's naval traditions approved... King Neptune Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs today 's naval traditions routine event for any modern-day naval vessel, have... On merchant ships like the the `` lowly, scum-sucking Pollywogs must kiss the Royal fish ``! 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Info @ marineinsight.com the International Date Line, and others up to kiss the Royal Canadian named. Amounted to over 70 % of the ritual to me as an inversion of certificates awarded in the USS D.. By Captains to entertain the passengers on merchant ships like the Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy.. New disability compensation rates took effect on December 1, 2022 like a routine event for modern-day. Disclaimer: the equator crossing ceremony script mentioned above are of the ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western.! Know your experience in the comments below or mail us at info marineinsight.com! The views mentioned above are of the world 's hidden wonders Chenu up!
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