NH 106226. 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. Once you are initiated, Hersh told me, you are then in the masculine position If youre a woman that doesnt make sense. As the battle to include women on long-term Navy cruises ramped upalong with the campaign to end Dont Ask Dont Tellso too began a huge backlash against the age old ceremony. Much like a wedding, one experiences the joy of it just once, thus becoming a spectator for the all the others to come! 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 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. 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.. Because I know with a smile and a handshake [], A Queen is no ordinary woman. 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. [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. For a while, said Hersh, some boats tried to stop the ceremonies from even happening. NH 106226. %PDF-1.5 % The Pollywogs (also referred to as landlubbers) must be dipped in water for the initiation and passing into the realm of the seas. Licensed in all 50 states. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics. [citation needed]. Taking liberties with the piscatorial subjects of His Majesty Neptunus Rex. 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. <> Other various dignitary titles were given to the officers who officiated the 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. 14 0 obj No one is really sure when or how the Line Crossing Ceremony, "Order of Neptune", came about. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. As with most healthy traditions, the small indignities are a symbolism for inclusion and frolic. % It was also an initiation rite commemoratedthe first time a sailor crossed over. of Veterans Affairs or any government agency. For many in the research community, however, the ceremonies dont represent the power struggle and hostility some in the Navy have come to know. 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. There are other similar ceremonies for different locales including the Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the International Date Line, and others. "Major Combatant Ships Added to United States Fleet, 7 December 1941 - 1 October 1945", ibiblio.org. It was also an initiation rite commemoratedthe first time a sailor crossed over. 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. While now its as much a spectacle as it is a test, the line-crossing ceremony reportedly has its roots in practicality. Crawling through long containers filled withrotten garbage. WebThis is a continuation of EQUATOR CROSSING CEREMONY PART 1. What is Maritime English and Why It Is Important? Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and Perhaps Neptunes approval doesnt depend on harassment. 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. But it was also authorised by Captains to entertain the passengers on merchant ships like the. 0 Newbies are called Pollywogs, Slimy Pollywogs or Slimy Wogs. 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. Pollywogs entertain the royal court with a talent show. Reflecting the popularity of tattoos among sailors, some people choose to get tattoos to mark that they have participated in a ceremony, such as an image of a shellback turtle or King Neptune. Required fields are marked *. The writer was a guest of Royal Caribbean Cruises. [citation needed] The Wogs are made very aware that it will be much harder on them if they do anything like this. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. I wouldnt call it hazing per se, the researcher said. Then, they are offered a glass of red liquid a combination of sea water and spices which must be drunk thoroughly. Photo: Getty Images A Pollywog makes the transition to Shellback. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. Initiation rite for first crossing of the equator, Honors for line crossings and other navigational events. 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. Made to kissan axle-greased Royal Babys Belly. Webthe equator, this ceremony has a rich and varied history. Juan Pablo Rosato of the Argentine navy. 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. Once at the anchor, the newly initiated are made to crack open a can of beer on the anchor itself at the first go. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. 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. From their ships berth, floating in the middle of the ocean, they are ushered into a room to begin the trial. (July 14): NNS130704-01. The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight. 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. 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. When the ceremonies were first conducted, they were physically challenging and could even be painful or embarrassing to the Sailors. 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). As appalling as it may seem to shore folk, it is a tradition that makes a man out a fresh cadet or trainee seaman. 2013. The Star Spangled Shellbacks was used for those crossing the equator on July 4th, 1966. (Photo:Lou Sander/WikiCommons CC BY-SA 4.0). 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. USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) UPDATE of 1973 CTL. Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and 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. All rights reserved. Video of 1957 Coast Guard crossing ritual. 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. Another rare status is the Golden Shellback, a person who has crossed the Equator at the 180th meridian. This is likely because of the bad rap the ceremony has accrued over the years. This is typical of certificates awarded in the pre-WWII period. The ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. Their most recent ceremony was during the summer of 2019, on the TSES VI, held shortly after departing Reykjavik. What you should not forget. Pollywogs participated voluntarily, though female midshipmen observed that they were under social pressure to do the ceremony but were targets of harder abuse. WebThe ritual dates back at least 400 years in Western seafaring. 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 Let's look at the minimum credit score for a VA loan and what lenders typically expect. But line-crossing has expanded to other corners of seafaring culture, including the unlikely place of scientific research cruises. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. One sailor was then sexually assaulted with a long stick before all sailors undergoing the ceremony were forced to jump overboard and tread water until permitted to climb back aboard the submarine. 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. Source: Download image. So we though lets compile one of those facts about titanic ship that probably you are unaware of. Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. WebWelcome to Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. [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. [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. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. Our modern practice is believed to have evolved from Viking rituals, executed upon crossing the 30th parallel, a tradition Myriad approaches to conducting the ceremony will yield myriad accounts. Line-crossing Ceremony: Homophobic or Homoerotic? (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. It was also called crossing the line. 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. This is the beginning of a line-crossing ceremony, a centuries-old ritual to inaugurate Equator-crossing virgins. He writes personal stories of our nation's veterans and active military members. One person, in fact, did. WebThe ceremony of Crossing the Line an old seafaring tradition. 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). Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and Perhaps the pride and secrecy stems from a desire to maintain the ritual unchanged. Honorable Shellbacks or Sons of Neptune was the namegiven to a sailor who has already crossed the equator. Credit score requirements vary by lender. 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.. The Navy has spent decades trying to rein in on hazing; the line-crossing ceremony represents a great deal of this. Our modern practice is believed to have evolved from Viking rituals, executed upon crossing the 30th parallel, a tradition most of the others were treated much worse, dirty mixtures being put in their mouths & rubbed on their faces. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. A Neptune party to celebrate crossing the equator, 1923. and It was also called crossing the line. 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. The first-time participants are known as pollywogs. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard have well-established line-crossing rituals. Sailors and Marines from the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Peru and Uruguay crossed the equator together aboard the USS New Orleans. Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. The ritual is the subject of a painting by Matthew Benedict named The Mariner's Baptism and of a 1961 book by Henning Henningsen named Crossing the Equator: Sailor's Baptism and Other Initiation Rites. 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