The new disability compensation rates took effect on December 1, 2022. Those credulous enough to run forward to see Neptune "were received with the watery honours which it is customary to bestow". Ste. 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. 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. 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. No purchase necessary. (Photo:Lou Sander/WikiCommons CC BY-SA 4.0). Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Directory Mind you, no harm or hurt is involved, however the minor embarrassments must be taken in the right spirit. In more than one instance, sailors were reported to have been killed while participating in a line-crossing ceremony. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. <> Crossing The Equator - King Neptune Ceremony, This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. Equator-crossing ceremonies, typically featuring King Neptune, are also sometimes carried out for passengers' entertainment on civilian ocean liners and privacy policy. But line-crossing has expanded to other corners of seafaring culture, including the unlikely place of scientific research cruises. I remember going back to my cabin at 1200 hrs after completing some important deck work. 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. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. WebThis is a continuation of EQUATOR CROSSING CEREMONY PART 1. 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. 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? The shellbacks had prepared 3-foot lengths of canvas/rubber firehose, which they swung hard at the posterior of each Wog. Though ceremonies differ, theres a general form and a common cast of characters. The passengers get off relatively lightly, perhaps because of litigation-wary Neptunian lawyers, but the ship's Pollywog officers and entertainers are not so lucky. 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. 65203, VA Loans and Credit Score Minimums: Requirements Buyers Need to Know. 0
This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. Even commercial cruise lines have been known to host some parts of the ritual. An illustration of an 1816 line-crossing ceremony aboard the frigate Mduse. 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. They are also performed in the merchant navy and aboard sail training ships. endobj King Neptune Ceremony This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. 2023 New Year, New Home $75K Veteran Homebuyer Giveaway, the Sirens and Sea Monsters of the Odyssey, Check if you meet the official VA loan requirements, Department of Veterans Affairs Lender Statistics, Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System & Directory. Heinous as the accusations are, no one seems too concerned until the royal handmaidens bring out the fish. (Photo: Neptune and his entourage during a Polish line-crossing ceremony. This line-crossing lunacy was sanctioned to boost sailors spirits. 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. WebWelcome to Equator CrossingThe line-crossing ceremony is an initiation rite that commemorates a person's first crossing of the Equator. t a terrible thing it would be if a Navy man became gay. 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. As with most healthy traditions, the small indignities are a symbolism for inclusion and frolic. The crew was in the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. for more information. 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. So, you are [], Ahoy Ahoy, Port Chaplain coming on board. 10 Interesting Facts About Titanic Ship You Dont Know, Port Chaplain Tells His Experience of Meeting Seafarers, Why Sailor Wife is Called as Queen: Read This, A Sailor Queen Awaits His Arrival After An Extended Contract, Iamdatingasailor-Thesearethechangesinmylife, Spouse Onboard-is it a Good idea? Most modern navies have instituted regulations that prohibit physical attacks on sailors undergoing the line-crossing ceremony. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. stream King Neptune goes to make an earnest speech and accepts the ushering of the sailor into the sea under the auspice of Her Majesty! 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. Dancing, song, skits or poetry count among the merriment. According to Banks, some of those ducked were "grinning and exulting in their hardiness", but others "were almost suffocated". All rights reserved. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. Anyone inducted is quick to say they are part of this Order, but resistant to go into more detail. 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. 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. The Royal Canadian Navy named them Tadpoles or Griffins. endobj Other people often show up, including a surgeon, a barber, people dressed as bears, and a judge. Anything else the Shellbacks could think of. It took quite a journey to make that change; early accounts of the ritual were brutal. Lets know your experience in the comments below or mail us at info@marineinsight.com. "We have the same sort of ceremony in my country," said Lt. j.g. This ceremony was performed when the ship crossed the equator. Maine 's commanding officer greets King Neptune and Royal Party at beginning of equator crossing ceremonies. 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 scientist I spoke to was also proud of her line-crossing, describing it as really positive. But from her account, the experience seems to have been an inclusive, constructive one, fully compatible with what the Navy member called political correctness. The Equator Crossing Ceremony is an age-old tradition to commemorate a seafarer crossing the equator for the first time. They are being summoned into Neptunes Court for crimes theyve committed against the god. Learn how your comment data is processed. The ceremony is a long-standing tradition of initiation that commemorates a sailors first time crossing of the equator. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). The ceremony is carefully orchestrated by the ship's officers, with some sailors reporting the events to be lackluster due to the removal of the rites of initiation. The scepter is laid forth to mark this moment of truth. In her experience, people were given the chance to opt out if they didnt want to participate in the ritual. Why fly home from Bali when you can cruise in style? Video of 1957 Coast Guard crossing 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 controlled order often turned to chaos if a Pollywog revolt began. But it was also authorised by Captains to entertain the passengers on merchant ships like the. She is a symbol of strength, love, patience, responsibility, beauty, happiness and honesty. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. %PDF-1.5
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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. Much like a wedding, one experiences the joy of it just once, thus becoming a spectator for the all the others to come! The Pollywogs are put through some physical tests to be initiated into the ancient mysteries of the deep! Get the latest news and updates emailed straight to your inbox. 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. First, the new comers are cleansed with brushes and washed with sea water. 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. 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. Perhaps the most famous scientist to be initiated was Charles Darwin, who wrote about it in his diary. %%EOF
For many in the research community, however, the ceremonies dont represent the power struggle and hostility some in the Navy have come to know. The Pollywogs (also referred to as landlubbers) must be dipped in water for the initiation and passing into the realm of the seas. 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. As they approached the equator on the evening of 16 February 1832, a pseudo-Neptune hailed the ship. 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. Disclaimer: The views mentioned above are of the author only. 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