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. … For instance, the ship’s captain might play the part of King Neptune himself.
Can a marine become a Shellback?
Sailors and Marines who never crossed the line before, called “pollywogs,” had the opportunity to become “shellbacks”
after “crossing the line
.” Pollywogs, or wogs for short, were inducted as shellbacks by completing a series of obstacles and games while singing nautical-inspired songs and military cadences.
What do sailors do when they cross the equator?
Baptism on the line
, also called equatorial baptism, is an alternative initiation ritual sometimes performed as a ship crosses the Equator, involving water baptism of passengers or crew who have never crossed the Equator before. The ceremony is sometimes explained as being an initiation into the court of King Neptune.
Can you cross the equator?
Although crossing the equator may seem like a routine event for any modern-day naval vessel,
navies
have celebrated the time-honored tradition for centuries. 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.
What is Equator crossing ceremony on ship?
Equator crossing or the line crossing ceremony is
a centuries-old ritual to inaugurate seafarers who have never crossed the Equator, the imaginary line on the Earth’s surface
. Began with the Navy over 400 years ago, the tradition is aimed to let Equator-crossing virgins to prove they are worthy to make the transition.
Why is it called a Shellback?
SHELLBACKS – A PROUD NAVAL HISTORY
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. It was
a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness
.
What is a Golden Shellback mean?
In the U.S. Navy, when a ship crosses the equator a time-honored ceremony takes place. This is a Navy tradition and an event no sailor ever forgets. … A Golden Shellback is
one who has crossed the equator at the 180th meridian.
A Bluenose, sometimes incorrectly referred to as a Rednose, is
simply a sailor who’s crossed the Arctic Circle, above 66°34′N
. Just like crossing the equator, there’s a Line-crossing ceremony, and once you’re done, congratulations, you’re a certified Bluenose.
What is it called when a sailor crosses the International Date Line?
Shellback variations
.
The shellback
is simple enough: a sailor on official duty “crosses the line” of the equator. A golden shellback is more impressive; it means they’ve crossed at or near the International Date Line. Even rarer, crossing at the Prime Meridian grants you access into the Order of the Emerald Shellback.
What is a Pollywog in the military?
A shellback is a
sailor
(or Marine, or other embarked personnel) who has sailed across the Equator. I was on a 6 Month tour of South American when I crossed the equator in 1994. In the U.S. Navy, when a ship crosses the equator, a time honored ceremony takes place. Define pollywog.
What countries are on the equator?
The Equator passes through 13 countries:
Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Sao Tome & Principe
, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Maldives, Indonesia and Kiribati.
Who was the first sailor to cross the equator?
Option (b) is correct because
Lopo Gonzalves
was the first Portugese explorer to cross the Equator.
Where is the equator?
The Equator is an
imaginary line around the middle of the Earth
. It is halfway between the North and South Poles, and divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
What happens when you pass the equator?
It was a way for sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness. 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.
What does it mean for a ship to do a crossing?
countable noun. A crossing is
a journey by boat or ship to a place
on the other side of an ocean, river, or lake.
What are the different types of Shellbacks?
There are the Pollywogs (sailors who have not crossed the equator),
the trusty Shellbacks
(sailors who have crossed the equator), King Neptune (highest ranking Shellback), and his royal court.
