Crossing the Line Ceremony

Crossing the Line – A Nautical Initiation Ceremony

For those of you not familiar with the Crossing the Line ceremony, here is an explanation of this old nautical tradition.

Since nautical history began all seafaring folk had some sort of ceremony that was carried out when they sailed past a certain point of a voyage. Whether this was to acknowledge and thank the Gods for a safe crossing or to boost the morale of the rookie sailors.  The Vikings, Phoenicians and Dutch to name but a few all celebrated in this way.

The Crossing the Line ritual probably dates back some 400 years or so to the Royal and Dutch Navies.  The line in question is the Equator and novice sailors who hadn’t yet crossed the Equator were known as slimy Pollywogs.  After crossing the line the Pollywogs would become trusty Shellbacks, or the sons and daughters of Neptune, but only after carrying out certain tasks.  As the ship crosses the Equator the highest-ranking and most experienced officer and Shellback (normally the captain) would dress up at King Neptune.  Other officers and high-ranking Shellbacks would dress up as Neptune’s Court.  King Neptune and his Court then judge whether the Pollywogs have proven their seaworthiness once they had completed the chosen tasks.

Today the Crossing the Line ceremony is still undertaken.  The ceremony is meant to be fun and enjoyable, all the festivities are light-hearted and help to build the camaraderie of the crew.  Each ship or yacht will have its own version of the ceremony but it will normally start the night before with King Neptune boarding the ship and a talent contest of sorts takes place.  After the entertainment, the Pollywogs are summoned to appear before Neptune in the morning to answer charges made against them by the Shellbacks.  The next days the Pollywogs are ordered to carry out a variety of activities, which can include crawling around the deck, wearing their clothes inside out, sit-up competitions and anything that will entertain crew and embarrass the Pollywogs.  At the end of the festivities, the Pollywogs are declared Shellbacks and given certificates.

Captain Robert FitzRoy (more about him next month) describes the value of the Crossing the Line ceremony during his voyage on HMS Beagle from 1826 to 1836.  During these times the Crossing the Line ceremony was more a test of physical endurance and pain than the high jinx carried out in today’s initiation rite.
“The disagreeable practice alluded to has been permitted in most ships […] And though many condemn it as an absurd and dangerous piece of folly, it has also many advocates. Perhaps it is one of those amusements, of which the omission might be regretted. Its effect on the minds of those engaged in preparing for its mummeries, who enjoy it at the time, and talk of it long afterward, cannot easily be judged of without being an eye-witness.”

Image Courtesy of HMSDunedin.co.uk

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