Becoming Shellbacks
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Crossing the Equator Ceremony Aboard Beez
Neez The Assembled
Crew of Beez Neez
For the first time in history,
the full ships company by Captains Order to be assembled
in readiness, as we near the Equator, for sailing yacht Beez Neez ceremony and
the toast to King Neptune. (Such a rare event to see all the ships
crew at one time – a blog follows with their pictures and positions). The
Captain took his role seriously and turned out suitably dressed.
Sailors participate in a line-crossing ceremony as their vessel passes the Equator. It has been a long tradition to initiate Slimy Pollywogs or Griffins - sailors who have never crossed the Equator - into the Kingdom of Neptune upon their first crossing of the Equator becoming Trusty and Honorable Shellbacks or Sons of Neptune. The tradition may have originated with ceremonies when passing headlands, and become a "folly" sanctioned as a boost to morale, or have been created as a test for seasoned sailors to ensure their new shipmates were capable of handling long rough times at sea. After crossing the line, Pollywogs receive subpoenas to appear before King Neptune and his court (usually including his first assistant Davy Jones and her Highness Amphitrite). Submariners often become "Top Secret Shellbacks" having crossed the equator at a classified degree of longitude.
Excitement aboard became palpable on our approach. A very significant
WOW
The skipper stepped up to the plate with full
flourish, theatrical poise and a bottle of
bubbly
The skippers favourite, cool in shades
I prefer this
one
Captain Robert FitzRoy of the HMS Beagle suggested the practice had developed from earlier ceremonies in
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian vessels passing notable headlands. He thought it was beneficial to morale: "The disagreeable practice
alluded to has been permitted in most ships, because sanctioned by time; 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 effects on the minds of those engaged in preparing for
its mummeries, who enjoy it at the time, and talk of it long afterwards, cannot
easily be judged of without being an eye-witness."
A similar ceremony took place during the second survey voyage of HMS Beagle. As they approached the equator on the evening of the 16th of February 1832, a pseudo-Neptune hailed the ship. Those credulous enough to run forward to see Neptune "were received with the watery honours which it is customary to bestow". The officer on watch reported a boat ahead, and Captain FitzRoy ordered "hands up, shorten sail". Using a speaking trumpet he questioned Neptune, who would visit them the next morning. About 9am the next day, the novices or griffins were assembled in the darkness and heat of the lower deck, then one at a time were blindfolded and led up on deck by "four of Neptunes constables", as "buckets of water were thundered all around". 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. — They then lathered my face & mouth with pitch and paint, & scraped some of it off with a piece of roughened iron hoop. —a signal being given I was tilted head over heels into the water, where two men received me & ducked me. —at last, glad enough, I escaped. — most of the others were treated much worse, dirty mixtures being put in their mouths & rubbed on their faces. — 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." The ship's artist, Augustus Earle, made a sketch of the scene. This is the text from a certificate
issued on a Royal Navy ship during the Second World War, modernised for the
ceremony aboard the good ship Beez Neez:
A Proclamation Whereas by our Royal Consension, Our
Trusty, Well Beloved Captain Big Bear Millard has this day entered Our Domain.
We do hereby declare to all whom it may concern that it is Our Royal Will and
Pleasure to confer upon him the Freedom of the Seas without undue ceremony.
Should he fall overboard, We do command that all Sharks, Dolphins, Whales,
Mermaids and other dwellers in the Deep are to abstain from maltreating his
person. And we further direct all Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen and others who have
not crossed Our Royal Domain, to treat him with the respect due to One of Us.
Given under Our Hand at Our Court on board S.Y. Beez Neez of Plymouth on the
Equator in Longitude 00° on this Tuesday, the 2nd day of April in the year
2013
This is the text from a certificate issued to United States Ships during World War II. The certificate was dipped in a bucket of ocean water and presented to the new trusty shellback, modified for me.
To all Shellbacks Greetings: This is to Certify, that First Mate Pepe Millard aboard S.Y. Beez Neez was duly initiated into the Solemn Mysteries of the Ancient Order of the Deep and made a worthy Shellback in our Royal Dominion at 00°00’01 South and 89°07’35 West on Tuesday the 2nd of April 2013 Neptunus Rex Official: Captain Big Bear
Millard
After all the excitement and after the crew had returned to their stations, the skipper ordered messy egg, sausages, baked beans, mushrooms and tomatoes, washed down with a glass of fizz. Right then.
ALL IN ALL AN EVENT LIKE NON OTHER REALLY, REALLY EXCITING
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