Crossing the Equator turns a Pollywog into a Shellback
Crossing The Equator turns a Polliwog into a Shellback!
April 19th 2008 My husband, Daughter and I became Shellbacks!
Yeah... that means we crossed the equator on board a ship for the first time.
The shellback ceremony stems from an old naval maritime tradition which was an initiation from being a polliwog, landlubber or inexperienced sailor to becoming one of the "seasoned" sailors. This initiation was brutal involving humiliation, torture and beatings.Often times the inexperienced sailor had to eat rotten fish and garbage and be like a slave to the other shipmates. King Neptune was the judge as to a sailors worthiness. Today's shellback ceremony's are much more humane than the old traditional initiations. Commercial sailing ships do it in a very fun way to celebrate maritime customs. I must say it was quite an experience.
April 19th 2008 My husband, Daughter and I became Shellbacks!
Yeah... that means we crossed the equator on board a ship for the first time.
The shellback ceremony stems from an old naval maritime tradition which was an initiation from being a polliwog, landlubber or inexperienced sailor to becoming one of the "seasoned" sailors. This initiation was brutal involving humiliation, torture and beatings.Often times the inexperienced sailor had to eat rotten fish and garbage and be like a slave to the other shipmates. King Neptune was the judge as to a sailors worthiness. Today's shellback ceremony's are much more humane than the old traditional initiations. Commercial sailing ships do it in a very fun way to celebrate maritime customs. I must say it was quite an experience.
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