"Crossing the Line" ceremony
Crossing the Equator on February 14 - Day 28 of our 108 Day Adventure Around the World
This six day stretch of sea days between Hawai’i and Samoa has been filled with fun and meaningful events. Nearly the same time we crossed the International Date Line during which we lost a day (February 13 didn’t exist for us - by the way in my previous post I mistakenly said we gained a day), we also crossed the equator into the southern hemisphere - something Gino and I have never done!
The “Crossing the Line” ceremony is a tradition among English-speaking countries that is centuries old and marks the time ships sailed across the equator. In one of Captain Cook’s voyages in 1768 the sailors had a choice as they crossed the equator - to either give up 4 days allowance of wine or get dunked into the ocean three times while the ship was moving. (What would you choose?)
The ritual also includes a visit by King Neptune and Queen Amphitrite and their court who put on trial all Pollywogs (those who have never crossed the equator) with the goal to transform them into Trusty Shellbacks - or seasoned, tough and dependable sailors.
So…all of us passengers who have not crossed the line (Pollywogs) were put on trial by the King and Queen - and all Trusty Shellbacks - like the captain of our ship and her decorated officers.




By the way - we are having a delight time making new friends with our fellow passengers.


And tonight we have dinner planned with another new friend named Lynda who spends most of her time sailing around the world on Cunard. She lives in Manhatten (NY) and has a daughter and grandchildren who live outside Boston - so we plan to see her on land!
Next stop - the island of Samoa.
Love reading your adventures! Living vicariously!
What wonderful memories. My two Navy nephews have shared their crossing-the-equator rituals, so I know how special that was.