Saturday, August 23, 2014

BRP Ramon Alcaraz crosses equator, crew now certified 'shellbacks'

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 23): BRP Ramon Alcaraz crosses equator, crew now certified 'shellbacks'

After crossing the equator Friday (Philippine time), officers and crewmen of BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16) were made to undergo the "Line Crossing Ceremony", one of the most enduring and classical traditions in the high sea.

This is also known as the “Crossing the Equator Ceremony” where "pollywogs" (officers and crewmen who have yet to cross the equator) are initiated into the order of "shellbacks" (mariners who have already done one or more crossing).

The equator is an imaginary line which divides the earth into northern and southern hemisphere.

BRP Ramon Alcaraz crossed the equator while on her way to the Northern Australian Exercise area where "Kakadu 2014" will be held this Aug. 25 to Sept. 12.

Ensign John Windy Abing, Philippine Navy public affairs officer for "Kakadu 2014", said that of the 165 officers and crew members aboard the Filipino frigate, 105 were classified as "pollywogs" as per tradition.

He added he himself was a "pollywog".

"Tradition has it that all sailors crossing the equator for the first time should be prepared to appear before 'King Neptune', a Roman sea god who, according to legend, boards the ship as it crosses the equator line to test the seaworthiness of the sailors," he added.

"This preparation does not mean however that we have to shower for one hour, put on our best attire, style our hair and put on our most expensive perfume as if we’re going to appear before the King of England. On the contrary, 'shellbacks' on board subjected us to wearing bizarre attire. We were instructed to wear our uniform inside out as a way of identifying and separating the 'pollywogs' from 'shellbacks'," Abing disclosed.

"A few minutes before the ceremony, we were told in a briefing about what’s going to happen. And to make it more vivid in our imagination, photos were shown on how the ceremony is being conducted. One of the most disturbing photo shows blindfolded 'pollywogs' lining up while a man behind them is swinging a baseball bat in what looks like a hazing. Another picture shows a 'pollywog' jumping out of the ship," he revealed.

"Obviously, they wanted us to believe that the same fate is coming upon us. And to make it more convincing, Capt. Albert Mogol, our exercise director for Kakadu who happens to be a 'shellback', brought a baseball bat during the briefing as if to imply that we are going to be butchered like what we have seen in the photos," Abing added.

He added the initiation ceremonies started with "pollywog" crew members being made to run by the "shellbacks" in the hot confines of the engine room before being dragged into the ship's gun deck.

"The ceremony started with the appearance of Davy Jones, King Neptune’s Royal Scribe in an elaborate costume which made him look like a half pirate and a half retard. According to him, he summoned us to appear before King Neptune to answer the charges brought against us by the 'shellbacks'. It was then followed by the grand entrance of King Neptune played by no other than the Commanding Officer of the ship, Capt. Ernesto Baldovino together with his royal dignitaries who all looked more like psychiatric patients than royal with their elaborate costumes made from scraps," Abing recounted.

"After the reading of our offenses by the Royal Judge, King Neptune ordered the 'shellbacks' to start the punishment. The punishment consists of series of exercises and passing through stations which involved a royal haircut with free flour make-up and mayonnaise shampoo, crawling through the deck, royal bath in dirty water and a supposed jumping out of the ship. We passed through the stations blindfolded for us not to find out that the supposed hazing and jumping out of the ship was a hoax. The ceremony ended with King Neptune declaring us as 'shellbacks'. And to celebrate our feat, we had a boodle fight," he concluded.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=10&sid=&nid=10&rid=675942

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