series of 16 newly acquired images documenting an initiation into king neptunes court (a naval equator crossing ritual). 11 portrait format and 5 landscape format. the originals should work nicely into a 4 x 4 vertical grid.
[....]
For sailors the world over, this meant that the sailor left the ranks of the landlubber [polywog] and became a real sailor, a shellback. The cost of the transformation doesn't come cheap. The pollywog must be beaten, humiliated and tortured by those that have gone before. Only after a day of degradation at the hands of the old Shellbacks does the pollywog become a Shellback too. Its all in good fun and the reward is a huge certificate, signed by the ship's skipper and by Davey Jones himself attesting to the fact that the sailor is now a Shellback.
First a sailor who has yet to cross the equator is served a summons to report to the Flight Deck on the day the ship will cross the equator. The "charges" don't fit any pattern. I was charged with "extending your cruise in WestPac (western Pacific)."
The oldest sailor who has crossed the equator becomes Neptunis Rex and presides over the "ceremonies.'
the greatest generation
and they wondered why there was a generation gap.
here is another account. i think i know who the "royal baby" is in the group above.
this group was being broken up and were for sale individually ($5 ea x 16 = $80 + $2 s and h) in the sellers "ebay store." they came up in a search of key word initiation in collectibles/photographic images. here is what google images comes up with for key words pollywog and shellback.
"Next up is a visit to the Royal Baby. The baby is a large crew member dressed in a diaper with grease smeared on his belly. The Pollywog is instructed to kiss the baby's belly. When a timid peck of the belly is attempted the baby grabs the Pollywog's head and pulls him in for a hug. Then the Pollywog is given a raw oyster to hold in his mouth as he enters Davy Jones' Locker. He must present the oyster before exiting or return to retrieve it. "
sounds like a dinner with Dewey.
In case anyone thought something else was happening in that photo.
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- bill 1-16-2006 9:35 pm
- bill 1-16-2006 9:41 pm [add a comment]
- bill 1-16-2006 9:49 pm [add a comment]
- bill 1-16-2006 9:50 pm [add a comment]
- bill 1-16-2006 9:52 pm [add a comment]
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- bill 1-16-2006 9:58 pm [add a comment]
- bill 1-16-2006 9:59 pm [add a comment]
- bill 1-16-2006 10:00 pm [add a comment]
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- bill 1-16-2006 10:02 pm [add a comment]
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- bill 1-16-2006 10:06 pm [add a comment]
- bill 1-16-2006 10:10 pm [add a comment]
- bill 1-16-2006 10:23 pm [add a comment]
the greatest generation
- dave 1-16-2006 10:24 pm [add a comment]
and they wondered why there was a generation gap.
- bill 1-16-2006 10:25 pm [add a comment]
here is another account. i think i know who the "royal baby" is in the group above.
- bill 1-16-2006 11:04 pm [add a comment]
this group was being broken up and were for sale individually ($5 ea x 16 = $80 + $2 s and h) in the sellers "ebay store." they came up in a search of key word initiation in collectibles/photographic images. here is what google images comes up with for key words pollywog and shellback.
- bill 1-16-2006 11:57 pm [add a comment]
"Next up is a visit to the Royal Baby. The baby is a large crew member dressed in a diaper with grease smeared on his belly. The Pollywog is instructed to kiss the baby's belly. When a timid peck of the belly is attempted the baby grabs the Pollywog's head and pulls him in for a hug. Then the Pollywog is given a raw oyster to hold in his mouth as he enters Davy Jones' Locker. He must present the oyster before exiting or return to retrieve it. "
sounds like a dinner with Dewey.
- steve 1-17-2006 4:28 pm [add a comment]
In case anyone thought something else was happening in that photo.
- tom moody 1-17-2006 7:38 pm [add a comment]