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Published: February 27th 2014
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Day 23 – King Neptune pays the Maasdam a visit
The day started out with the ship passing through rain showers. The continued threat of rain was real, so much so that the Captain maneuvered the ship to actually skirt some other downpours so that we could celebrate the King Neptune Ceremony later in the morning.
The celebration took place at 10:30 am beside the Navigation Pool, aft deck 10. The pool was a very essential part of the exercise.
At the appropriate hour the “Prosecutor” introduced the Captain and his senior officers, followed by King Neptune and his Mermaid Queen .
After the introductions the Prosecutor read the following:
Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Hear Ye
Landlubbers of high and low degree
Today we pay homage to Neptune
The Father of the sea.
Fishes, turtles, mermaids
All creatures of the deep
Have told him of our coming
Which woke him from His sleep.
The Maasdam they cried
Has entered your domain,
With
vile polywogs onboard
Who do not acknowledge your reign.
King Neptune rose from his seaweed bed
And said, I shall proclaim that all onboard
To the sharks be fed
Who do not me acclaim.
Then taking up his trident and boarding
The flowing stream he
Hurried here to meet us
Assisted by his mermaid Queen.
In his role as “Prosecutor” Carlos then presented each of the polywogs, members of the crew who had never before crossed the Equator, and read out their “crimes” to King Neptune for his judgment.
The standard punishment was that each inductee had to first “Kiss the Fish” then be sent off to be slopped with multi-colored goop. The final phase of the exercise was left up to the senior officers and the audience to determine if they were to be left at the side of the pool to bake in the sun or be immediately dunked in the pool.
The pictures give you some idea of what the 20 “polywogs” were put through before being converted into shellbacks today.
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Mark Hertzberger
non-member comment
Ceremony
Hi Mike and Brooke, What you describe is very similar to some political ceremonies I've attended. Sounds like a great trip. Too bad about all that sun and warmth though. You're missing a record low temperature that was last reached when Sir John A. was in office. You've also missed the shared intimacy of a norovirus with us. You poor wretches you! Take care and enjoy, - Mark