Are Poseidon, Neptune, Njördr, and Manannán mac Lir separate sea gods for the Greeks, Romans, Norse and Celts or are they manifestations of the same being? Certainly, they are manifestations of the same spirit of the sea. I am particularly interested in sea gods because of Manannán mac Lir, or McClear if you will. Mac Lir means “son of the sea.” I like to think that when we pay tribute to Neptune, we also pay tribute to my perhaps mythical and certainly legendary ancestor Manannán.
There is a long naval tradition of “crossing the line” or the equator, especially among the British and Americans, where pollywogs who never crossed the equator are inducted into the Order of the Shellbacks. Now it is a morale building exercise on navy ships and a theatrical spectacle on cruise ships, but it started as a form of hazing, like a fraternity initiation. When my dad crossed the line on a troop ship during World War II it involved being forced to ingest cod liver oil as well as being doused by fire hoses.
Some navies, and cruise lines, have similar ceremonies crossing the Arctic and Antarctic circles where those who cross become “Blue Noses.” On a Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal ship our kids were initiated into that society by kings Neptunus Rex and Boreas Rex. It involved a lot of ice down the kids’ backs and perhaps kissing a fish. Suzi and I had long since passed that milestone.
On the morning of April 5 Volendam crossed the line (for the fourth time this voyage) but this time Neptune “noticed.”
That afternoon, after a morning lecture on the history of King Neptune…
… we paid our tribute.
On Holland America the ceremony is for crew members (They prefer to call them team members) who have not yet crossed the line, and who, the cruise director stresses, are volunteers. Pollywogs march in to Chopin’s Funeral March and are tormented by shellbacks who make them kiss a fish and crawl through a gauntlet where they are slimed with colored stuff. Finally, they are judged by the officers, supervised by Neptunus Rex. Thumbs up means they can jump in the pool and wash off. Thumbs down means they have to sit and “bake” in the sun, until they are all pardoned and get to jump into the pool. Near the end many of the shellbacks are sliming each other more than they are sliming the pollywogs and everyone who wants gets dunked while the band plays anchors away.
Needless to say the pool was closed for two days for cleaning.
And then they close to pool for two days for cleaning (and a little repair work while its empty.)
The King Neptune ceremony is always a lot of fun. My first time crossing I absolutely kissed the fish. You only cross the Equator for the first time once!