Neptune Day!

When the ship passes the equator for the first time on the Fall and Spring semester voyages, the students, faculty and crew of the vessel celebrate Neptune Day, a line-crossing ceremony. Students are transformed from "polywogs" to "shellbacks" in an initiation ceremony, involving slime smearing, fish kissing, and (optional) headshaving.

Today we passed over the equator for the first time in our voyage and therefore began our Neptune Day celebration. However, we passed over the equator at the prime meridian putting us in the “center of the world” and making us Emerald Shellbacks.

We woke up early to an announcement over the PA and a parade of drums and singing outside our door. Crew and shellbacks from previous voyages pounded on our doors and woke us up to come celebrate. The ceremony began with the parade coming in and introducing us to King Neptune and the Queen. We were introduced to the rest of the “royal party” and the festivities began. First we were showered in green “slime” and then jumped in the pool to wash ourselves off. Exiting the pool we were greeted by a fish which we were expected to kiss and then paid our respects to the King and Queen by shaking their hands and kissing the king’s ring. We then had salt sprinkled on our heads and dubbed a shellback. Those who chose to afterwards had their heads shaved….me choosing to not partake in that experience.

We spent the rest of the day studying for midterms the next week.