Day 38 - Crossing the Equator

Day 38 – Sunday 16^th February 2014 – Crossing the Equator

Today is a special day at sea, with the ship crossing over the equator, and into the Southern Ocean.

After my normal morning routines, the choir practice was brought forward to 12.15, we learnt a new song today; Leah the choir leader and Robin the pianist are over the moon at how quickly we are learning, and the sound is improving all of the time.

At 13.00 to celebrate and it being Sunday, we went into the Golden Lion for lunch and a pint. Colin went for bangers and mash, for me plaice and chips; this was grand, as we waited for the crossing of the line ceremony at 14.00.

Pool

This is a time honoured ceremony carried out for sea going folk, who have never crossed the equator before on a vessel.

The ceremony was carried out alongside the midship Deck 9 swimming pool.  King Neptune (Robin the pianist) was welcomed aboard, resplendent in his flowing green gown, seaweed wig and carrying his triton.  Another bloke was dressed up as his queen, and three mermaids made up the entourage with an accompanying band.  The whole proceedings were conducted by the Joanne (Entertainments Director) who was dressed as a judge with her splendid silver wig; also present were the heads of each department.

Pollywogs

The guest volunteers for the ceremony, known as Pollywogs were paraded around the pool and all were accused of some misdemeanour, and taken to the end of the pool and placed on tables where all sorts of gunge was poured over them, and ceremoniously they all had to kiss the fish, a wonderful salmon. They were then chucked into the swimming pool.  This was seen as get fun, by the many people who were watching, they joined in with lots of laughter, cheering and clapping.  Once in the pool you have now been accepted by King  Neptune, and you are exalted into being a Shellback.

It is not over yet, as members of the crew who had not crossed the line before were given the same treatment, to more laughter and cheering.  King Neptune now rounded on the Captain to be accused of something and deserved the same treatment; of course, he was given more gunge and to great roars was chucked in the pool. 

I do not think Joanne saw this one coming, and King Neptune rounded on her and she was led away to the table and really given a right going over, everything they could find she was covered with it, the cheering increased, her shoes taken off filled with gunge and stuck back on, more kissing of the salmon, then hurled into the pool.

It was all great fun, very entertaining, all of those who were abused took in the right kind of spirit, and it was good to see everyone enjoying the spectacle.  I did feel a lot of sympathy for the poor crew members who had to clean up the mess.

After the heat had gone out of the sun, I moved onto the bronzy deck 9, and lay out on a lounger to enjoy the last of the sun’s rays.

The cocktail of the day was Pimm’s Cup, consisting of Pimm’s No.1 topped up with lemonade and served with a fruit salad (your five a day in a glass) very refreshing and another one, I’ll have a go at making.

It is another formal night; Colin has a moan and cannot understand why we have to do this in the tropics.  Not a problem for me, as the ship is fully air conditioned, and it adds to the splendour of dinner, and this time I had mushroom soup/sirloin steak/warm apple and ice cream.

In the theatre watched the dancers perform to James Bond themes; followed by Helen Wilding, the wonderful singer.

Star gazing after the show on the aft end of Deck 9 and I was joined by Howard Parkin who had given the lecture a few days before.  He was getting himself acquainted with the night sky.  Howard is from Manchester and knows his Northern Hemisphere, but this is all new to him. I remarked, I had been looking for the Southern Cross for a few nights and told him, I could remember when I was in the tropics you could see at the same time the Plough and the Southern Cross, he assured me, I would see them together in few a days, as the Cross is presently barely visible above the horizon.

I went off to bed after a great day, and when I eventually see the Southern Cross, I will be convinced, I am in the Southern Ocean.