On every ship that crosses the line (the equator), there is an initiation for a sailor's first time crossing the line. It was though that this tradition may have originated to boost morale, or have been created as a test that sailors capable of handling long rough times at sea.
What actually happened was that we had a massive water fight and had to run and hide from the ships crew, when we were captured and our charges read out.
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| We all prepared for the battle. |
My charge was, ''The accused is charged with having an outrageously noisy laugh- akin to a herd of braying animals or a donkey in distress! Laughter is supposed to be seen as music to the ears. The prosecution therefore seeks a court injunction of the accused to desist from the following forms of laughing; guffawing; snorting; sniggering; chortling; cackling and tittering, so that the Ship's company of his majesty's fine vessel, the RRS Ernest Shackleton, may go about their business in peace.''
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| King Neptune and his court |
We then kissed the kipper!
Then we got slops poured over our heads ... it was so smelly. We got hosed down by the fire hose straight away. It over 4 showers to get the smell out of our hair!
We were all given a certificate so that if we ever cross the line on a ship again, you show the Captain the certificate so you avoid getting slops over your head again!
We also did a man over board exercise and whilst we were at the equator...
This week we have spent most evenings in the pool!
We had a BBQ to finish off the celebrations!
It's been clear blue skies but now we are heading North it is starting to go downhill already!
However, the most important thing at the moment is that my aquarium is not doing very well and I'm doing everything I can to try and save all of the animals that I with a lot of help from people at Rothera, Cambridge and the ship have spent 7 months on! Now that we are heading North the temperatures should start to stabilise!
