Equator Crossing

After the Laxman Rekha, this is probably the next biggest line that is a big deal to cross – The Equator. Equator crossing ceremony is an exciting event in an otherwise mundane sea life. First-timers crossing the equator are like first year students in college who get ragged royally by their seniors. But there are no bodies to govern the level of ragging here(except the captain’s discretion of course)

so the equator crossing is vera level.

Two members of the crew dressed as King Neptune and his Queen are the hosts of the ceremony. The first-timers are undressed and made to stand in their underwear, they get fake boobs attached to them and they are smeared with paint, grease and what not! Other members of the crew then give them various commands. The sportive ones have fun; the timid ones pray for it to get over as soon as possible. Somebody made a mention of a faint-hearted Kerala boy who threatened to jump into the sea if they didn't stop.

Faces are hidden to save the men from total puppy shame

The Punch is an important constituent of the ceremony. It is a drink that is a deadly mixture of egg, mayonnaise, salt, sugar, soy sauce, fruit juice, some liquor, tomato ketchup and anything else that the cook fancies. The first-timers, who are mostly cadets and junior engineers, have to drink this Punch bottoms-up.

This ceremony happens every time they cross the equator in their contract period and at the end, they get an Equator Crossing Certificate releasing them from the going through the same ordeal in their next ship. Cursed are those who fail to obtain this certificate, because if you don't have a certificate, you are condemned to be a part of this event even if you have crossed the equator before.

Thankfully, supernumeraries have the privilege to be exempted from this event. Amen to that.