How to Perform the Line-Crossing Ceremony

The line-crossing ceremony is practiced my many navies the world over. In the American Navy, crews are divided into Pollywogs--those who have never crossed the equator before--and Shellbacks, who are line-crossing veterans. "Crossing the line" can be an arduous journey, but it is one often filled with mischief. Even outside the armed forces, most any ships that cross the equator employ some sort of the same ritual.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. The ritual begins upon the crossing of the equator. Occasionally, it is a two-day affair, as the ritual kicks off with an evening revolt of the pollywogs against the shellbacks. Pollywogs "mutiny," capture the ship, and hose down the shellbacks with sea water until midnight.
2. Shellbacks strike back the following morning. Pollywogs are forced to wear their uniforms inside out and backwards, and to partake of a vile breakfast of the shellback's design.
3. Pollywogs are hosed down with sea water themselves, and are then forced to crawl their way to the fantail, to King Neptune's Court (King Neptune usually sports a crown, and maidens). Reticent pollywogs can be urged along by shellbacks, who slap their behinds with bits of fire hose. They can also place an egg into a pollywog's pants, which is then shattered.
4. At King Neptune's Court, each pollywog must "kiss the baby," which happens to be the belly of the ship's most obese crew member. This belly is often smeared with some sort of motor oil.
5. The pollywogs final humiliations include swimming through King Neptune's Pool, which is in essence a bath of foul garbage water. Some pollywogs may also be placed in stockades.
6. Sufficiently initiated, pollywogs return to the Court, where they are deemed fully-fledged shellbacks. All pollywog uniforms are thrown overboard. The pollywogs then take a shower.