2jakes
I'll Lock Up
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- Alamo Heights ☀️ Texas
I morphed from unclean tadpole to shell back in September 2007, crossing from south to north over the equator in the Arabian Sea. I was "initiated" along with about six others. The process started weeks prior.
It's a rather fun initiation, and one of the few still allowed to proceed in these more, um, enlightened times!
http://www.nauticapedia.ca/Articles/Crossing_the_Line.php
The image reminded me of the diary of pilot Charles Bond of the Flying Tigers
when he crossed the equator in early 1940s.
Crossing the equator the "pollywogs" were put through a ritual which consisted in part.
Having head & eyebrows shaved, smeared with spoiled fish & dumped in a make-shift pool and
had to kiss the belly of "King Neptune" which was smeared with all kinds of goop before
being considered "shellbacks".