Post the Sixth

Preamble:  If you like reading this stuff, and would like to be advised immediately upon my publishing of a new post, there is a handy widget on the right hand side of the page, called "Follow by Email."  If you enter your email address into it it will (apparently) send you an automated email advising you of the appearance of some new stuff.  And a link to the new blah-blah-blah.  Natty, no?  

Anyway, on with the good stuff!

  

It is a long held tradition that, as a vessel crosses the 60° South line of latitude, King Neptune rises from the depths to welcome those entering for the first time his Antarctic realm.  (As he does also for those crossing the equator for the first time and, I expect, those crossing 60° North).

It is rumoured that the roles of Neptune and his royal party are play-acted by members of the ship’s crew, but frankly I find this assertion preposterous.   It’s a ridiculously far-fetched assertion to make.   In any case, I have been involved before.  I have seen His Oceanic Majesty with my very own eyes.  And now I have photographs of him to prove it.

So, the line of 60° having been crossed, all newcomers to Antarctic waters were summoned to the mess in order that they may have an audience with His Aquatic Exaltedness.    After a period spent waiting amid nervous chatter and joking, all were rewarded with the sight of Neptune and his entourage making their regal way into the mess to conduct the welcoming ceremony.

Some 57 people, expeditioners and ship’s crew both, were new to Antarctic waters, so Neptune had his work cut out for him.

In groups they were summoned forth to kneel before him and humbly request admittance to his Southern Realm.

Here, His Briney Highness addresses two such supplicants, advising them that he would condescend to granting them their wish to enter his realm, but must first undergo the Crossing-the-Line ceremony.

His Marine Magnificence

Here the ceremony is in full swing, with this supplicant indicating his willingness to be Neptune’s man by kissing a fish.  In this enviable process he is aided by two of Neptune’s officials.

An immense honour

To mark the completion of the ceremony Neptune’s Queen (Mrs Neptune?) stepped forward and anointed the favoured supplicants with what she suggested was dredged up from the bottom of the ocean.  I have my doubts, though.  It was suspiciously full of corn kernels.  I don’t know that there are too many corn kernels to be found in oceanic silt.

Such a privilege

The ceremony completed, Neptune returned to the depths, and the happy 57 inductees headed off to try and remove the detritus from their bodies in the shower.  I might say, too, that it was tough to get a spot in the expeditioner laundry the next day, too.  And awful lot of people had strangely decided to do their laundry that day.

And that's it.  

I know, I know. It was very short.  Well that's all I have for today.

Whaddya want for nuthin' anyway?  Sheesh.  I know a lot of people that'd give their left nostril to see photos of men painted blue.  

Well, OK.  Maybe there'll be some more tomorrow.  Maybe.  If you're nice to me.