Marine Captain Tiessen and I made our way up to the deck above the fantail to have an overview of the Crossing the Line activities below. During our interlude in my cabin, the weather had worsened with rainsqualls and rolling waves. King Neptune's court and the marines had enforced my rules about everyone being tethered safely to the ship when on deck. They had rigged a rope running fore and aft to which the Pollywogs were attached; this gave them the ability to move around but kept them safe.
The five Pollywogs were dressed in dungarees and/or overalls, backwards of course, with skivvies over these. Neptune's court was dressed in the traditional outfits of long wigs, bras and panties over their shorts. Neptune had a small trident with which to prod any reluctant Pollywog.
Everyone on deck was sopping wet when Tiessen and I arrived, the result of rain and the occasional wave, but the enthusiasm and enjoyment had not been dampened. The activities began with Neptune ordering the 'slimy pollywogs' to come before the court, which, of course, meant crawling along the slippery deck on their hands and knees while the shellbacks who could reach swatted their rears. The rolling of the ship increased the time it took the five to achieve their destination; thus increasing the number of swats they received.
Once before the king, they had to endure an 'interrogation' of their worthiness to become shellbacks. This questioning was 'aided' by the administration of a concoction of hot sauce and aftershave. The coughing and sputtering of the responses brought chortles of delight from many of us who remembered our own interrogations. The Pollywogs took this in the manner it was intended and were laughing along.
Next the five had to make their way through a covered tank filled with salt water and bright green sea dye, fluorescent sodium salt, by 'swimming' to the opposite end. To add to the test the crew had added a good deal of ice to the tank; although in this heat whether that was a good or bad thing was debatable. As Marine Corporal Rhys was exiting the tank a wave struck the ship on the aft port quarter and swept most of the audience along the deck piling them against the rail. His fellow marines were able to grab the corporal who had been temporarily untethered during his swim.
I leaned over the railing and shouted to King Neptune below, "Neptune! ...Neptune! Let's speed things up before we lose someone!"
Chief Engineer Hemperer, as Neptune, acknowledged me and hastened the last two Pollywogs through the tank ensuring the marines and others were there to prevent any incident for the fellows in the tank.
After a quick conference with the rest of his court, Neptune had the Pollywogs lined up in the middle of the deck. His assistants then distributed the components of the next ordeal. With a good deal of energy and good marksmanship, the crewmembers launched the supply of mushy fruit at the five Pollywogs. It took very little time before they were all covered with a slimy compote of fruit.
Thus adorned the five were summoned back to the presence of the court, on their hands and knees of course, being swatted as they came. A second wave washed across the deck again creating a laughing pile of crew against the opposite rail. Before I could say anything, Neptune announced, "These lowly Pollywogs what was have proven themselves worthy of joining the human race as shellbacks and to each I will give a certificate so declaring... once we are out of here and in the mess where the cooks have prepared a feast."
Cheers, and some boos at the shortened ceremony, greeted this announcement but none disagreed with the wisdom of leaving the deck as another rainsquall pelted down.
After putting on some dry clothes, I briefly joined the crew in the mess. The five new shellbacks were still in their fruit-covered clothing and were enduring some good-natured ribbing by the others. Andrew Baskins was beaming at all the attention. I was glad to see he, and the others, had not taken the 'torment' personally as I had seen in the past. I welcomed each of the five into the ranks of shellbacks.
I congratulated Neptune, Davy Jones and Highness Amphitrite on a job well done, and thanked Neptune for ending early rather than risking injury in the rising seas.
Those seas brought me to the bridge so I could assess what was happening and what extra tasks were needed, if any. But a good crew like mine with good officers like Withers were atop of things and all was well. Time for Captain's Prowl I decided and off I set.
The off-duty personnel were mostly drying off if they had been on deck so I had some good glimpses of their taut, healthy bodies.
About 45 minutes into my Prowl, I passed the lifejacket storage locker when something within it clanked against the bulkhead. A loose piece of equipment I thought as I opened the hatch. Not quite, I discovered.
Two naked crewmembers in a 69 position were lying on the floor. The first was Seaman Mark Zuckerman, the new shellback, and he was in panic mode at having been discovered in a compromising position. He struggled to rise but his companion tried to restrain him. His companion? None other than young Andrew Baskins, another new shellback.
