Two Curious Happenings... & Re: Antarctic Circle Crossing Ceremony
Chris Weddle
>Congratulations to the happy couple from up here in sunny South Florida!
>Good luck and all the best in your new life together. (Btw...where's the
>honeymoon to take place?) Hope the good King Neptune was kind enough not to
>douse you with any foul-smelling condiments (re. the previous report on the
>Crossing "festivities"). John Cormier Ft. Lauderdale, FL
At 08:43 PM 7/1/99 -0400, <John> <Cormier> wrote:
>Chris, it's yer slolomn duty as a naval ossifre to send them photos...
Hi,
Naval ossifer? No, I just work here. Not a sailor or anything. The people
that make the ship go are sailors which is an ancient and admirable
profession. I just work here. The difference is a vast one.
The decision to not photograph this crossing ceremony was a simple one. I
forgot to unpack the cameras I haven't used in weeks. So in the morning the
choice was to make noise unpacking neglected luggage and thereby wake up
the roommate who works a different shift, or skip the cameras.
I am by nature a landscape photographer and hate to either point cameras at
people or to have them do it to me. It's rude. I've done it for different
reasons at different times but I'm never comfortable with it. So it's very
easy for me not to photograph people.
Typically, when asked by someone to take their camera and photograph them
my reply is: "Uh, are you sure? I mean what if it's loaded? It might go off!".
As to Line Crossing Ceremonies, I've written a long piece and will think
about it some more before either posting it or not. I will attach below an
outline of the event, of which I have written no more than that and don't
really care to at this point.
The coolest thing on this cruise was the wedding. Quite the surprise it
was. Apparently in the works secretly for a long long while? Don't know,
don't matter anyway. A fine business all around.
At the moment we are in sight of the lights of Rothera. Will not be going
there, which is a bummer. But we have no gifts, and popping in on a
neighbor without a gift is a rudeness. Should have planned it better we
should have, clearly so. Next time this way perhaps it will be done
properly. I hope we do, nice folks at Rothera. Thirty months stretches they
do. Wowzers!
Good Day,
Chris Weddle
RVIB NAthaniel B. Palmer
PS: Here are my brief notes on the Line Crossing Ceremony aboard the NBP.
No Secret Rites while I'm around...
The Ambiance:
Bullhorn, Sherrifs, Noise, Costumery and Camera Flashes.
The Breakfast:
Various food items of intimidating color and texture.
The Skit:
Shakespeare. Everybody dies horribly and tragically.
The Trial:
The reading of the charges. Everyone's guilty. Some are extra guilty.
The Holding Pen:
Standing around in the Cargo Hold awaiting "The Cleansing".
The Barber:
Mock haircut with big tin snips followed by honey, flour, oatmeal and eggs
on the head.
Penguin Food:
Dunking for a squid and picking it up with your teeth.
Boot Kissing:
White rubber snow boot covered with ketchup and some other things.
Whale's Ass:
Tarp, made into a long tube and filled with trash and snow. People crawl
through it while it is shaken and twisted from outside.