Crossing the Line

Today, the Rentz crossed the equator on their journey back home which means one thing...another Crossing the Line ceremony. Crossing the Line is a ritual which all U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and Marines perform (some foreign Navy's participate in it, too) while they cross the equator.It is usually a two day event and is a tradition created as a test for sailor's to ensure that their new shipmates were capable of handling long, rough times out at sea. Sailors that have already crossed the equator are referred to as Shellbacks and those that have never crossed the equator are referred to as Pollywogs. The two days are physically and emotionally intense; some may compare it to boot camp all over again. The ceremony is kept hush among those who have experienced it. I have only heard stories and seem random pictures of everything from sailors crawling on their hands and knees through mud to getting blasted with a fire hoses as they complete obstacle courses. At the end of the day, it's all in good fun and boosts the crew's morale. Tim looks forward to it on each deployment and this time wasn't any different. He said it was a blast and only wishes he was able to take pictures to share with everyone else!