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[i][b]Glover[/b]: Hey Maker, it's Ike, are you a Shellback by any chance? [b]Tingle[/b]: (Laughing) Why yes, I am. Thank you for asking. [b]Glover[/b]: Well, you know, you guys are about to cross the equator at the prime meridian. So I think that will upgrade you to a "Royal Shellback," if I am not mistaken. [b]Tingle[/b]: (Still laughing) Oh, that is excellent. [b]Glover[/b]: And I guess by default we've got to make Mark one. [b]Tingle[/b]: I'm not going through the ritual though. [b]Glover[/b]: Hold on, let me get my trident...[/i]
[i]Sailors who have already crossed the Equator are nicknamed "Shellbacks," "Trusty Shellbacks," "Honorable Shellbacks," or "Sons of Neptune." Those who have not crossed are nicknamed "Pollywogs," or "Slimy Pollywogs"... Another rare status is the "Golden Shellback," a person who has crossed the Equator at the 180th meridian (International Date Line). The rarest Shellback status is that of the Emerald Shellback (USA), or Royal Diamond Shellback (Commonwealth), which is received after crossing the Equator at the prime meridian, near the Null Island weather buoy.[/i]
[i]We know that there are one or two of you Navy folks on board so if you are performing any arcane seafaring rituals, associated with crossing the equator at the equinox, featuring shellbacks and polliwogs, we'd prefer not to hear about it. What happens on orbit stays on orbit.[/i]
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