The captain from Kotor with Neptun baptized four young men on their first crossing of the equator

That the sailors of Bokelje preserve ancient traditions is also shown by the latest example from the eastern Atlantic, where on Saturday afternoon the bulk carrier "Piavia", commanded by long-haul captain Pjer Dragutinović from Kotor, crossed the equator near the coast of West Africa on its voyage from the Spanish port of Las Palmas towards India.

Among the crew of this ship with a displacement of 92.500 tons, which belongs to the Asiatic Lloyd Maritime company from Singapore, there were also four young men for whom this was the first time to cross a half-meter on a ship. Crossing the equator while sailing is considered the moment when a young sailor is formally initiated into the world of real, experienced sailors, and therefore a traditional ceremony was held for four young colleagues on the 228-meter-long bulker of the Kotor captain.

Captain Dragutinović and the first officer of the "Piavie" deck, Igor Pean from Tivat, organized an initiation for four young colleagues in which, immediately after the equator remained behind the stern of the ship, they were personally baptized by the ancient Roman god of the sea Neptune - that is, the Greek Poseidon (an appropriately disguised older a sailor from the crew of the "Piavie") with a trident in his hand. Neptune/Poseidon was assisted by the Roman sea goddess Salacia, or Amphitrite in Greek mythology (also a suitably disguised Filipino sailor).

After taking an oath that they will be brave and daring at sea at every opportunity and that they will always think about the personal safety and well-being of all shipmates from the crew and the ship itself, the young men, two of whom are neighbors of the first officer Pean from Tivat - cadets Slavko Perić and Igor Nikolić, according to ancient custom, were sprinkled with sea water and then immersed in barrels filled with sea, in which they stood while the god of the sea baptized them. Then symbolic crowns were placed on their heads, after which they received appropriate written certificates from Captain Dragutinović with the written date, geographical position and name of the ship on which they "cut" the half-mast for the first time in their lives and thereby symbolically became "real" sailors. .

Although modern seafaring is today a very busy activity devoid of almost all the sentimentality and romance that once characterized seafaring, Bokej captains and officers still hold on to ancient traditions and try to respect some of the old customs and customs whenever possible. Therefore, from ships like "Piavia" and others on various seas of the world, which are commanded by the people of Kotor, the people of Tivat, the people of Novlja and other Bokelians, these beautiful pictures often arrive, which mean a lot especially to the families of young seafarers, because they confirm that someone out there on the deep sea is adequately taking care of them. and tries to properly introduce them to the professional and very difficult seafaring vocation.