Golden Shellback Bluenose Dragon – Nautical Titles of Honor and Respect
Traveling the high seas can be dangerous at times but it has a lot of history. There are different titles that one can get for simply navigating the oceans of planet Earth.
One certificate/title you get when crossing the 180th Meridian (International Date Line) is called the Domain of the Golden Dragon, an unofficial badge of honor and respect. Others include crossing the Equator and crossing the Arctic Circle. Here is a list of a few of them.
- Domain of the Golden Dragon — Crossing the International Dateline
- Shellback (U.S. Navy) — Crossing the Equator
- Bluenose — Crossing the Arctic Circle
- Moss Back — Sailing around the tip of South America
And the list goes on.
There are also some titles for navigating with aircraft. For example, The Caterpillar Club is for aviators who had made an unscheduled parachute jump from a disabled plane. Yikes! I don’t think I’d want to be a member of that club. The Century Club is for aviators who have completed their 100th carrier landing. That is a small club I’m sure.
The Order of the Ditch is assigned to maritime personnel who have passed through the Panama Canal. And the list goes on.
See Line Crossing Events for more information.