The Northern Domain of the Polar Bear

The  Northern Domain of the Polar Bear is attained when a ship crosses the Arctic Circle.  The Arctic Circle is drawn at 66 - 30' N Lat.  The rituals that take place when crossing into the Northern Domain are very similar to those required at the Equator.  There are are a few variations, of course; for example, some ceremonies required those being initiated to have their noses colored blue with a marker prior to the crossing.

Although many Arctic crossings were made, very few ceremonies took place during times of war.  The reason for this was security.  The less ceremonies that took place, the less chance crew members would talk about their patrol experiences if those experiences were not heightened and made memorable by a Blue Nose ceremony.  In addition, there was rarely a note made in the service records to note their crossing.

If you have a link to your Arctic crossing experiences, I would be happy to link to it.

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The Crossings

USS Ashland USCGC Healy USCGC Polar Star HMS Solebay - certificate HMS Solebay - certificate 1952 A Research Vessel Aurora Australis Aurora Australis R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer RRS Earnest Shackleton Empire State

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HMS Vanguard - see the certificate!

Visitors know more about the "Blue Nosers."