Ceremonies for crossing the equator go back as long as people have been crossing the ocean. The “Shellbacks” – those that have sailed across the equator – take the time to initiate the “Pollywogs” with rites that are generally messy, wet, humiliating and occasionally painful. Typically the ceremony involves a visit from King Neptune (usually played by the most senior Shellback) who holds court with his attendants (other shellbacks) who summon the pollywogs for judgment and sentence.
On crossing the equator Evenstar was notably lacking in Shellbacks. In point, not a one of us had even been in the Southern hemisphere even by airplane. Also muting things somewhat was our crossing time, some time close to midnight, meant we had to wake the off watch team. So we had to dispense with the buckets of sea water…
It fell to the skipper to play King Neptune, with crown, wig and trident. The crew, now Salty Sailors all, were required to have Salty Sailor 
beards. None of them being able to actually grow such a thing on the spot or in the near future a handy can of Barbasol set everyone straight in no time. King Neptune decided he needed song, so everyone was required to perform a sea chantey on the spot. Though no one could succeed in telling a joke coherently enough to make King Neptune laugh, champagne was opened (with most spilled overboard) and we toasted. Cookies were then broken out with a sea chantey CD and we all admired the phosphorescent sea and the stars for a while before the off watch crew went back to bed.
King Neptune might have been singing chanteys to himself a little in the cockpit afterwards.
