Ceremonies - Closing

OOD: "Boatswain."

BOS'N: (Marches by the most direct route to his station forward of the quarterdeck and salutes.) "Boatswain [last name], reports."

OOD: (Returns the salute) "Call all hands, stations for Final muster."

BOS'N: "Aye aye, sir." (Drops his salute, faces about, pipes 'All Hands' on the boatswain's pipe, and then commands:) "All hands to stations for Final muster." (When all crews are facing inboard, the BOS'N faces about to the OOD and salutes.) "Sir, the Ship is at quarters."

OOD: (Returns the salute) "Very well, proceed with announcements."

BOS'N: "Aye aye, sir." (Drops his salute, faces about.) "[Ship name], uncover, seats." (The BOS'N proceeds with the announcements. When others are called upon to speak, the BOS'N seats himself at a post by the starboard gangway. When the announcements are completed, the BOS'N stands and introduces the Skipper's Minute. When the SKIPPER is finished, he moves to the quarterdeck. As the SKIPPER enters the quarterdeck, the BOS'N covers and takes his station forward of the bridge, facing aft.)

SKIPPER: "Sir, I am about to leave the Ship."

OOD: (Faces SKIPPER, salutes.) "Aye aye, sir."

OOD*: (Left face towards BOS'N) "BOS'N, the SKIPPER is about to leave the Ship."

BOS'N: (Salutes) "Aye aye, sir." (Faces about to the Ship.) "[Ship name], attention. Covers. The Skipper is about to leave the Ship. COLOR GUARD, SIDE BOYS, post." (The members of the SKIPPER's party march to the starboard gangway, execute the double salute and exit the landship. As each officer passes between the sideboys, the Petty Officer 'pipes the side.' The OOD returns each salute to the quarterdeck. He then escorts the SKIPPER to the port side of the quarterdeck. As the SKIPPER leaves the quarterdeck, he shakes hands with the OOD, then walks to the starboard gangway.)

OOD: "[Ship's name] departing." (Two bells, with piping. The SKIPPER's flag is hauled down. As the SKIPPER clears the gangway, the BOS'N returns to his station forward of the bridge and faces forward.)

BOS'N: "COLOR GUARD, SIDE BOYS, return to your crews."

BOS'N: (Turns and faces OOD, salutes) "Sir, the side is secured."

OOD: (Returns salute.) "Stand by for colors."

BOS'N: "Aye aye, sir." (Drops salute and faces about to the Ship.) "COLOR GUARD, post." (The COLOR GUARD marches by the most direct route to their posts at the flagstaff. They free the halyard and stand by to lower the Ensign. When all is ready, the BOS'N commands:)

"Hand salute." (The CREW LEADERS in unison 'pipe the side', repeating the call once. The Ensign is slowly run down in time to reach the hands of the Color Guard at the end of the call. At the last note, the BOS'N faces about.)

"Ready, two. Inboard, face." (The COLOR GUARD folds the Ensign in the prescribed manner and when finished, quickly march to a position front and center of the BOS'N, pass the Ensign to him, take one step backward, salute, drop their salutes, and then return to their crews. The BOS'N does not return the salutes. He then faces about, passed the Ensign to the OOD, salutes, drops his salute and awaits instructions. The OOD secures the Ensign on the bridge. The OOD does not return the BOS'N's salute.)

OOD: "Boatswain, dismiss the Ship."

BOS'N: (Salutes) "Aye aye, sir." (Drops his salute and faces about to the Ship.) "CREW LEADERS, dismiss your crews." (The crews face to the right and the CREW LEADERS march to their post at the head of the crew. The crews leave the landship by the port gangway. Normally, the after crew on the port side exits first, then the remaining crews in clockwise order around the deck.)

CREW LEADER DELTA: (Leads his crew to the port gangway, halts, faces the BOS'N and salutes.) "Port Delta, request permission to lay ashore, sir."

BOS'N: (Facing the CREW LEADER, returns the salute.) "Permission granted."

CREW LEADER DELTA: (Drops his salute, executes the double salute, then to his crew:) "Port Delta, lay ashore." (The Crew Leader exits the Landship. Each crew member marches to the gangway, executes the double salute, then lays ashore. The OOD and BOS'N return each salute to the quarterdeck. The remaining crews lay ashore in like manner. When the last crew has cleared the gangway, the BOS'N'S MATE marches to the gangway, halts, and faces the BOS'N.)

BOS'N'S MATE: (Salutes) "Boatswain's Mate [late name], requests permission to lay ashore, sir."

BOS'N: (Returns the salute) "Permission granted." (The BOS'N'S MATE drops his salute, executives the double salute, then exits the landship. As the BOS'N'S MATE clears the gangway, the BOS'N faces the OOD and salutes.)

BOS'N: "Sir, the Ship is dismissed."

OOD: (Returns salute) "Very well, stand by to lay ashore."

BOS'N: "Aye aye, sir." (Drops his salute. OOD passes to right of BOS'N, proceeding towards respective starboard and port gangways, exchange salutes, the double salute, and exit the landship.)

NOTE:

1. "Ma'am" is interchangeable with "Sir."
2. Side boys render salutes when piping aboard/departure commences. The salutes drop when the piping stops.
3. If dignitaries included, add into script "and dignitaries" wherever (*) shown.
4. Strokes of the ship's bell for arrival/departure of dignitaries:

2 BELLS - (Ship's Name) [Skipper], arriving/departing (and ship's officers, visiting ships' officers ship committeemembers)
4 BELLS - ____ Council Commodore, arriving/departing - _____ Council Vice Commodore, arriving/departing (any district and council officers)
6 BELLS - _____ Region Commodore, arriving/departing - _____ Region Vice Commodore, arriving/departing (any officers related to the regional office)
8 BELLS - National Commodore arriving/departing - National Committeeman, arriving/departing (any officers related to the National Council)

It is suggested for expediency to have the number side boys required for senior-most dignitary line up all at once. As dignitaries come aboard together (junior first), and as their (above) titles are announced, let the ship's bell toll their status. Departure is in reverse order.