I don't suppose superstitions ever entered the heads of the first seafaring folk. My guess is that they gradually grew with the passing of time and the unlikely events that can occur on our oceans, paving the way for myths and superstitions to grow. (As the same probably happened on land). You can never go sailing on more than one occasion and have the same experience twice, the mutable seas will show cruelly and swiftly. It's no real surprise after hundreds of years on the oceans' waves did sailors and pirates alike start to notch up an impressive collection of do's and don'ts.
One example is, it is unlucky to leave for the high seas on a Friday. One immediately wants to know why? Perhaps because of the ominous link to Friday 13th? No, not quite. It's almost weekend, so the crew want to rest? No. The answer is not so obvious. It's because J.C apparently was crucified on a Friday. Confused? Yes, so was I. I mean if it was the day when Moses parted the Red Sea (with a little help from the hand of God) I would have said, 'Ah right then, that all makes sense'. Let's face it, what has J.C got to do with hoisting sails and dead reckoning, but then again some of the assorted superstitions are plainly off the wall. Move to the ominous one about women on board, quickly adding they made outstanding pirates and have been the best crew I have ever sailed with, (both women and pirates!). I rest my case!
The reluctance of going to sea on a Friday reached such epic proportions, the British Government in the 1800's thought they had come up with a solution to combat such a strongly ingrained superstition. They decided to lay a keel to a ship on a Friday, chose the crew on a Friday, picked a captain who was called James Friday. The ship was named HMS Friday and they launched her on a Friday. All went according to plan, only low and behold the ship and crew was never seen or heard of again! (Allegedly this jolly tale is an urban legend, bearing no resemblance to anyone or any ship who lived during this epoch.) Ah pity as I really enjoyed the tale and so wanted it to be true.
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| Fatal name some would say! |
This whole subject arose from the name changing of boats, which
according to the maritime world is a really big NO NO!. I have heard
many a tale on how to rename your vessel, paying homage to King
Neptune, sacrifices and such like. But the most entertaining has to be
the ritual involving three virgins, a bottle of champagne or two and
urination.
Need some enlightenment? I did! Save your spiels to
Neptune and burning of 'change of name' papers to scatter and hurl the grey dust into a rising tide, get a load
of this, (it's worth changing the name, even if you don't have to!).
I'm sticking to this, and after seeing yet another Bad Luck Boogie,
which states naming any vessel that ends in an 'a' is to enter 'you are doomed' mode,
I think I'll start looking straight away. Let's face it, until I
change the name of my boat, which I inherited, I am totally vulnerable
to the Bad Luck Boogie Elements. Take three virgins (this is possibly
the most testing part of the ritual). Chill a few bottles of bubbly, it has to be the genuine stuff, crack the champagne and ask the virgins to head up to the foredeck, (the pointy bit at the front of your boat) and all they have to do is pee. It's as simple as that. Yes well that and of course another apt name that doesn't end in an 'a'.
Before I get an over zealous knock on my topsides, I take this in pure jest. I have always accepted the name of my boat, originally falling in love with her lines, not the inscription on her rear end. I have duly stepped aboard with my left foot first, whistled a popular tune and even uttered the 'drown' word, not to mention leaving on Friday 13th and growing the odd herb on board! If I let the realm of superstitions prevail, I wouldn't leave the mooring. Remain I do, unscathed and I would say blessed. Touch wood!!
