Superstitious sailors!

Sailors are the kookiest; here are just some of their kooks:




• The feather of a wren slain on New Year’s Day will protect a sailor from dying by shipwreck.

• It's bad luck to sail on a Friday. Related urban ledgend: The reluctance of seamen to sail on a Friday reached such epic proportions, that in the 1800s the British Government decided to take strong measures to validate the superstition. They laid the keel of a new vessel on Friday, selected her crew on a Friday, launched her on a Friday and named her HMS Friday. They then placed her in command of one Captain James Friday and sent her to sea for the first time on a Friday. The scheme worked well, and had only one drawback ... neither ship nor crew was ever heard from again.

• Black travelling bags are bad luck.

• If you whistle or sing into the wind on a boat, a storm is sure to follow.

• Sailors who wear earrings or have tattoos won't drown, the accessories were thought to keep evil spirits away.

• It's bad luck to have women onboard because they make the sea angry or jealous.

• Rats leaving a ship are a sign of trouble.

• On some fishing boats it is strictly prohibited to bring bananas or suitcases on board, even images of bananas can’t be brought on board and banana republic clothing cannot be worn.

• Coming into contact with red heads when going to the ship to begin a journey.-Red heads bring bad luck to a ship, which can be averted if you speak to the red-head before they speak to you.

• Disaster will follow if you step onto a boat with your Left Foot first.

• Pouring wine on the deck will bring good luck on a long voyage.

• A naked woman on board will calm the sea.

• Black cats are considered good luck and will bring a sailor home from the sea.

• Cutting your hair or nails at sea is bad luck. -These were used as offerings to Proserpina, and Neptune will become jealous if these offerings are made while in his kingdom.

• Coins thrown into the sea as a boat leaves port is a small toll to Neptune, the sea god, for a safe voyage

• Fishermen should never speak the word "pig" out loud, but instead refer to the animal by nicknames such as Curly-Tail and Turf-Rooter. Mentioning the word "pig" will result in strong winds. Actually killing a pig on board the ship will result in a full scale storm.

Alot of these are based on biblical stories and greek myths, some are just crazy sailor guff. But Maybe if George clooney had read this perfect storm would be a less horribly deppressing film?

HAPPY SAILING