Origin of superstition at sea

THROUGH THE PORTHOLE Learn more about Tall Ship cruising...

The Origins of Superstition at Sea

STAR CLIPPERS

The Origins of Superstition at Sea It is fair to say that the profession of sailing is one

rely on such beliefs. These people will search for

of the most superstitious. There are countless

any sense of additional security, whilst also seeking

superstitions which relate to safety and luck whilst

to predict and avoid danger or misfortune.

on the seas and, although many no longer apply,

As remains the case today, sailors relied on being

some of these still remain on sailor’s minds today.

able to predict the weather prior to embarking on

Horace Beck spent his life gathering and

any voyage. Today, we are able to take advantage of

studying the folklore of the seas throughout the

reliable forecasts via satellites, but it wasn’t this easy

20th century. He stated: “Men who follow the

in the 19th century. Instead, sailors were required

sea are the most superstitious lot of people on

to look to the sun, moon and stars in an attempt to

earth” in the book “Folklore at Sea”, which was

predict weather activity. Even songs were thought

published by the Mystic Seaport Museum, located

up in an attempt to help sailors remember the

in Mystic, Connecticut. But this is perhaps an

conditions of the seas.

unfair statement, considering other professions including hunters and shepherds are also highly superstitious.

But where do these superstitious originate?

Are they based on events which have actually happened, or are they imagined during the long and tiresome days at sea? Believe it or not – there is a scientific explanation behind such beliefs.

It is thought that those who work in unpredictable environments, yet also rely on them, in addition to being lonely, tired or anxious, may

If the sun sets clear as a bell, It’s going to blow sure as hell.

Red sun in the morning, sailors take warning, Red sun at night, sailors delight.

Many sailors would combine well-tried knowledge

sailors) during their travels. However, again, there

with magic and amulets. This would explain why

is a scientific explanation behind these claims. In

small fishing boats featured a painted eye on the

1972, Dr. Glin Bennet of the University of Bristol

bow, whilst larger ships have a figurehead which

interviewed each of the 34 participants of a single-

looks out to sea. It is believed that these features

handed transatlantic yacht race. Most had had

would be able to “see” oncoming dangerous

inexplicable experience – but had never seen any

conditions before the look-out. Even today, a

form of monster or entity.

figurehead is positioned under the mast of the Royal

One sailor, having spent 56 hours at the helm,

Clipper, providing a nod to the past.

had claimed to have seen his father-in-law in the

Cats have long been associated with good luck on

mast, whilst another claimed to see a baby elephant

board a vessel, but cats with six toes were considered

splashing around in the Atlantic and merely thought

to be magical because they were different. Today,

“a funny place to put a baby elephant” before

this can also be explained scientifically as a physical

continuing on their travels. Dr. Benet came to the

anomaly known as polydactylism.

conclusion that: “Sailors today see, hear and dream

Many sailors were convinced they had seen various

in the same way as sailors of bygone times when in

sea monsters or Klaubautermann (a mythical water

the same situation. The difference only lies in the

kobold that is thought to have appeared before

interpretation of the experience.”

STAR CLIPPERS