The Bitter End

By Captain J. Gary "Gator" Hill

The world we walk in is steeped in rituals, superstitions, and portends of bad luck. Perhaps, more so for mariners whose daily lives are steered by these things. Personally, I’m not very superstitious, however I am a little-stitious, if you know what I mean. How many of you have your good luck talismans, such as a good luck jersey, lucky socks, a four leaf clover or a rabbit's foot? Well, lets go down the rabbit hole, so to speak, and look at a few seagoing superstitions and perhaps some of the origins as well.

Fishermen are perhaps some of the oldest mariners in the world, from the time man pushed that first log out into the water and climbed aboard, they’ve been following that call to the sea. At one time it was considered unlucky to see a red-haired person on the way to the boat. Could you imagine how difficult the fishing in Ireland and Scotland must have been?

Nets were salted at the beginning of the season, and often there was a blessing as well. This eventually carried over into the blessing of the fleet, which is still very much a tradition here in the lowcountry. Fishing every day of the week was another thing considered bad luck, as the gods would consider you greedy and not happy with what they gave you.

Now let us look at the 800 pound gorilla in the room: BANANAS. Yes, those slippery skinned buggers that supposedly keep fish from biting (or any other unlucky thing that might occur if bananas are allowed aboard). Though the origin of this superstition can’t be pinpointed, many believe it goes back at least to the 1700’s. But why are bananas bad luck? Several ideas have been floated through the years, and of those, some may have merit while others are likely just hand me down legends, meaning you were told by someone who was told by someone else.

Let’s look at a few things that may have contributed to this belief, and maybe some science behind it. In the early days of commerce, ships could often be loaded top heavy, causing instability, particularly in foul weather, so when ships would succumb to the ravages of the sea sometimes all that was left floating was ... you guessed it, bananas. Leading some to believe that the bananas were the cause.

I’ve heard from some mariners that gases emitted by this fruit made ships heavier by soaking into the wood, though I’ve not been able to corroborate this. Bananas do, however, emit ethylene gas, which is heavier than air, but the most noticeable effect of this is that it causes other nearby fruits and vegetables to ripen and rot much quicker.

The oils on bananas, when transferred to the hands, may very well cause fish to not be interested in the bait. Or maybe a fisherman once slipped on a peel and cursed the fruit instead of his own clumsiness. Another possibility is the creepy crawlies that hang out with ‘naners, such as spiders and snakes and other poisonous critters.

In early days, long before refrigeration and well preserved foods, mariners often fished for sustenance on long voyages. Yet because food cargo would spoil quickly, ships had to get where they were going fast, so the trawling results were generally poorer.

No matter the source, probably better to be safe than sorry. Never take bananas or wear anything banana-related if you go out on someone else’s boat as you may find your snack or shirt swimming with the fishes. (You Fruit of the Loom guys may want to cut the labels out of your jockey shorts.) Other seagoing superstions include emptying your pockets to make sure you have no pennies, and not bringing flowers or clergy aboard as both are connected to funerals. Ringing of bells is also associated with funerals, so anything ringing was a portent of bad luck, even the ringing of a wine glass had to be stopped before the end of its reverberation to ward off the bad mojo about to be unleashed. Never set sail on a Friday, being the day of Crucifixion. There’s a story that the British tried to lay that superstition to rest. They commissioned a vessel to be built; the keel was laid on a Friday, it was launched on a Friday, christened on a Friday and named the HMS Friday, and who better to captain her? None other than a chap by the name of Captain Friday. The vessel set out on her maiden voyage and faded from sight out over the horizon, never to be seen again. Take this with a grain of salt, as I have found nothing to substantiate it. So, no matter your beliefs just remember this: it’s bad luck to be superstitious.

'Til our wakes cross again, peace and love, and shrimp and grits. I'll see you on the water!

Captain Gator has spent the past several decades truly living the salt life, from living on and racing sailboats, to being a paddle guide, to becoming a 100-ton master and working in the tour boat industry. A strong love of history and the water has shaped him into becoming one part educator, one part entertainer, and one part storyteller. When asked if he is a native, his reply is yes, by osmosis. TheOriginalCaptainGator@gmail.com

Ah, fall: The nip of the first chill in the air. The colorful foliage. The pumpkin spice lattes. The pumpkin spice everything. Oh yeah, and the long list of home maintenance tasks awaiting you at the start of the season.

We hate to intrude on your fall bliss, but the postsummer months are a critical time for knocking out routine home maintenance to keep your household running smoothly into winter. Luckily, many of these tasks are easy DIY projects, with options to call in the pros if you prefer. We asked home experts which items should be at the top of your to-do list this fall. Here are the musts to tackle before the falling leaves turn to colder winter temps. 1. Check windows and doors for air leaks. Lower temperatures mean higher thermostat settings, and anyone in a cooler climate knows the pain of opening a gas bill in the dead of winter. 2. Clean the chimney. If you have a fireplace, fall is a great time to give it a thorough cleaning and inspection, says Craig Gjelsten, vice president of Rainbow International Restoration. Maintaining a clean fireplace is the simplest and best way to remove creosote, a byproduct of wood combustion that contains tar and toxins. “Eliminating this from the chimney liner and the smoke box reduces the risk of a fire,” he says 3. Schedule a furnace tuneup. Don’t wait until the first bitterly cold day to finally turn on your furnace. If you have any issues, you’ll want to know before the mercury drops and you find yourself shivering indoors. “Homeowners should listen for strange noises, such as booming, clicking, and squealing, when they turn on their furnace for the fall season,” Bidwell adds. “They should also pay attention to odd odors coming from the furnace.” 4. Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. It’s easy to forget about smoke and carbon monoxide detectors (unless a cooking disaster sets off the alarm—we’ve all been there). “That’s why as we approach this time of year, it’s important to test these alarms and detectors, as well as replace those that are 10 or more years old,” Gjelsten says. 5. Run ceiling fans in reverse. The hot, humid days of summer are officially in the rear-view mirror (in most parts of the country, at least). “That’s why now is the perfect time to start thinking about reversing the direction [of] fans in the home to make the space warmer,” Gjelsten says. Reversing the direction of your ceiling fans helps circulate warm air near the ceiling back into your living space. (Heat rises, remember!) This can cut your heating costs by as much as 10%, Gjelsten says. 6. Winterize your sprinkler system. It’s a good idea to winterize your outdoor irrigation system to prevent damage from freezing water. This process clears leftover water from the pipes in your irrigation system. 7. Disconnect and empty your garden hoses. Speaking of freezing water, “a frozen hose can cause the water inside the wall to freeze and burst,” Bidwell says. Don’t let this happen to you, homeowner! 8. Clean the gutters. Throughout the year, your gutters fill up with leaves, sticks, and other debris. Failing to clear this gunk from your gutters can mean rain and melting snow won’t be able to drain easily—potentially causing seepage and leaks into your home.

lyn@coldwellbanker.com www.lynmccuen.com