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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