# Seamen's Superstitions (merged threads)



## jim barnes

as we all know Friday 13th is one of the most known unlucky times or superstition, do you now any others like i think Aberdeen fishermen not wearing white sea boots surely there will be more and do we believe them or prefare not to chance it? (EEK) (Hippy)


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## edward

my son edward was born on friday 13th luckiest lad on this planet. regards edward.


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## benjidog

Mrs Benjidog sincerely believes that if you do washing on New Year's day you risk "washing someone out of the family" and has to do all the washing the day before. Personally I think it is unlucky to do it at all so I am quite happy to let her get on with it for the other 364 days.


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## william dillon

What a load of B******s.


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## Coastie

Friday the 13th has always been a lucky day for me, but then I've always been awkward!


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## jim barnes

william dillon said:


> What a load of B******s.


remember Dakar Bill?? (Ouch)


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## Phill

Friday the 13th....Ask my young boy, he decided to break his leg and put him self in 6 weeks of traction, just by doing the long jump at school, he didn’t go to School today 

Cheers Phill
(Cloud)


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## cynter

I got engaged to my present wife on Fri 13th just 45 years ago.... 

Is that lucky or not..??????

Cheers... cynter.


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## vix

A brother-in-law of mine was a deep-sea fisherman...he used to go crazy if anyone mentioned RABBITS within earshot...had to be referred too as underground pigs!! vIX


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## oldbosun

I must say that I agree with William Dillon. 

As a seaman, the only thing that I knew about Friday the 13th was that it was an unlucky day to sail, and that in the olden days, many ships Captains did not sail that day and that was with the approval of the Owners who were equally as superstitious.

But that was way back, before greed took over and ships sailed regardless. 

The mention of the word "Rabbits" I never heard of at sea in any context to cause any problem,and neither did I EVER see anybody wearing white seaboots. White seaboots indeed!!

Of course, superstition prevails in this thing about Friday the 13th, and that's all it is........superstition.


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## Oz.

It was always an unlucky day, never mind the date, when the third mate had pinched my beers from the fridge!!
Unlucky for him too !!.


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## Mike O'Rourke

"Aharrrrrr Me Lads.... It'll ne them wot diez that'll be the Lucky ones....every Finger a marlin spike and evert thumb a Fid.....soses to you Jim Lad."

Aye
Mike...... (Applause)


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## Gulpers

william dillon said:


> What a load of B******s.


Billy,

Got it! "Bollards" is the word, isn't it? 
This new Quiz Forum's great! (Jester)


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## gerbil

Well i had a maths exam yesterday (Friday 13th) so i'll let you know in a couple of weeks if it was unlucky or not.


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## benjidog

Vix,

Is there any chance your brother-in-law came from the Isle of Portland in Dorset? They have a thing about the word RABBIT down there and recently there was a campaign to stop the film people putting up adverts for the Wallace and Gromit film "The curse of the Were-rabbit" - the word is banned on Portland. They call the creatures "underground mutton" or other euphemisms.

I know this sounds like complete b******s but check it out at the Times website at this link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1815040,00.html


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## william dillon

jim barnes said:


> remember Dakar Bill?? (Ouch)



Ooops !! Forgot about that Jim........................ (EEK)


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## Mad Landsman

It is supposed to be unlucky to say 'rabbits' on Portland not for any seafaring reason, but by quarrymen. When a rabbit was seen out in the open in the quarrys it often preceeded a rock fall (the rabbits having noticed a problem). The person would call "Rabbits" and everyone went home & lost a days pay - hence unlucky! 
The big problem with this is that until about 70 or 80 years ago they used to call them coneys,(a rabbit being a young coney)

MIG.


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## fredkinghorn

If the new month had an R in it, my old Mother used to say " rabbits " on the first day. On the second day they would come and take her away again !

fred.

Could be the start of a beautiful friendship Louis.


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## Coastie

Fred.

Your Mother too eh? (Hippy)


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## trotterdotpom

vix said:


> A brother-in-law of mine was a deep-sea fisherman...he used to go crazy if anyone mentioned RABBITS within earshot...had to be referred too as underground pigs!! vIX


Wash your mouth out Vix! 'Pigs' are unlucky too - "grunters" are Ok. Rabbits were 'underground chicken'.

John T.


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## bsturrell

I believe the myth of Friday 13th dates back to Philippe IV of France when he had a go at the Knights Templars back in 1307.

Quote:-

Philippe set up an operation which would have impressed the Nazi SS or Gestapo. Issuing sealed and secret orders to his seneschals throughout the country and where they were opened simultaneously, all Templars in France were seized and placed under arrest by the King's men, their goods confiscated, and their preceptors placed under royal sequestration. Despite this great surprise at dawn on Friday, October 13, 1307, Philippe's primary interest -- the order's immense wealth -- eluded him. It was never found and what became of the fabulous "treasure of the Templars" remained a mystery


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## moaf

My wife is from Portland, she refers to rabbits as bunny's. The outlaws still live there, and they've got a pet bunny - securely locked in a cage!


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## Phill

“RABBITS"
Naval slang name given to articles taken, or intended to be taken, ashore privately. Originally "rabbits" were things taken ashore improperly (i.e. theft or smuggling - the name arose from the ease with which tobacco, etc., could be concealed in the inside of a dead rabbit) but with the passage of time the application of the word has spread to anything taken ashore; an air of impropriety nevertheless still hangs over the use of the word, whether or not this is justified (it seldom is). Hence the phrase "Tuck its ears in", often said to an officer or rating seen going ashore with a parcel.

Honest this info, was taken from the Royal Navy site.

Phill


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## benjidog

*A gruesome superstition*

The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea describes a gruesome superstition that is said to go back to classical times. According to the superstition, to be successful, a warship must taste the blood of a live person during its launching. It goes on to say that when a galley was launched, a slave was tied down so that his body was crushed and the blood splashed all over the vessel as it slid down into the sea. The victim's head was later mounted on the vessel's stemhead.

As far as I know we do that any more but, even in these enlightened times, we still offer a libation (in the form of a bottle of champagne) on a ship's launch and this also dates back to classical times - it was a libation to the gods of the sea.


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## John Rogers

Whistling was also a bad omen while at sea in my day, stems from the old sailing ship days
John.


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## Tony Crompton

trotterdotpom said:


> Wash your mouth out Vix! 'Pigs' are unlucky too - "grunters" are Ok.
> 
> John T.


On my Pilot Service it was absolutely forbidden to mention that word as it would bring bad luck and terrible weather.

They could be referred to as "Gisseys" or "Dirty four footed animals" but never that word.
-----------------------------
Tony C


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## Ron Stringer

*Rabbits*



Phill said:


> “RABBITS"
> Naval slang name given to articles taken, or intended to be taken, ashore privately. Originally "rabbits" were things taken ashore improperly (i.e. theft or smuggling - the name arose from the ease with which tobacco, etc., could be concealed in the inside of a dead rabbit)....
> 
> Phill


Phill,

I know the RN claim to be ingenious and lateral thinkers but, while at sea, where the hell did they get rabbits from in order to enable them to smuggle contraband ashore? They must be even smarter than they think they are.

Ron


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## Phill

Ron Stringer said:


> Phill,
> 
> I know the RN claim to be ingenious and lateral thinkers but, while at sea, where the hell did they get rabbits from in order to enable them to smuggle contraband ashore? They must be even smarter than they think they are.
> 
> Ron


 I just knew no one would believe me, honestly its from the Royal Navy site, i must admit I would prefer a bit of Beef,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 
http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/static/pages/4760.html

Phill


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## Phill

A little bit more on the Rabbit’s. it seems to have originated from Chatham Dockyard in Kent, a small island nearby was overrun with rabbits; the workers often killed them and took them home as free meat. A rabbit run is a trip to shore to buy gifts. If something ‘has ears on it’, it had been acquired illegally or taken ashore improperly. Any sailor seen carrying a parcel ashore might be advised to ‘tuck its ears in’….Lucky it wasn’t Rat Island Portsmouth………..taken from a book Old salts Wisdom (Read)

Phill


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## vix

*Friday 13th*



benjidog said:


> Vix,
> 
> Is there any chance your brother-in-law came from the Isle of Portland in Dorset? They have a thing about the word RABBIT down there and recently there was a campaign to stop the film people putting up adverts for the Wallace and Gromit film "The curse of the Were-rabbit" - the word is banned on Portland. They call the creatures "underground mutton" or other euphemisms.
> 
> I know this sounds like complete b******s but check it out at the Times website at this link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1815040,00.html


No, sorry Benjidog, he was a fully paid up Kiwi...one of the best hapuka fishermen around...in his time! Vix


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## vix

Different strokes for different folks!! The point is, Why were the big seamen afraid of the furry little bunnies? Vix


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## jim barnes

think lads? what was the name of the long eared one in or on the MAGIC ROUND ABOUT?? thinks he might be lurking on this thread (*))


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## vix

benjidog said:


> Vix,
> 
> Is there any chance your brother-in-law came from the Isle of Portland in Dorset? They have a thing about the word RABBIT down there and recently there was a campaign to stop the film people putting up adverts for the Wallace and Gromit film "The curse of the Were-rabbit" - the word is banned on Portland. They call the creatures "underground mutton" or other euphemisms.
> 
> I know this sounds like complete b******s but check it out at the Times website at this link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1815040,00.html


Kia ora Benjidog et al, My apologies...I eat humple Pie...it was underground mutton and not the other unmentionable word I unfortunately printed...I will slap my wrist with a wet feather (as long as that isn't forbidden, too?)


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## vix

jim barnes said:


> think lads? what was the name of the long eared one in or on the MAGIC ROUND ABOUT?? thinks he might be lurking on this thread (*))


Wasn't it Brian? Long time ago! Vix


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## Ron Stringer

*Magic Roundabout*



vix said:


> Wasn't it Brian? Long time ago! Vix


No, Vix. Brian was a cheeky and speedy snail. The laid-back, hippy furry one was Dillon.

Ron


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## trotterdotpom

Ron Stringer said:


> No, Vix. Brian was a cheeky and speedy snail. The laid-back, hippy furry one was Dillon.
> 
> Ron


Alec Gill from Hull has written a book about superstitions. Find him on Google and there is a page of fishermens' superstitions.

"Time for bed" said Zebbidy


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## jim barnes

Ron Stringer said:


> No, Vix. Brian was a cheeky and speedy snail. The laid-back, hippy furry one was Dillon.
> 
> Ron


Yes you are correct and he is also a senior member?? (egg)


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## michael james

We do have a Member by the handle of BUGS, and he is from down your way Vix, watch out !


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## william dillon

Ron Stringer said:


> No, Vix. Brian was a cheeky and speedy snail. The laid-back, hippy furry one was Dillon.
> 
> Ron


Hi, Brian,
Did you mention my name?, I try to be laid back, I used to be furry, but I am definately "Hippy" if that means having a fat A***e !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Thumb) (Night)


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## Ron Stringer

*Magic Roundabout*

Billy,

As I never saw the name written down, the rabbit's name might have been Dylan - that would have fitted with the rabbit's character in the cartoon (at the time a certain Bob Dylan was prominent). Much preferred the rabbit (and the snail .

Boinb, boing, time for bed.

Ron


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## vix

*Friday 13th*



michael james said:


> We do have a Member by the handle of BUGS, and he is from down your way Vix, watch out !


Thanks for the warning, Michael, I take note...on another tack...this is worthy of another Thread...which was the best? When I left the MN I ended up helping to build pylons...everyone used to rush home to watch...Tom & Jerry (the original)...5 minutes of utter madness and mayhem...next day it was the talk of the site...so we have Tom & Jerry, The Magic Roundabout and what about old...Captain Pugwash? Which I believe was taken off because of sexual connotations like...Seaman Jack?? Which was the best of those three? Or, include all of the others, what was/is the funniest cartoon? Vix


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## Ron Stringer

*Cartoon Fever*



vix said:


> When I left the MN I ended up helping to build pylons...everyone used to rush home to watch...Tom & Jerry (the original)...5 minutes of utter madness and mayhem...


Vix, clearly we ex-mariners never grew up. In 1966/67 I worked for Marconi in South Shields, finishing at 5:00 pm. I had to get off the ship I was working on, say in Middle Dock, Brigham & Cowans or Readheads, get back to the base office on the Mill Dam to find out whether any overtime or urgent jobs had come up and then if I was clear, get in the car and make it home to our apartment in Gateshead to catch the 5:30 pm showing of Magic Roundabout. Never missed it. My wife said I was completely mad/childish. She still does.

Ron


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## vix

*Friday 13th*



Ron Stringer said:


> Vix, clearly we ex-mariners never grew up. In 1966/67 I worked for Marconi in South Shields, finishing at 5:00 pm. I had to get off the ship I was working on, say in Middle Dock, Brigham & Cowans or Readheads, get back to the base office on the Mill Dam to find out whether any overtime or urgent jobs had come up and then if I was clear, get in the car and make it home to our apartment in Gateshead to catch the 5:30 pm showing of Magic Roundabout. Never missed it. My wife said I was completely mad/childish. She still does.
> 
> Ron


My missus still goes balmy when I watch Road Runner...repeat...repeat! Vix


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## jim barnes

first time i ever saw the muppets or was it the muppets, the one with BIG BIRD in it? anyway we where in port some where in NZ, day work ? we had a TV in the mess room and the program started about 1640hrs or so but we finished work 1700hrs, bosun used to catch us play hell about him saying when to knock off then joining us. I have been a muppet fan eversince and one of my favourite movies is MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND. HY jimmy jim jim (Hippy) (MV SOMERSET)


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## vix

*Friday 13th*



jim barnes said:


> first time i ever saw the muppets or was it the muppets, the one with BIG BIRD in it? anyway we where in port some where in NZ, day work ? we had a TV in the mess room and the program started about 1640hrs or so but we finished work 1700hrs, bosun used to catch us play hell about him saying when to knock off then joining us. I have been a muppet fan eversince and one of my favourite movies is MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND. HY jimmy jim jim (Hippy) (MV SOMERSET)


I am starting a new thread on the best cartoon, this is toooooo goood to miss!! Vix


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## jimbo35

*Witches Line*

is a yellow line painted around the hull of a trawler is all I know... is there an old salt around who can tell us more about the superstition ? Did a witches broom work over water ?


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## vix

*Friday 13th*



jimbo35 said:


> is a yellow line painted around the hull of a trawler is all I know... is there an old salt around who can tell us more about the superstition ? Did a witches broom work over water ?


I don't know about witches brooms...but...I read once that a Somerset witch reckoned...you should always crush the shell of an egg after using the content...otherwise a witch can use the parts as coracles!!?? And, no I'm not making this up...I did read it but can't remember where or when!! (Cloud) Vix


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## agentroadrunner

"Ministers on boats is bad luck" - Dougie the mate to Para Handy.

West coast fishermen refer to rabbits as "wee furry fellows"


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## jim barnes

Iheard white sea boots in Aberdeen, last time i said that certain individualls thought i was kidding, WELL ?? (Night)


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## Peter4447

Ministers and fishermen is a strange one. I was involved with a fishing boat that lost a crew member overboard some years ago. The local Clergyman thought he would help by sending down his Curate which just happened to be a lady. To a man the crew refused point blank to let her onboard.
Peter4447.
I wonder what the PC Brigade would make of that!


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## tabnab44

*Seamen's Superstitions / Friday 13th*

Hello ,well its been nearly 25 years since an old hand told me the real story about why we call those furry things with long ears "UNDERGROUND CHICKENS" and dont mention their real name onboard ship .....I've certainly stuck to this ..but can anyone remind me what the story was ..I've forgot !!??

I know on PORTLAND ,Dorset ...you just don't mention their name ...they even had to change the adverts for the last ARDMAN FILM "WALLACE AND GROMIT AND THE CURSE OF THE WIER *******" to "SOMETHING BUNNIES GOING ON" as they are very bad luck on the Isle for good reason...Back in the old days when Portland was covered in working stone quarries if you were in the bottom of the quarry pit and saw an underground chicken it was a warning of unstable ground and the possibility of a landslip ...it did happen on many occassion. 

I was always told not to whistle at sea as you were whistling up the wind ...from the days of sail....I used to tell anyone off for this..and infact old habbits die hard as only last year on a Cross Channel Ferry I reminded a fellow passenger of this ...he didn't alf give me a funny look !!(Thumb)


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## billyboy

my late father an ex aberdeen trawlerman told me of some. you have already told of two of them except we called them long eared things underground mutton.

apparently its unlucky to have a white handled knife aboard, to wish a departing for sea trawler good luck has been known to cause the skipper to remoor till the next day.


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## Peter4447

This could be a very interesting thread indeed.

I think that thing with a bushy tail that eats the furry things with long ears is also unlucky. I can certainly confirm that the Portlanders still cling very much to their dislike of them little furry things.

For fishermen to see a Vicar whilst heading for their boat is also unlucky and I am sure it is on record that crews have gone back home after such an encounter rather than put to sea.

Taken to extremes I had a case once where a fisherman was lost overboard and when the boat tied up in the nearest port the local Clergyman tried to be helpful and sent his Curate down to the boat to offer assistance. Unfortunately he sent a lady Priest and the crew refused point blank to have her onboard. 

Wearing an earring is a long standing superstition that is supposed to stop one from drowning.

Peter4447(Thumb)


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## Santos

Lighting more than two cigarettes with the same flame. This was allegedly to prevent a U Boat lining up on the light. This practice was still going strong on the ships I sailed on in the 60s.


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## Bridie

Peter4447 said:


> Wearing an earring is a long standing superstition that is supposed to stop one from drowning.


I was told 2 beliefs:

It helped your eyesight - left ear of course (*)) 
In ancient Greece you needed a piece of gold to pay the ferryman to cross the River Styx before entering the underworld, Hades. Those who died on land were burried with a gold coin, but seamen invariably drowned and so had to have the gold on themselves. Rings etc were too dangerous (catch on ropes) and so a gold earring was worn instead.
Stopped wearing mine when I came ashore in 1972.


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## Derek Roger

Peeing into the wind can be unluckey


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## Gulpers

*Merged Threads*

Seamen's Superstitions (tabnab44) and Friday 13th (Jim Barnes)

Two similar threads which I have merged. (Thumb)


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## Peter4447

Santos said:


> Lighting more than two cigarettes with the same flame. This was allegedly to prevent a U Boat lining up on the light. This practice was still going strong on the ships I sailed on in the 60s.


In a similar vein the third light is also supposed to be unlucky. It appears that when lighting cigarettes when using just one match in the 1914-18 trenches a sniper would be alerted by the first, would take aim on the second and fire on the third. I rather think this superstition could well be based on fact.

Peter4447


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## william dillon

Phill said:


> “RABBITS"
> Naval slang name given to articles taken, or intended to be taken, ashore privately. Originally "rabbits" were things taken ashore improperly (i.e. theft or smuggling - the name arose from the ease with which tobacco, etc., could be concealed in the inside of a dead rabbit) but with the passage of time the application of the word has spread to anything taken ashore; an air of impropriety nevertheless still hangs over the use of the word, whether or not this is justified (it seldom is). Hence the phrase "Tuck its ears in", often said to an officer or rating seen going ashore with a parcel.
> 
> Honest this info, was taken from the Royal Navy site.
> 
> Phill


(A) Phil,

Did they carry a stock of Rabbits on warships to assist with the smugglimg operations? LOL......(Jester)


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## william dillon

Ron Stringer said:


> No, Vix. Brian was a cheeky and speedy snail. The laid-back, hippy furry one was Dillon.
> 
> Ron


(Smoke) I think the spelling is different Ron (Dylan)???[=P], the laid back bit may be true !!!!!!!!!!(Hippy)


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## Brad

Heres a few superstitions i have come across in my time

1. whistling on the bridge which is kinda funny because in the days of sail, the sailors (evidently) used to whislte to _bring_ the wind when the ship was becalmed. now, in the days of motor, we don't like to whistle on the bridge because you will 'whistle up a wind'

2. saying "fog" on the bridge - i had an old man who used to insist that any reference to fog was spelt out and backwards i.e. G-O-F

3. blowing out a candle - said to kill a seaman every time you do it. should snuff the candle instead. Personally, I ALWAYS obey this one - my wife too

4. Albatrosses are dead seamen reincarnated. thats supposed to be why they follow ships around. i would think that they would have had enough of the slops cooked on board ships when they were at sea, without following them around in the afterlife. sooty albatrosses (the black ones) are meant to be engineers too by the way.


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## Ron Stringer

william dillon said:


> (Smoke) I think the spelling is different Ron (Dylan)???[=P], the laid back bit may be true !!!!!!!!!!(Hippy)


And what about the hippy, furry bit? Guess you're right about the spelling, the link to Bob never crossed my mind, even all those years ago! Funny how the brain works (or not, as is appropriate in my case).


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## ed glover

I signed on the MV Dalla in Tilbury on Fri 13th oppisite number 13. the guy in the office sad i hpe your not supperstitious, i said no I didnt care. 3 hours later i was back signing off and heading to hospital. Pleurisy,bronchitis and malaria. 3 weeks in hospital nearly bloody well died.
Ed Glover
Controlled drifting


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## stein

When signed on for my first trip in January 65, the Oslo hiring office gave me a little booklet of "dos and don'ts". There I was instructed that under no ci***stances should I bring a suitcase or an umbrella onboard ship. THOSE OBJECTS WERE TABOO. Not unnaturally I turned out to be the only one in the ship to miss those two useful implements. My seamans sack became an object of great mirth.
As for the ban on spoken rabbits, it was usual in the days of sail, I have read of it often. Stein.


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## ABEE

My old man was born on the 13th, I was married on the 13th and live in house number 13. Perhaps this is why I havn't won the lottery, but apart from that - no complaints. Dad would never ever allow anyone to say p i g in his prescene, always gissy. No whistling in the boat, that was another one. However, I am not superstitious - touch wood!


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## makko

Sailors would carry a dried "maidenhead" or the sac that the baby develops in to avoid drowning, as the baby "breathes" water.


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## Richard Green

Didn't the Marie Celeste sail on a Friday 13th?

Bsturrel, you're probably right. But here there's a big push by the lottery people in the run up to any Friday 13th because it's supposed to be super lucky!...Having been a pontoon rat at the first Route du Rhum singelhanded sail race I know that "rabbits" should not be mentioned in the boatie fraternity. 

Phill, weren't rabbits also called caperbar?


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## Mad Landsman

The amazing thing about the word rabbits is that up until early 20th century a rabbit was a young coney, so Portland quarrymen would have seen conies, gone home and lost a day's pay.(unlucky!)
We have to thank butchers for the change, like selling mutton and calling it lamb or even further back calling hogs 'pigs' (a baby hog). 
If anyone in interested (I doubt it): Up until they closed the Magistrates Court on Portland in the 1970s the locals would accept the word coney but not rabbit (as in 'Trespass with a gun in search of Conies' etc)

Incidently I think a 'maidenhead' is also known as a Caul.


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## Gulpers

*Superstitions*

Bad luck would follow any of these: (EEK) 

Breaking a mirror;

Dropping a hatch board into the hold;

Turning a hatch board bottom up.


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## tabnab44

I was always told if you had an itchy bum hole at sea it was a sure sign there was a Greek ship around .... 9 out of 10 times this was true ... the tenth was normally when I'd upset the cook !


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## tabnab44

The thing with underground chickens is something from way back in the days of sail ...I'm trying to find out more and will post any bits I can come up with.


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## kottemann

*Superstitions*

Ok its Friday the 13th and us mariners are supposedly a superstitious lot so lets hear them. can vaguely remember two, whistling on board brought up the wind and shaving at sea apart from the obvious reason ie: cutting yourself in rough weather I have no idea why it was unlucky to shave at sea


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## gdynia

Never mentioning a Pigs name onboard


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## kottemann

what does that mean do you name your pigs in Scotland


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## gdynia

Aye all the time I thought everyone did


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## billyboy

cant mention them furry things with big ears! (underground mutton)
i heard also that white handled knife's are a no no on a trawler


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## Ian

RABBIT RABBIT RABBIT....
The colour green is also supposed to be unlucky for some...
I Once sailed with a German Capt (Heye-P) who went absolutely crazy when he caught me washing the german Flag, I had to buy a bottle of the best whisky and rebaptise the flag, only then could i put the flag up again,,weird i thought at the time...


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## gdynia

Peter
Surley you didnt use the full bottle


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## Pilot mac

Fishermen have to be the most superstitious of seamen. White handled knives, and those furry things with long ears, (known as Bexhill Donkeys in this neck of the woods) which must not be mentioned.

regards
Dave


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## SEASPANNER

curly tails,long tails,mappies,red fish...all banned


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## kottemann

peter barc said:


> RABBIT RABBIT RABBIT....
> The colour green is also supposed to be unlucky for some...
> I Once sailed with a German Capt (Heye-P) who went absolutely crazy when he caught me washing the german Flag, I had to buy a bottle of the best whisky and rebaptise the flag, only then could i put the flag up again,,weird i thought at the time...


I would use the whole bottle to rebabptise a flag but it would have passed through my kidneys first[=P]


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## wbeedie

salmon was another not to mention known as red fish, nothing to do with swans aboard the boats, no whistling in case a wind came up are a few that come to mind a vessel that I sailed on was launched on friday 13th sunk less than a year later


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## notnila

In the '60s I sailed with a tramp Master who refused (officially)to cross the International Date Line for 24 hours because it would mean the next day would be Friday 13th!Still don't know where we were during that time!


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## raybnz

Yesterday being the 13th I brought a lotto ticket. I haven,t had any luck buying it on other dates so I thought it might be lucky.

If I win I will shout you all a beer. How about the Roundhouse by the docks.


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## makko

I don't know if it was just BlueFlu, but we were banned from chinking glasses when toasting. It meant that someone would die! I still can't ***** glasses to this day, I get a finger in between or just bang hands!

Rgds.

Dave


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## jaydeeare

*Superstitions*

It is said that sailors are very superstitious.

Have you any superstitions or come across any odd superstitions?

I believe whistling at sea is one, because sailors believe it is whistling for a storm, or a signal to start a mutiny. I stand ready to be corrected on this.


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## makko

Johnny,
One I like: You never "*****" glasses when toasting onboard. Someone will die!
Rgds.
Dave


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## non descript

A traditional Chinese superstition is that it’s bad luck to ever turn a fish over on the plate. Doing so is thought to cause the boats of fishing families to overturn out at sea.


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## John N MacDonald

*Superstitions*

There are certainly numerous superstitions concerning the sea.
I've spent many happy days on holiday in Looe in Cornwall and you can't mention rabbits they are floppy ears.
I heard a story that at one time that a pet shop opened on or near the quay and advertised pet rabbits for sale which caused a bit of a stir with the local seafarers one of whom entered the shop and complained.
Also some folks in that part of the world think the colour green unlucky and I believe it was also the case up here in the Highlands and Islands. Maybe it's a Celtic superstition!


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## Tony D

Sailed with a old timer who went off it if he heard anybody whistling, which was unfortunate because I had a habit of whistling as I went about my work,strangest one I heard was about the fishermen on Holy Island, if anybody used the word "Pig" they would not put to sea that day.


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## Binnacle

May be particular to Scottish fishermen, it was considered unlucky to meet a minister of religion when heading towards the boat, it was necessary to turn back home to avoid ill luck. If a minister boarded it was necessary to scrub the vessel from stem to stern after his departure. Leaving harbour it was considered unlucky to turn the boat against the sun.


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## DICK SLOAN

Don't wear somebody elses wellingtons.


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## Santos

A shark following the ship is a sign of a death on the ship as Sharks are believed to be able to sense those near death.


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## jaydeeare

At Fleetwood as the trawlers put out to sea, wives/girlfriends/mothers who waved off their loved ones from the shore never shouted "Goodbye!" It was always "See yer!" or "T'rah!" For obvious reasons


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## geobro

Heard of all of them; (rabbits were also called map-maps)... Scottish fishermen were particularly superstitious. Lived next door to one; when he left for sea he would never look back, despite wife at window watching him go off down the street.

Worst case I ever came across was a master who would never let a woman on board; nearly went off his brain when the 2nd mate innocently brought a female friend aboard. I thought he was going to kill him!


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## janathull

Sailed with a skipper in Newlyn who refused to sail because there were 2 nuns on the quay, called them penguins!. Regards Jan.


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## mcgurggle

Tonga said:


> A traditional Chinese superstition is that it’s bad luck to ever turn a fish over on the plate. Doing so is thought to cause the boats of fishing families to overturn out at sea.


Wot!...And leave half a Dover Sole???
(Jester) 
McG


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## Chouan

"Lived next door to one; when he left for sea he would never look back, despite wife at window watching him go off down the street."

Perhaps he just didn't like her.


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## non descript

mcgurggle said:


> Wot!...And leave half a Dover Sole???
> (Jester)
> McG


McG,
A very valid point, but no; they very cleverly take it all from underneath without turning the bone. It is that process which leads the unsuspecting person to wonder why not turn it over (or even do it oneself) and then all hell breaks loose. A bit like finding a penguin on the quay, waving and saying “good bye” as you are about to sail.
(Thumb)


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## Steve Woodward

I have always heard that seamen are superstitious but in 32 years at sea never saw any sign of it, never needed it myself - touch wood.


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## trotterdotpom

A virtual cod end full of fishermens' superstitions can be found at:

http://www.hull.ac.uk/php/cetag/5bseadal.htm

I'd forgotten about the taboo colour of green - that was also prevalent in Grimsby. No wonder you never see anyone in green wellies in Freeman Street!

I did have some bad luck with women on board myself, but, what the hell, you can't win 'em all.

John T.


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## makko

Steve,
And thanks be to God that you are an atheist!
Rgds.
Dave!!!!!LoLs!!!


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## Riptide

jimbo35 said:


> is a yellow line painted around the hull of a trawler is all I know... is there an old salt around who can tell us more about the superstition ? Did a witches broom work over water ?


Did witches broom work over water.I don't know,Ill ask the wife how she does
it,she put a spell on me.Kenny.(Jester)


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## Peter Fielding

Peter4447 said:


> This could be a very interesting thread indeed.
> 
> I think that thing with a bushy tail that eats the furry things with long ears is also unlucky. I can certainly confirm that the Portlanders still cling very much to their dislike of them little furry things.
> 
> For fishermen to see a Vicar whilst heading for their boat is also unlucky and I am sure it is on record that crews have gone back home after such an encounter rather than put to sea.
> 
> Taken to extremes I had a case once where a fisherman was lost overboard and when the boat tied up in the nearest port the local Clergyman tried to be helpful and sent his Curate down to the boat to offer assistance. Unfortunately he sent a lady Priest and the crew refused point blank to have her onboard.
> 
> Wearing an earring is a long standing superstition that is supposed to stop one from drowning.
> 
> Peter4447(Thumb)


The earring one is a new one on me. I always understood that the reason for seamen wearing gold earrings was that if the wearer was lost at sea, and his body washed up, the earring in his ear would have sufficient value to give him a decent burial. (But what do I know?)


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## rickles23

*Rabbits*

Perhaps you Learned Gentlemen might be able to help.

Something I have always wanted to know:
My late Father never mentioned 'rabbits' but called them 'Bexhill Donkies'.
Any explanations?.
Regards..(Scribe)


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