Sailors' superstitions are superstitions particular to sailors or mariners, and which traditionally have been common around the world. Some of these beliefs are popular superstitions, while others are better described as traditions, stories, folklore, tropes, myths, or legends. The origins of many of these superstitions are based in the inherent risks of sailing, and luck, either good or bad, as well as portents and omens that would be given associative meaning in relation to the life of a mariner, sailor, fisherman, or crew in general. Even in the 21st century, "fishers and related fishing workers" in the U.S. have the second-most dangerous occupation, trailing only loggers.
Bad luck By far the best known sailors' superstitions involve bad luck.
Red sunrise
Sailors are taught if the sunrise is red to take warning. The day ahead will be dangerous. "Red Sky at night, Sailors delight; Red Sky in the morning, Sailors take warning." It may also be said as; "Red at morning, Sailor's warning; Red at night, Sailor's delight," or "Red sky at night, Sailor's delight; Red sky at morn, Sailor be warned."
This saying actually has some scientific validity, although it assumes storm systems will approach from the west, and is therefore generally correct only at mid-latitudes where, due to the rotation of the Earth, prevailing winds travel west to east. If the morning skies are red, it is because clear skies over the horizon to the east permit the sun to light the undersides of moisture-bearing clouds.
Conversely, to see red clouds in the evening, sunlight must have a clear path from the west, so therefore the prevailing westerly wind must be bringing clear skies. Basically, this means if there is a red sky, Sun, or clouds at morning, it might mean there will be a storm, or severe winds will come. Although, if there is a red sky, Sun, or clouds at night, there will be clear skies, soft or no winds, and you have a good day ahead of you.
Jonah
A "Jonah" is a long-established expression among sailors, meaning a person (either a sailor or a passenger) who is bad luck, which is based on the Biblical prophet Jonah. Clergymen are considered bad luck, as they are all of Jonah's ilk. Redheads and women are also to be avoided as passengers.
Unlucky days Friday is considered to be an unlucky day in some cultures, and perhaps the most enduring sailing superstition is that it is unlucky to begin a voyage or "set sail" on a Friday. However, this superstition is not universal. In the 19th century Admiral William Henry Smyth, writing in his nautical lexicon The Sailor's Word-Book, described Friday as
(Dies Infaustus means "unlucky day".) This superstition is the root of the well-known urban legend of .
Sailors are often reluctant to set sail on Candlemas Day, believing that any voyage begun then will end in disaster. This may be related to the superstition to remove all Christmas decorations by Candlemas, a practice done well into Victorian times.
In 18th century New England, rolling clouds and roaring waves were thought as bad omens, so sailing on days under such conditions was considered inadvisable.
In The Old Man and the Sea, the protagonist and "unlucky" sailor Santiago sails on a Friday.
Sirens and Scylla
Sirens were mythological, often dangerous and beautiful, creatures, portrayed as femmes fatales who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. They were portrayed in both Greek and Roman mythology as sea deities who lured mariners, and in Roman lore were daughters of Phorcys.Virgil. V. 846; Ovid XIV, 88.See also Argonautica (4.891–919); Odyssey XII, 39; Hyginus, Fabulae 141; Lycophron, Alexandra 712 ff. In the Odyssey, the hero Odysseus, wishing to hear the sirens' seductive and destructive song, must protect himself and his crew by having his fellow sailors tie him to the mast and then stop their own ears with wax (see image).
In another myth, Hera, queen of the gods, persuaded the Sirens to enter a singing contest with the Muses, which the Sirens lost;Lemprière 768. out of their anguish, writes Stephanus of Byzantium, the Sirens turned white and fell into the sea at Aptera ("featherless"), where they formed the islands in the bay that were called Souda (modern Lefkai).Caroline M. Galt, "A marble fragment at Mount Holyoke College from the Cretan city of Aptera", Art and Archaeology 6 (1920:150).
Another mythological creature, the Scylla, is a similar female sea demon that is both dangerous yet beautiful. Sirens supposedly "lured mariners to their deaths with their melodious, enchanting song", while "Scylla sent countless sailors to the depths of the sea."
On a related note, it was considered bad luck to have women on board, due to the potential for distractions which in turn would anger the sea gods and cause bad weather.
Albatross The albatross as a superstitious relic is referenced in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's well-known 1798 poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. It is considered very unlucky to kill an albatross; in Coleridge's poem, the narrator killed the bird and his fellow sailors eventually force him to wear the dead bird around his neck. It is considered good luck for a sailor to see an albatross and let it live.
Bananas Having bananas on a ship, especially on a private boat or fishing yacht, is considered bad luck. The origin of the superstition is unknown. Some believe it originates from the bananas causing other fruits and vegetables to ripen too quickly.
Ceremonial ship launching During the christening ceremony for a ship, it is considered bad luck if the bottle swung against the side of the ship fails to break.
Unlucky numbers
In North America and Western Europe, 13 is considered unlucky, so cruise ships are sometimes built without a deck 13.
In Italy, where 17 is considered unlucky, cruise ships built and operated by MSC Cruises lack a Deck 17.
Naming of a ship
A new boat or ship needs to be named with a proper christening ceremony and breaking a bottle of champagne or other sparkling wine.
The re-naming of a ship is not to be taken lightly: it is 7 years' bad luck to re-name a ship, without going through the proper procedures. The steps involved include:
Finally, re-christen the ship with a bottle of champagne, drinking any remaining.
Good luck Sailors also had a culture of items or practices that were believed to bring good luck, or trinkets to ward off bad luck or the "evil eye".
Cats
While in many cultures, a black cat is considered unlucky, British and Irish sailors considered it good luck to adopt a black "ship's cat". A high level of care was directed toward them to keep them happy. There is some logic to this belief: cats hunt rodents, which can damage ropes and stores of grain on board, as well as spread disease among passengers and crew. Research has backed up this superstition. Evidence published in 2017 by a geneticist the University of Leuven shows that Egyptian cats spread their mitochondrial DNA through shipping lanes to medieval northern Europe. Preliminary results of that genetic study concluded that cats were also carried on trading ships to control rodents, and that practice was adopted by traders from other nations, including Vikings in northern Germany around the 8th to 11th centuries.
Some sailors believed that polydactyl cats were better at catching pests, possibly connected with the suggestion that extra digits give a polydactyl cat better balance, important when at sea. Cats were believed to have miraculous powers that could protect ships from dangerous weather. Another popular belief was that cats could start storms through magic stored in their tails. If a ship's cat fell or was thrown overboard, it was thought that it would summon a terrible storm to sink the ship and that if the ship was able to survive, it would be cursed with nine years of bad luck. Other beliefs included: if a cat licked its fur against the grain, it meant a hailstorm was coming; if it sneezed it meant rain; and if it was frisky it meant wind.
Cormorants
Cormorants, in some Scandinavian areas, are considered a good omen; in particular, in Norwegian tradition spirits of those lost at sea come to visit their loved ones disguised as cormorants.
Whistling Whistling on board a sailing ship is thought to encourage the wind strength to increase. This is regularly alluded to in the Aubrey–Maturin books by Patrick O'Brian.
On boats and ships whistling was taboo as it was associated with coded communications between mutineers. The cook was usually excused, because as long as he was whistling, he was not stealing the food.
Klabautermann
Traditionally, a type of kobold or mythical sprite, called a Klabautermann, lives aboard ships and helps sailors and fishermen on the Baltic and North Sea in their duties. He is a merry and diligent creature, with an expert understanding of most watercraft, and an irrepressible musical talent. He also rescues sailors washed overboard. The name comes from the Low German verb klabastern meaning "rumble" or "make a noise". An etymology deriving the name from the verb kalfatern ("to caulk") has also been suggested.Leander Petzoldt, Kleines Lexikon der Dämonen und Elementargeister, Becksche Reihe, 1990, p. 109. A carved klabautermann image, of a small sailor dressed in yellow with a tobacco pipe and woollen sailor's cap, often carrying a caulking hammer, is attached to the mast as a symbol of good luck. However, despite the positive attributes, there is one omen associated with his presence: no member of a ship blessed by his presence shall ever set eyes on him; he only ever becomes visible to the crew of a doomed ship.Melville, F., The Book of Faeries (2002 Quarto Publishing). The belief in Klabautermänner dates to at least the 1770s.Ellett, Mrs. (Jan. 1846). "Traditions and Superstitions", The American Whig Review: A Whig Journal, Vol. III. New York: George H. Colton. pp. 107–108.Rose, Carol (1996). Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins: An Encyclopedia. New York City: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. . p. 181.
Patron saints
Sailors have had several patron saints. According to his hagiography, Saint Nicholas calmed a storm by prayer. Brendan the Navigator is also considered a patron saint of sailors and navigators, due to his mythical voyage to St. Brendan's Island. Erasmus of Formiae, also known as Saint Elmo, may have become the patron of sailors because he is said to have continued preaching even after a thunderbolt struck the ground beside him. This prompted sailors, who were in danger from sudden storms and lightning, to claim his prayers. The electrical discharges at the mastheads of ships were read as a sign of his protection and came to be called "Saint Elmo's Fire".Eyers, Jonathan (2011). Don't Shoot the Albatross!: Nautical Myths and Superstitions. A&C Black, London, UK. .St. Erasmus (St. Elmo) Catholic Online. Retrieved 2012-03-07. Thus, Saint Elmo's Fire was usually good luck in traditional sailor's lore, but because it is a sign of electricity in the air and interferes with compass readings, sailors sometimes regarded it as an omen of bad luck and stormy weather.Beliefs often can be contradictory. For example, St. Elmo's fire is reported to have been seen during the Siege of Constantinople by the Ottoman Empire in 1453. It reportedly was seen emitting from the top of the Hippodrome. The Byzantines attributed it to a sign that the Christian God would soon come and destroy the conquering Muslim army. According to George Sphrantzes, it disappeared just days before Constantinople fell, ending the Byzantine Empire. The mariner's cross, also referred to as St. Clement's Cross, is worn by many sailors to bring blessings.
Good luck deities
There are many deities associated with protection of sailors and good luck for them.