Sailor Superstitions

In earlier centuries, living and working on a ship was a very dangerous job. Sailors were a very superstitious lot having to do with both good and bad luck. Some superstitions were interesting, some were funny, and some were very bizarre.

There are far too many superstitions to list here - well over 1500. Here are a few of the most common, some of which are still observed today.

Albatross

Seeing an albatross is a sign of good luck and protection.

These seabirds were believed to carry the souls of dead sailors so it was always good to see an albatross, but as stated in the poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” it was very unlucky to kill them.

However once an albatross was aboard, a starving crew never turned down the invitation to eat one.

Bad Words

That sailors and foul language go hand in hand is a given, but certain everyday words were taboo.

If a sailor mentioned the word “drown” in any form, it was believed that a drowning would occur soon.

Bad luck was sure to follow after speaking the words “good luck,” “goodbye,” and “church.”

Talking about certain animals such as pigs, rabbits, and foxes was forbidden while on a ship of any size.

It was also considered unlucky for wives and girlfriends of sailors to call out or wave farewell after he left their home to go to sea.

For fishermen, swearing of any kind while actually fishing also brought bad luck.

Bananas

There are several superstitions about having bananas on a ship.

Because bananas had to be transported quickly before they spoiled, ships had to travel at high speeds which made it hard for fishermen to catch any fish. This appears to be one of the origins of the belief that sailing with bananas on a ship was bad luck.

Another origin: When bananas were stored with other fruit, it was deduced as bad luck because seamen believed bananas caused other fruits onboard to go bad which left them short on food supplies for the voyage. Centuries later in 1993, scientists proved that bananas do cause other fruits to spoil more quickly.

Another reason bananas were considered bad luck was because they often had poisonous spiders hidden in the cartons. Spider bites were the cause of death of many sailors.

Many superstitions made sense only to sailors who were always looking to lay blame for an incident. Sailors noted that when ships sunk and their supplies floated to the surface that it was mostly the crates of bananas that had survived intact. This was how they came to believe that bananas were responsible for the sinking of the ship.

Boarding a Ship

Boarding a ship starting with your right foot was good luck. Starting with your left foot guaranteed bad luck for the voyage.

Bell

If a ship’s bell mysteriously rings without the help of a human being, it is an omen of death.

Blood

It was lucky to start the fishing season with some kind of bloodshed. Either the blood was the result of an accident sustained just before boarding, or the blood came from an onboard fight between the crew members.

Cats

Mice, rats and other shipboard pests are known to damage a ship’s cargo, gnaw on ropes and spread disease to the crew. Cats were brought on ships to help control the pest problem.

While sailors thought all cats were good luck, a black cat was held in the highest esteem by Irish sailors.

Polydactyl cats (cats born with more than the normal number of toes) were said to be better hunters when it came to catching pests.

If a cat fell overboard during a storm, it would cause the ship to sink.

If a ship survived a storm, but its crew perished, then the ship was cursed with nine years of bad luck.

If a cat sneezed, it meant rain.

A frisky cat meant a windy day ahead.

Cats licking their fur against the grain meant a hailstorm was coming.

Sailors believed a cat’s tail was magical and could start storms by constantly flipping their tail which was a sign of annoyance. To keep them content, cats were always kept well fed.

Clothing of the Dead

If any crew member wore the clothes of a dead sailor during the same voyage in which he died, it meant misfortune for the whole ship.

Coins

Ancient Romans placed a coin under the ship’s masts while it was being built for profitable voyages and overall good luck.

Throwing coins overboard when leaving a port was good luck because it was viewed as paying a toll to Neptune, the God of the Sea, to ensure a safe voyage.

Eggs

Eggs were a major source of sustenance on voyages so live egg-bearing birds were often part of the cargo.

Discarded egg shells that were cracked in half while preparing a meal were never to be thrown overboard until they were first smashed into tiny pieces.

The superstition was if the egg shells were cracked in half, it left enough room in the shell for sea witches to inhabit and spirit themselves onboard.

Fish and Fishing Nets

Fishing: In fishing competitions, the winner is determined by the number of fish caught which is always done after leaving the ship. If the fish were counted before the competition was over, it was an omen that there would be no more fish caught that day.

Fishing Nets: An uneven number of fishing nets means a good catch. Fishermen always started with an even number of nets, then added one more for good luck so the total was always an uneven number.

Feet

Anyone boarding a ship who was flat-footed were viewed as unlucky. The other sailors avoided them while getting on the ship because they were viewed as bringing bad luck with them.

Hair

It was considered bad luck for the whole ship if any seamen cut their hair, trimmed their nails or shaved their beards.

Hats

If someone’s hat went overboard by accident, it foretold a long voyage.

Horseshoes

Nailing a horseshoe to the mast brought good luck, much for the same reasons that a horseshoe is hung in the home.

Hanged upside down with the opening to the bottom meant the good luck flowed out and was lost. Hanging right side up with the opening to the top meant the good luck was retained.

In general, horseshoes on a ship’s mast turns away stormy weather and can force a storm to change directions.

Luggage

In general terms, a suitcase means death or illness, especially black ones. Taking it one step further, sailors banned any bags and suitcases that were black from being brought on a ship.

Marriage

A woman will marry a sailor if she sees a robin flying overhead on Valentine’s Day.

If she sees a sparrow, she will be happily married to a poor man.

If she sees a goldfinch, she will marry a millionaire and make her own happiness.

Mermaids and Mermen

Mermen were lucky because they granted wishes.

Mermaids were unlucky because they only foresee disasters.

Naming Ships

Any name of a boat that ends in the letter “a” is bad luck.

Changing the name of any sailing vessel invites bad luck. If the name is changed, a de-naming ceremony must be held by writing the ship’s present name on a sheet of paper, fold it and put it in a wooden box, then burn the box. When totally burned, the ashes are disposed of in the sea, then a new ceremony is performed to christen the ship with the new name.

Patron Saints

Praying to Saint Nicholas, the guardian of sailors, calmed storms.

In England, Saint Hermes was praised as a mariner’s saint.

The patron saint of gunners was Santa Barbara.

St. James the Greater was the patron saint of Spanish sailors.

St. Clement died a martyr. He was thrown into the sea with an anchor around his neck. When the waters receded, a chapel appeared over the spot where he was thrown. Shipwrecked sailors invoked him asking for survival.

St. Benedict made a float composed of iron from his shipwreck and saved several drowning crew members. Sailors call upon him asking to be found after their shipwreck.

Prayers were sent to Saint Elmo asking him to calm sudden storms and protect against lightning and any electrical discharges emanating from the ship’s masthead. Saint Elmo’s Fire was a sign of his protection and considered good luck.

St. Christopher was a ferryman who once rowed Christ over a river. Because Christ arrived safely without incident, St. Christopher was held in high esteem. He became the patron saint of travelers. A giant statue of him was erected in Monte Pellegrino, Sicily so sailors could see it from the sea.

Many sailors believed the Mariner’s Cross brought blessings and protection and for that reason, it was worn by many sailors.

Paying the Bills

All personnel on a ship who had not paid their bills before sailing were blamed for every misfortune that befell the ship during the voyage - mostly storms.

Pierced Ears

When the earlobe sports any kind of earring, it means the sailor has sailed around the world or at least, he has crossed the Equator.

Gold hoops brought good fortune. It was also believed that the gold held magic healing powers.

Sailors believe that a golden earring kept them from drowning.

Priests

It was the belief that priests on board a ship meant misfortune because their black garb reminded sailors of funerals at sea.

However, a priest who sails his own vessel is exempt from the superstition.

Rats

Rats are known to feast on a ship’s food supplies, when in port and out at sea. But rats do not like moisture, so if they give up eating and run into the sea to get off the ship, it is certain that the ship has a leak.

Red Hair

Pirates believed their ship would have bad luck if they were in the company of redheads before boarding the ship.

But if they spoke to one before being spoken to, then good luck was assured.

Red Sky

If the sky is red at night, it means an uneventful voyage.

If the sky is red in morning, sailors should take warning because it can mean a dangerous day ahead or an upcoming storm.

The saying goes: "Red Sky at night, a sailor’s delight. Red Sky in morning, a sailor should take warning.”

Sailing Days

There are so many superstitions about the days of the week, it’s overwhelming, so here are just a few of them.

It was bad luck to sail on Thursday because it was Thor’s Day, the God of Thunder and Storms.

Friday was the day Jesus was crucified, so there was no sailing on that day.

The first Monday in April was the day Cain killed Abel, so sailors won’t set out to sea on Monday.

The second Monday in August was the day Sodom and Gomorrah were destroy and most sailors observed the occasion.

December 31 was a “no-sail day” because it was the day Judas Iscariot hanged himself.

Sunday was considered the only safe day to begin a voyage.

Salt

Salt was very valuable, and not just on boats.

In everyday life, spilling it was a waste which is probably why people thought they were warding off evil by sending some over each shoulder.

But for seamen, spilling salt foretold death.

“If you pass the salt, sorrow will come to pass.”

Sea Gulls

By marine law, it is forbidden to hunt, shoot or kill sea gulls. For sailors, it is bad luck to do so.

Long before modern devices will alert a sea captain of an impending storm, sea gulls give a warning cry while they follow a ship’s stern.

Sea Life

Sharks are a sign of bad luck. If one followed a ship, it was an omen of death.

Dolphins following a ship was good luck because land is near.

Tattoos

Tattoos brought general good luck. Certain tattoos documented a sailor’s journey and others celebrated his achievements.

The words “Hold Fast” tattooed on a sailor’s knuckles were to help get a good grip on the rigging.

A sailor sported one tattoo of a swallow for every 5,000 nautical miles he traveled.

A dagger through a rose signified a loyal sailor.

A dragon tattoo meant the sailor had served in China.

A golden dragon tattoo meant the sailor had crossed the International Date Line.

A harpoon tattoo meant the sailor was either a whaler or a member of a fishing fleet.

A tattoo of King Neptune was earned when a sailor survived crossing the Equator.

Crossed cannons meant the sailor had served in the navy.

Sailors believed tattoos of crosses on the soles of their feet warded off hungry sharks.

A single anchor meant a sailor had crossed the Atlantic or was a Merchant Seaman.

Crossed anchors on the webbing between the thumb and index finger meant the sailor was a bosun or a boatswain mate.

A hula girl tattoo meant the sailor had visited Hawaii.

US and Royal Navy sailors serving in the Mediterranean during WWII had a tattoo of a palm tree which meant they had spent time in Hawaii.

A tattoo of a knot of rope around the wrist meant the sailor achieved the rank of deckhand.

A tattoo of a fully rigged ship meant the sailor had been around Cape Horn.

The location of the tattoos on the body were considered more lucky than others.

A pig or a rooster tattoo on the foot was said to prevent a sailor from drowning. It also showed the way to shore if their ship was wrecked or if they went overboard for any reason.

In general, the North Star meant that home was on the horizon. Sailors who wore a tattoo of a nautical star was good luck and assured they would always find their way home.

Whistling

Sailors often sang onboard while performing their duties. But it is considered very bad luck to whistle on a ship because it invited a hurricane or a bad storm.

However, in pirate days, they whistled when they needed wind in the sails to move the ship along.

Women On Board

For centuries, it was a superstition for women to be on a ship of any size for several reasons.

Sea captains believed the presence of women distracted the sailors from their jobs and caused jealousy among the crew. Ancient legends held that the sea gods were angered so they exacted their revenge by causing bad weather. Thus was how it was concluded that if women were on board, it caused bad weather for the voyage.

Now centuries later, women serve as sea captains and have risen through the ranks in the military so the superstition is no longer observed.

On the other hand, mounted mastheads depicting figures of women, naked from the waist up, were considered good luck because they safely guided a ship through sea perils. Seamen also believed their bare breasts calmed a stormy sea.

Wood

Sailors knocked on the wood hull to listen for rot. When the sound was solid, it meant the hull was intact and foretold a good voyage.

Some theorists feel that the current saying of “touch wood” which meant “good luck” originated with early sailors.

Thank you for reading about the superstitions of sailors through the centuries and I hope you’ll stop by again soon.