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Toss the salt over your shoulder and listen to the tales and superstitions of sailors past and present.
"And some in dreams assured were
Of the Spirit that plagued us so
Nine fathom deep he had followed us
From the land of mist and snow"

From "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", written in 1798, it tells the tale of a ship, being drawn to the South Pole by a storm. The ship becomes surrounded by ice, when an Albatross appears bringing good luck. The mariner shoots the bird, thus evoking a curse and leading the ship to the North Pole. All of the crew dies, except the ancient mariner who ends up taking and blessing God's creatures. He then wanders eternally.

"Aye, so you think the sea is calling, do you? Be aware of the luck you carry, for it could be your end, me mate."
There is no other person that carries superstitions deeper than a sailor. Most of the myths and superstitions were biblically based. Friday's are considered bad luck, Christ was crucified on a Friday and Judas Iscariat hanged himself on that day as well. Sunday's are considered good days to embark on your voyage because it is the day of the Birth of Christ. It is also believed that having a Priest on board will bring disaster. They wear black and perform funeral services which evoke peril as well. Other superstitions really have no proof of origin, leaving the mystery intact. But, many unusual occurrences and stories have evolved from these beliefs of centuries ago and still generate awe and interest among those who listen today. Some tails still remain unsolved by modern science, leaving the "Superstition of the Sea" its only explanation.

Without question mate, the most widely perpetuated superstition is that a women on board is bad luck. "Aye, she makes the seas go wild and grow angry, she does. Why a man can't keep his mind on what he's supposed to." Sailors believed that the distracting qualities of a women on board made the men less capable of performing their duties. Fights would occasionally break out and mayhem would follow.
Now this is interesting, because, a naked lady is quite the opposite. A women who bearing her breasts is considered good luck! Thought to have shamed the seas and make them calm again. Hence, that is why many ships of the past and present have wooden carvings of bare-breasted women on the bows of their vessels. Today, many yachtsman and sailors have a statue of a naked women close to the helm.

"So, ye got the yellow bananas, have ye. Many a ship have sunk to the bottom of the

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