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sea with such a cargo, she has." Straight out from the 1700's grew this myth of carrying banana's in their hull. Some time during the Spanish South Atlantic and Caribbean trade deals many ships containing banana cargo met disaster and plunged to the bottom of the sea. Some were later found a drift with all the crew members dead. Scientifically, it was later believed that the fumes of methane gas that emitted from the rotting banana's poisoned the crew and thus certain peril was assured. Another theory was that the fruit was home to a species of poisonous spider and that the crewman were bitten by them and died. Whichever the case, hauling banana's got a bad reputation.

"Right, Left, Right , Left, Right"
Like the cadence call of the soldier, seaman always step on board with their right foot first. Stepping onto a ship with your left foot first will most assuredly bring angry seas upon you!
Sailors did not take these queries lightly, angering the Gods and Goddesses of the sea was not something you wanted to do. "Poseidon forbid" don't throw stones into the sea or huge waves and storms might swallow you ship! Likewise, never bring flowers aboard unless you are planning on a funeral.

Sailors long believed that they could whistle for the wind. They would cut a hole in the mast and whistle very softly, so as not to upset the wind Gods and bring on a storm. Never whistle while the wind is blowing or you may get a gale force hurricane.

Obviously, there are so many myths that have dictated behavior on the seas. A person can go wild with the information. Many scholars also believed these superstitions, Aristotle, for one. He believed that death came with the ebb of the tide(He went out with the tide) and life began with the rising tide. Through the centuries they have maintained their "power" and allure among seamen and sea women alike who are anxious to listen and comply.
So....
"Place this here silver coin under the masthead, mate, and ye voyage will be grand. This I say to yer and take heed, for the sea has a mind and a heart. She breathes like a man and roars like a lion."

Let it be said that it's a sailors life for me my friend. May the wind be always at your back!

Learn more about this author, Noreen Dayton.
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