For centuries myth and legend played a major role in cultures and traditions, leaving almost everyone superstitious to some extent. Due to the dangers ships faced, many bizarre superstitions revolved around sailing. Most old maritime beliefs sound weird or irrelevant today, but we’re sure some of you may step on board with your right foot or take note of circling crows. How many of these sailing superstitions do you know?

SAILING SUPERSTITIONS

Red At Night, Sailor’s Delight!

Let’s start the post with the old familiar adage, “red at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in the morning, sailor’s take warning”. This old nautical proverb dates back to the Bible, when Jesus said, “When in evening, ye say, it will be fair weather: For the sky is red. And in the morning, it will be foul weather today; for the sky is red and lowering.” (Matthew XVI: 2-3). In the play Venus and Adonis, Shakespeare also referred to something similar, “Like a red morn that ever yet betokened, Wreck to the seaman, tempest to the field, sorrow to the shepherds, woe unto the birds, gusts and foul flaws to herdsmen and herds.” Still, there may be truth in the saying, as red at night is associated with favourable high-pressure. Red in the morning suggests a changeable low-pressure system is on its way. Thankfully, Türkiye is famed for its glorious red sunsets!

Always Step On board with Your Right Foot.

An old yachting superstition suggests you should always step on board with your right foot to bring good luck. Some take that one step further in Türkiye and believe almost everything that twitches or tickles on your right side is lucky. For example, always accept tips and money with your right hand, as more will come. If you’re right eye twitches, someone good will come into your life. If your right ear tingles, someone is paying you a compliment, and if your right-hand itches, hit the shore and the store, as you’re in for a financial windfall!

Cats Make Lucky Sailing Companions

Although it’s hard to trace the origins of many old tales and superstitions, it’s easy to see why sailors considered cats a lucky companion, as they kept the rats and pests at bay. In Türkiye, cats are everywhere, and there is even a statue dedicated to a well-loved street cat on the street in Istanbul. But here, black cats are often considered unlucky, with those who see them touching something black to counter any negative repercussions.

No Throwing Stones or “Whistling Up a Storm”

In yachting, many sailing superstitions revolve around storms. It is said that if you toss a stone in the sea, you will summon deep swells. Some also believe whistling on board encourages the wind.

Sailor’s Return as Seagulls

The sight of seagulls flocking above the ship is often considered lucky, as they give warning of an impending storm and time to change course. This superstition stems from the belief that when sailors die at sea, they return as sea birds to warn captains of impending danger. Swallows are also deemed lucky; however, crows circling overhead and black cormorants mean you’re in for some trouble.

Sharks Are Bad, Dolphins Are Lucky

It’s always a delight to see dolphins accompany the yacht when you’re cruising in Türkiye. Seeing these intelligent mammals is deemed good luck by many sailors and a delight by guests. However, if you spot a shark, beware, as it’s a bad omen.

No Bananas Allowed!

One strange superstition that leaves the galley fruit bowl lacking is that bananas should be left at the shore. This probably stems from the 18^th century when many trade vessels carrying bananas from the Caribbean and Spain disappeared. It may also be because bananas ripen quickly and cause other produce stored nearby to rot. Either way, it led captains to ban bananas on many ships.

No Sailing on Friday

Many believe Friday the 13^th is unlucky, but in nautical terms, every Friday is bad luck! Some say this is a Christian belief dating back to Jesus being crucified on a Friday. In Türkiye, Friday is also a day surrounded by superstition. Here, some say it’s wrong to wash a newborn baby on Friday, and others say it’s a day of rest and you shouldn’t clean the house.

Put Some Money on The Mast

Since Roman times, many sailors have believed that putting a coin under the mast would bring luck and prosperity. To this very day, many Turkish captains and yacht owners believe this to be true, with some holding special coin ceremonies during the construction of their ship to formally weld a coin under the mast or keel block.

Do You Look Like a Pirate?

Well before Jack Sparrow and Blackbeard, pirates were portrayed a certain way, with tattoos, earrings, long hair, and a big beard. The reason for this is deeply rooted in superstition, as these features were thought to protect you from drowning and ensure a safe voyage.

Earrings were said to improve sight and relieve seasickness, plus a gold earring ensured the payment for a decent burial was always carried. Aside from the tattoos of ships, ropes, and anchors, sailors tattooed roosters and pigs on their feet, as these animals were often the only survivors of sunken trade ships due to their floating crates. And long hair and beards were also common, as cutting them would insult Neptune!

Poseidon’s Ledger of the Deep

One interesting maritime legend suggests that every ship’s name is logged under the sea with Poseidon in his “Ledger of the Deep”. This makes renaming a ship extremely difficult for believers, as a special ceremony needs to be held to appease the Gods. But, before this can take place, any record of the old ship’s name needs to be deleted to avoid misfortune at sea.

Don’t Make the Ship Jealous with A Woman On Board!

Lastly, one of the oldest sailing superstitions was that a woman on board would make the ship jealous. This stems from when ships were given ladies’ names and considered feminine. If the woman found on board was flatfooted or a redhead, that was considered even more unlucky!

DO YOU KNOW ANY MORE SAILING SUPERSTITIONS?

We are sure there are many more strange sailing superstitions, let us know if you are aware of any others on our Facebook feed. In the meantime, if you require any assistance or provisions while cruising in Türkiye, please CONTACT US.