The Superstitions That Made Sailors Salty

It has never been an easy job being a seaman, beyond the dangers of the job, there are countless superstitions that effect safety and luck on the open ocean. Some may seem strange in today’s world and may no longer apply. So, we will tell you the stories and let you decide for yourself before your next trip out to sea. No Women Onboard  Historically, women were not allowed to remain onboard after a ship had set sail. The superstitions says that women on merchant and military vessels were destined to bring bad luck to the voyage. According to discoverboating.com, women were a distracting temptation to mariners and were also believed to make the seas angry which would ultimately cause sailors to have a dangerous voyage. This superstition is ironic considering vessels were traditional named after women because in ancient history, ships were dedicated to goddesses. In addition, figureheads of sculpted women were often placed at the bow of a boat because the female form was believed to calm storms at sea. Human females angered the seas, but female figureheads calmed them; interesting.    Always Step onto a Boat with Your Right Foot  Sailors always boarded a vessel with their right foot first because stepping with...