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90-746: SS Gainesville Victory was christened by Mrs. Margaret Mansuy of Long Beach, California , the wife of Calshlp's acting comptroller, Frank Mansuy. Gainesville Victory steamed into the Pacific to bring supplies to the Pacific War troops. She took supplies for the Liberation of The Philippines and the Battle of Leyte from April 1 until April 6, 1945. From 1945 to 1947 the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration and

180-510: A Klabautermann , lives aboard ships and helps sailors and fishermen on the Baltic and North Sea in their duties. He is a merry and diligent creature, with an expert understanding of most watercraft, and an irrepressible musical talent. He also rescues sailors washed overboard. The name comes from the Low German verb klabastern meaning "rumble" or "make a noise". An etymology deriving

270-566: A geneticist the University of Leuven shows that Egyptian cats spread their mitochondrial DNA through shipping lanes to medieval northern Europe. Preliminary results of that genetic study concluded that cats were also carried on trading ships to control rodents, and that practice was adopted by traders from other nations, including Vikings in northern Germany around the 8th to 11th centuries. Some sailors believed that polydactyl cats were better at catching pests, possibly connected with

360-591: A Continental Navy ship during the American Revolution. The first ships of the Continental Navy were Alfred , Cabot , Andrew Doria , and Columbus . These were former merchantmen, and their names were assigned during conversion and outfitting. Later, Congress authorized the construction of thirteen frigates, and no names were assigned until after four had launched. The first description that we have of an American warship christening

450-625: A Deck 17. Sailors also had a culture of items or practices that were believed to bring good luck , or trinkets to ward off bad luck or the " evil eye ". While in many cultures , a black cat is considered unlucky, British and Irish sailors considered adopting a black " ship's cat " because it would bring good luck. A high level of care was directed toward them to keep them happy. There is some logic to this belief: cats hunt rodents, which can damage ropes and stores of grain on board, as well as spread disease among passengers and crew. Research has backed up this superstition. Evidence published in 2017 by

540-565: A Friday. However, this superstition is not universal. In the 19th century Admiral William Henry Smyth , writing in his nautical lexicon The Sailor's Word-Book , described Friday as The Dies Infaustus , on which old seamen were desirous of not getting under weigh, as ill-omened. ( Dies Infaustus means "unlucky day". ) This superstition is the root of the well-known urban legend of HMS  Friday . Sailors are often reluctant to set sail on Candlemas Day , believing that any voyage begun then will end in disaster. This may be related to

630-429: A United States Navy vessel. The contemporaneous account does not name her. The first identified woman sponsor was Lavinia Fanning Watson, daughter of a prominent Philadelphian. She broke a bottle of wine and water over the bow of sloop-of-war Germantown at Philadelphia Navy Yard on August 22, 1846. Women as sponsors became increasingly the rule, but not universally so. As sloop-of-war Plymouth "glided along

720-406: A launch cradle with bow and stern poppets is erected on these sliding ways. The weight of the hull is then transferred from the build cribbing onto the launch cradle. Provision is made to hold the vessel in place and then release it at the appropriate moment in the launching ceremony; common mechanisms include weak links designed to be cut at a signal and mechanical triggers controlled by a switch from

810-562: A lever to similarly smash a bottle, of single malt from the Ardgowan distillery at nearby Inverkip . Shipyard ephemera is a rich source of detail concerning a launch and this was often material produced for the audience of the day and then thrown away. Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums has many of these items from Tyne and Wear shipyards. A number can be seen in Commons . The 1900 piece for Eidsvold reproduced in this article lists

900-409: A line-crossing ceremony for their passengers. The phrase over a barrel , meaning to be in a dilemma or "a weak or difficult position", may refer to the first aid practice among sailors of placing a drowning victim's head over a barrel, and rolling his body over it, in an attempt to remove aspirated water from the person's lungs. However, this etymology is challenged, and may come instead from

990-693: A mobilized American industry. The historic christening and launching ceremonies continued, but travel restrictions, other wartime considerations, and sheer numbers dictated that such occasions be less elaborate than those in the years before the war. On 15 December 1941, the United States Maritime Commission announced that all formal launching ceremonies would be discontinued for merchant ships being constructed under its authority, though simple informal ceremonies could continue without reimbursement to builders. In recent history, all U.S. Navy sponsors have been female. In addition to

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1080-724: A naval lieutenant completed the ceremony with a bottle of sea water. Champagne came into popular use as a christening fluid as the 19th century closed. A granddaughter of Secretary of the Navy Benjamin F. Tracy wet the bow of Maine , the Navy's first steel battleship, with champagne at the New York Navy Yard on November 18, 1890. The effects of national prohibition on alcoholic beverages were reflected to some extent in ship christenings. Cruisers Pensacola and Houston , for example, were christened with water;

1170-457: A person (either a sailor or a passenger) who is bad luck, which is based on the Biblical prophet Jonah . Clergymen are considered bad luck, as they are all of Jonah's ilk. Redheads and women are also to be avoided as passengers. Friday is considered to be an unlucky day in some cultures, and perhaps the most enduring sailing superstition is that it is unlucky to begin a voyage or 'set sail' on

1260-399: A public spectacle. The process also involves many traditions intended to invite good luck , such as christening by breaking a sacrificial bottle of champagne over the bow as the ship is named aloud and launched. There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching". The oldest, most familiar, and most widely used

1350-458: A religious element was returned to naval christenings by Princess Alexandra , wife of the Prince of Wales , when she introduced an Anglican choral service in the launching ceremony for battleship Alexandra . The usage continues with the singing of Psalm 107 with its special meaning to mariners: They that go down to the sea in ships; That do business in great waters; These see the works of

1440-475: A sailing ship is thought to encourage the wind strength to increase. This is regularly alluded to in the Aubrey–Maturin books by Patrick O'Brian . On boats and ships whistling was taboo as it was associated with coded communications between mutineers. The cook was usually excused, because as long as he was whistling, he was not stealing the food. Traditionally, a type of kobold or mythical sprite, called

1530-548: A sailor's first crossing of the Equator. The tradition may have originated with ceremonies when passing headlands , and become a "folly" sanctioned as a boost to morale , or have been created as a test for seasoned sailors to ensure their new shipmates were capable of handling long rough times at sea. Sailors who have already crossed the Equator are nicknamed (Trusty) Shellbacks , often referred to as Sons of Neptune ; those who have not are nicknamed (Slimy) Pollywogs (in 1832

1620-401: A shallow angle rather than perpendicular, even though this requires a longer slipway when launching. Modern slipways take the form of a reinforced concrete mat of sufficient strength to support the vessel, with two "barricades" that extend well below the water level taking into account tidal variations. The barricades support the two launch ways. The vessel is built upon temporary cribbing that

1710-534: A stop to them for a time in Protestant Europe. By the 17th century, for example, English launchings were secular affairs. The christening party for the launch of the 64-gun ship of the line Prince Royal in 1610 included the Prince of Wales and famed naval constructor Phineas Pett , who was master shipwright at the Woolwich yard. Pett described the proceedings: The noble Prince… accompanied with

1800-682: A woman performing the launch. Ceremonial practices for christening and launching ships in the United States have their roots in Europe. Descriptions are not plentiful for launching American Revolutionary War naval vessels, but a local newspaper detailed the launch of Continental frigate Raleigh at Portsmouth, New Hampshire , in May 1776: On Tuesday the 21st inst. the Continental Frigate of thirty-two guns, built at this place...

1890-470: A wreck. Another example of superstitions is the North Star ( nautical star or compass rose ); sailors had the belief that by wearing this symbol it would help them to find his or her way home. Sailors designed mariner motifs of their own, according to their travel experiences in the ocean. The anchor is commonly used in sailor tattoos, which were supposed to prevent a sailor from floating away from

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1980-437: Is a nautical tradition in many cultures, dating back millennia, to accompany the physical process with ceremonies which have been observed as public celebration and a solemn blessing, usually but not always, in association with the launch itself. Ship launching imposes stresses on the ship not met during normal operation and in addition to the size and weight of the vessel represents a considerable engineering challenge as well as

2070-434: Is a sign of electricity in the air and interferes with compass readings, sailors sometimes regarded it as an omen of bad luck and stormy weather. The mariner's cross , also referred to as St. Clement's Cross , is worn by many sailors to bring blessings. English folklore includes many superstitions surrounding hot cross buns. If taken on a sea voyage, hot cross buns are said to protect against shipwreck . If hung in

2160-409: Is arranged to give access to the hull's outer bottom and to allow the launchways to be erected under the complete hull. When it is time to prepare for launching, a pair of standing ways is erected under the hull and out onto the barricades. The surface of the ways is greased. ( Tallow and whale oil were used as grease in sailing ship days.) A pair of sliding ways is placed on top, under the hull, and

2250-540: Is that of Constitution at Boston, October 21, 1797, famous as "Old Ironsides." Her sponsor was Captain James Sever, USN, who stood on the weather deck at the bow. "At fifteen minutes after twelve she commenced a movement into the water with such steadiness, majesty and exactness as to fill every heart with sensations of joy and delight." As Constitution ran out, Captain Sever broke a bottle of fine old Madeira over

2340-419: Is the end-on launch, in which the vessel slides down an inclined slipway , usually stern first. With the side launch, the ship enters the water broadside. This method came into use in the 19th century on inland waters, rivers, and lakes, and was more widely adopted during World War II. The third method is float-out , used for ships that are built in basins or dry docks and then floated by admitting water into

2430-901: The Hungnam redeployment and took supplies to Pusan . Gainesville Victory was reactivated again as part of the buildup of naval forces for the Vietnam War . She was operated by the States Marine Line as a United States Merchant Marine ship. On August 1, 1965 the Gainesville Victory was removed from the National Defense Reserve Fleet at the James River . She was moved to the Norfolk, Virginia , and dry-docked for repair. In 1967, she

2520-711: The Korean War . About 75 percent of the personnel taking to Korea for the Korean War came by the merchant marine ship. SS Gainesville Victory transported goods, mail, food and other supplies. About 90 percent of the cargo was moved by merchant marine naval to the war zone. SS Gainesville Victory made trips between 18 November 1950 and 23 December 1952, helping American forces engaged against Communist aggression in South Korea . Gainesville Victory made eighteen trips to Korea. Gainesville Victory participated in

2610-450: The ballad Sir Patrick Spens depict a mermaid speaking to the doomed ships. In some versions, she tells them they will never see land again; in others, she claims they are near shore, which they are wise enough to know means the same thing. Mermaids can also be a sign of approaching rough weather, and some have been described as monstrous in size, up to 2,000 feet (610 m). Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale " The Little Mermaid "

2700-594: The galley , they are said to protect against fire and ensure that all breads turn out perfectly. The hanging bun is replaced each year. It is often considered lucky to touch the collar of a sailor's suit . Mermaids usually are considered lucky, but not universally. In Trinidad and Tobago , sea-dwelling mer-men "were known to grant a wish, transform mediocrity into genius and confer wealth and power." Mermaids appear in British folklore as unlucky omens, both foretelling disaster and provoking it. Several variants of

2790-427: The puja ceremony at launch. In the 20th century, ships were launched with a lady breaking a coconut on the bow of the vessel, which is sometimes followed by a small Puja . Japanese ship launchings incorporate silver axes which are thought to bring good luck and scare away evil. Japanese shipbuilders traditionally order the crafting of a special axe for each new vessel; and after the launching ceremony, they present

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2880-523: The submarine V-6 with cider. However, battleship California appropriately received her name with California wine in 1919. Champagne returned in 1922, but only for the launch of light cruiser Trenton . Rigid naval airships Los Angeles , Shenandoah , Akron , and Macon were built during the 1920s and early 1930s, carried on the Naval Vessel Register , and each was formally commissioned . The earliest First Lady of

2970-547: The "evil angel" of all sailors, who would identify more with the beset-upon ship-mates of Jonah than with the unfortunate man himself. Upon death, a wicked sailor's body supposedly went to Davy Jones' locker (a chest, as lockers were back then), but a pious sailor's soul went to Fiddler's Green . This nautical superstition was popularized in the 19th century. Kraken were legendary sea monsters that may have been based on sightings of giant squids . In relation to language and cultural practices, such sailors' superstitions are

3060-527: The Bowmore distillery on the island of Islay instead of champagne because the ship had been built and launched in Scotland. The Duchess of Rothesay similarly launched HMS  Prince of Wales by pulling a lever which smashed a bottle of single malt Scotch whisky at the side of the ship. At the 2024 launching of CalMac ferry Glen Rosa , newly-qualified welder Beth Atkinson named the ship and pulled

3150-851: The Brethren Service Committee of the Church of the Brethren sent livestock to war-torn countries. In 1942, the Church of the Brethren started a program called, Heifers for Relief project , which in 1953 became Heifer International . The SS Gainesville Victory was one of the ships, known as a cowboy ships, as she moved livestock across the Atlantic Ocean. The Gainesville Victory moved horses , heifers , mules , chicks , rabbits , and goats . In February 1946, she arrived in Germany with livestock. This relief effort

3240-461: The Line ceremony aboard the "Happy Ship" USS Indianapolis with his "Jolly Companions" in a letter to his wife Eleanor Roosevelt on 26 November 1936: Marvelous costumes in which King Neptune and Queen Aphrodite [sic.] and their court appeared. The Pollywogs were given an intensive initiation lasting two days, but we have all survived and are now full-fledged Shellbacks" Some cruise ships also have

3330-488: The Lord Admiral and the great lords, were on the poop , where the standing great gilt cup was ready filled with wine to name the ship SO soon as she had been afloat, according to ancient custom and ceremony performed at such times, and heaving the standing cup overboard. His Highness then standing upon the poop with a selected company only, besides the trumpeters, with a great deal of expression of princely joy, and with

3420-654: The Lord, and His wonders in the deep. In 1969, Queen Elizabeth II named the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 after herself, instead of the older liner RMS  Queen Elizabeth , by saying, "I name this ship Queen Elizabeth the Second . May God bless her and all who sail in her." On 4 July 2014, the Queen named the Royal Navy's new aircraft carrier HMS  Queen Elizabeth with a bottle of single malt Scotch whisky from

3510-571: The Spectators) this noble fabrick was completely to her anchors in the main channel, in less than six minutes from the time she run, without the least hurt; and what is truly remarkable, not a single person met with the least accident in launching, tho' near five hundred men were employed in and about her when run off. It was customary for the builders to celebrate a ship launching. Rhode Island authorities were charged with overseeing construction of frigates Warren and Providence . They voted

3600-536: The United States to act as sponsor was Grace Coolidge who christened the airship Los Angeles . Lou Henry Hoover christened Akron in 1931, but the customary bottle was not used. Instead, the First Lady pulled a cord which opened a hatch in the airship's towering nose to release a flock of pigeons. Thousands of ships of every description came off the ways during World War II , the concerted effort of

3690-415: The axe to the vessel's owner as a commemorative gift. The axe is used to cut the rope which tethers the ship to the place where she was built. Sponsors of British warships were customarily members of the royal family, senior naval officers, or Admiralty officials. A few civilians were invited to sponsor Royal Navy ships during the nineteenth century, and women became sponsors for the first time. In 1875,

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3780-467: The birth of a vessel; and people throughout history have performed launching ceremonies, in part to appeal for good fortune and the safety of each new vessel. In Canada, Aboriginal peoples will perform ceremonies at the launching of vessels along with other methods of launching. French ship launchings and christenings in the 18th and early 19th centuries were accompanied by unique rites closely resembling marriage and baptismal ceremonies. A godfather for

3870-549: The ceremonial breaking of a champagne bottle on the bow, the sponsor remains in contact with the ship's crew and is involved in special events such as homecomings. Sailors%27 superstitions Sailors' superstitions are superstitions particular to sailors or mariners, and which traditionally have been common around the world. Some of these beliefs are popular superstitions, while others are better described as traditions, stories, folklore , tropes , myths, or legends . The origins of many of these superstitions are based in

3960-401: The ceremonial platform. On launching, the vessel slides backwards down the slipway on the ways until it floats by itself. Some slipways are built so that the vessel is side-on to the water and is launched sideways. This is done where the limitations of the water channel would not allow lengthwise launching, but occupies a much greater length of shore. The Great Eastern designed by Brunel

4050-482: The ceremony of drinking in the standing cup, threw all the wine forwards towards the half-deck, and solemnly calling her by name of the Prince Royal, the trumpets sounding the while, with many gracious words to me, gave the standing cup into my hands. The "standing cup" was a large cup fashioned of precious metal. When the ship began to slide down the ways, the presiding official took a ceremonial sip of wine from

4140-651: The ceremony, the Pollywogs undergo a number of increasingly embarrassing ordeals (such as wearing clothing inside out and backward; crawling on hands and knees; being swatted with short lengths of firehose; kissing the Royal Baby's belly coated with axle grease, etc.), largely for the entertainment of the Shellbacks. Once the ceremony is complete, a Pollywog receives a certificate declaring his new status. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt described his Crossing

4230-429: The consequence of folkloric practices or traditions whose meanings were once important signifiers, but now are lost to most modern sailors and laypersons alike. Sailor tattoos are a visual way to preserve the culture of the maritime superstitions. Sailors believed that certain symbols and talismans would help them in facing certain events in life; they thought that those symbols would attract good luck or bad luck in

4320-534: The crew of a doomed ship. The belief in Klabautermänner dates to at least the 1770s. Sailors have had several patron saints . According to his hagiography , Saint Nicholas calmed a storm by prayer. Brendan the Navigator is also considered a patron saint of sailors and navigators, due to his mythical voyage to St. Brendan's Island . Erasmus of Formiae , also known as Saint Elmo, may have become

4410-427: The cup, and poured the rest on the deck or over the bow. Usually the cup was thrown overboard and belonged to the lucky retriever. As navies grew larger and launchings more frequent, economy dictated that the costly cup be caught in a net for reuse at other launchings. Late in 17th century Britain, the standing-cup ceremony was replaced by the practice of breaking a bottle across the bow. Launching could be said to mark

4500-492: The custom of punishing a prisoner by flogging or paddling him while he is strapped to a barrel; there is no documentary evidence it was actually used specifically as a nautical phrase. Either way, the image created in the mind is that of total helplessness and loss of control, which is a common anxiety of sailors in fear of corporal punishment. Many theories have formed as to explain these phenomena and why they exist. Jakob Jakobsen theorised that such practices existed with

4590-613: The depths of the sea." On a related note, it was considered bad luck to have women on board, due to the potential for distractions which in turn would anger the sea gods and cause bad weather. The albatross as a superstitious relic is referenced in Samuel Taylor Coleridge 's well-known 1798 poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner . It is considered very unlucky to kill an albatross; in Coleridge's poem,

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4680-405: The dock. If launched in a restrictive waterway, drag chains are used to slow the ship speed to prevent it striking the opposite bank. Normally, ways are arranged perpendicular to the shore line (or as nearly so as the water and maximum length of vessel allows) and the ship is built with its stern facing the water. Where the launch takes place into a narrow river, the building slips may be at

4770-485: The frigate. Everything being prepared, and the most profound silence prevailing,... At a given signal she glided into the waters, a sublime spectacle of gracefulnes and grandeur. Immediately on touching the water federal salutes were fired from the sloop of war Portsmouth , the revenue cutter Jay and the Aspasia , Indiaman. These were returned by the uniform companies on shore, who fired a feu-de-joye , and marched off

4860-717: The gods, persuaded the Sirens to enter a singing contest with the Muses , which the Sirens lost; out of their anguish, writes Stephanus of Byzantium , the Sirens turned white and fell into the sea at Aptera ("featherless"), where they formed the islands in the bay that were called Souda (modern Lefkai). Another mythological creature, the Scylla , is a similar female sea demon that is both dangerous yet beautiful. Sirens supposedly "lured mariners to their deaths with their melodious, enchanting song", while "Scylla sent countless sailors to

4950-410: The ground to the battery... and were dismissed. As the 19th century progressed, American ship launchings continued to be festive occasions, but with no set ritual except that the sponsor(s) used some "christening fluid" as the ship received her name. Sloop of war Concord was launched in 1828 and was "christened by a young lady of Portsmouth." This is the first known instance of a woman sponsoring

5040-533: The heel of the bowsprit . Frigate President had an interesting launching on April 10, 1800, at New York: Was launched yesterday morning, at ten o'clock, in the presence of perhaps as great a concourse of people as ever assembled in this city on any occasion. At nine, captain Ten-Eyck's company of artillery..., accompanied by the uniform volunteer companies of the sixth regiment and the corps of riflemen, marched in procession... and took their station alongside

5130-462: The hull of the ship and aid its launching motion into the water, thus this method is arguably safer than other options such as sideways launching. These airbags are usually cylindrical in shape with hemispherical heads at both ends. A Babylonian narrative dating from the 3rd millennium BC describes the completion of a ship: Openings to the water I stopped; I searched for cracks and the wanting parts I fixed: Three sari of bitumen I poured over

5220-473: The inclined plane" in 1846, "two young sailors, one stationed at each side of her head, anointed her with bottles, and named her as she left her cradle for the deep." As late as 1898, the torpedo boat MacKenzie was christened by the son of the builder. Wine is the traditional christening fluid, although numerous other liquids have been used. Princeton and Raritan were sent on their way in 1843 with whisky . Seven years later, "a bottle of best brandy

5310-447: The inherent risks of sailing, and luck , either good or bad, as well as portents and omens that would be given associative meaning in relation to the life of a mariner, sailor, fisherman, or a crew in general. Even in the 21st century, "fishers and related fishing workers" in the U.S. have the second-most dangerous occupation, trailing only loggers . By far the best known sailors' superstitions involve bad luck. Sailors are taught if

5400-409: The men in the yard during the time of her building, every man with pleasure exerting himself to the utmost: and altho' the greatest care was taken that only the best of timber was used, and the work perform'd in a most masterly manner, the whole time from her raising to the day she launched did not exceed sixty working days, and what afforded a most pleasing view (which was manifest in the countenances of

5490-485: The name are unclear, and many theories have been put forth, including an actual David Jones, who was a pirate on the Indian Ocean in the 1630s; a pub owner who kidnapped sailors and then dumped them onto any passing ship; the incompetent Duffer Jones , a notoriously myopic sailor who often found himself over-board; or that Davy Jones is another name for Satan ; or "Devil Jonah", the biblical Jonah who became

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5580-469: The name from the verb kalfatern ("to caulk") has also been suggested. A carved klabautermann image, of a small sailor dressed in yellow with a tobacco pipe and woollen sailor's cap, often carrying a caulking hammer, is attached to the mast as a symbol of good luck. However, despite the positive attributes, there is one omen associated with his presence: no member of a ship blessed by his presence shall ever set eyes on him; he only ever becomes visible to

5670-406: The narrator killed the bird and his fellow sailors eventually force him to wear the dead bird around his neck. Having bananas on a ship, especially on a private boat or fishing yacht, is considered bad luck. The origin of the superstition is unknown. Whistling is usually considered to be bad luck with the possible exception of the sources mentioned below. It is said that to whistle is to challenge

5760-402: The new ship presented a godmother with a bouquet of flowers as both said the ship's name. No bottle was broken, but a priest pronounced the vessel's name and blessed it with holy water. In India , ships have historically been launched with a Puja ceremony that dedicates the ship to a Hindu god or goddess, and seeks blessings for her and her sailors. Historically, Hindu priests would perform

5850-536: The new vessel as a symbol of blessing. Shrines were carried on board Greek and Roman ships, and this practice extended into the Middle Ages. The shrine was usually placed at the quarterdeck , an area which continues to have special ceremonial significance. Different peoples and cultures shaped the religious ceremonies surrounding a ship launching. Jews and Christians customarily used wine and water as they called upon God to safeguard them at sea. Intercession of

5940-503: The nickname griffins was noted ). After crossing the line, Pollywogs receive subpoenas to appear before King Neptune and his court (usually including his first assistant Davy Jones and her Highness Amphitrite and often various dignitaries, who are all represented by the highest ranking seamen), who officiate at the ceremony, which is often preceded by a beauty contest of men dressing up as women . Afterwards, some wogs may be "interrogated" by King Neptune and his entourage. During

6030-511: The outside; To the gods I caused oxen to be sacrificed. It is believed that ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans called on their gods to protect seamen. Favor was evoked from the monarch of the seas— Poseidon in Greek mythology , Neptune in Roman mythology . Ship launching participants in ancient Greece wreathed their heads with olive branches, drank wine to honor the gods, and poured water on

6120-450: The patron of sailors because he is said to have continued preaching even after a thunderbolt struck the ground beside him. This prompted sailors, who were in danger from sudden storms and lightning, to claim his prayers. The electrical discharges at the mastheads of ships were read as a sign of his protection and came to be called " Saint Elmo's Fire ". Thus, Saint Elmo's Fire was usually good luck in traditional sailor's lore, but because it

6210-403: The prevailing westerly wind must be bringing clear skies. Basically, this means if there is a red sky, Sun, or clouds at morning, it might mean there will be a storm, or severe winds will come. Although, if there is a red sky, Sun, or clouds at night, there will be clear skies, soft or no winds, and you have a good day ahead of you. A "Jonah" is a long-established expression among sailors, meaning

6300-588: The prince in the heart to return to her sisters, she can't do it out of love for him. She then rises from the ocean and sees ethereal beings around her who explain that mermaids who do good deeds become daughters of the air, and after 300 years of good service they can earn a human soul. A world-famous statue of the Little Mermaid, based on Andersen's fairy tale, has been in Copenhagen , Denmark since August 1913, with copies in 13 other locations around

6390-456: The rescue. All 27 men on the Rockport were removed from the sinking ship. In 1994, Gainesville Victory was scrapped at Alang , India. See also, similar role:- Empire ship , Fort ship , Park ship , Ocean ship . Ceremonial ship launching Ceremonial ship launching involves the performing of ceremonies associated with the process of transferring a vessel to the water. It

6480-552: The rocky coast of their island. They were portrayed in both Greek and Roman mythology as sea deities who lured mariners, and in Roman lore were daughters of Phorcys . In the Odyssey , the hero Odysseus , wishing to hear the sirens' seductive and destructive song, must protect himself and his crew by having his fellow sailors tie him to the mast and then stop their own ears with wax ( see image ). In another myth, Hera , queen of

6570-578: The saints and the blessing of the church were asked by Christians. Ship launchings in the Ottoman Empire were accompanied by prayers to Allah , the sacrifice of sheep, and appropriate feasting. Chaplain Henry Teonge of Britain's Royal Navy left an interesting account of a warship launch, a "briganteen of 23 oars," by the Knights of Malta in 1675: Two fryers and an attendant went into

6660-522: The ship was able to survive, it would be cursed with nine years of bad luck. Other beliefs included: if a cat licked its fur against the grain, it meant a hailstorm was coming; if it sneezed it meant rain; and if it was frisky it meant wind. Cormorants , in some Scandinavian areas, are considered a good omen; in particular, in Norwegian tradition spirits of those lost at sea come to visit their loved ones disguised as cormorants. Whistling on board

6750-578: The ship, should he fall overboard. The words 'HOLD FAST' tattooed on the knuckles would prevent a sailor from falling from aloft. The Line-crossing ceremony commemorates a sailor's first crossing of the Equator . Its practices invoke good luck on the new sailor. The ceremony of Crossing the Line is an initiation rite in the Royal Navy , Royal Canadian Navy , U.S. Navy , U.S. Coast Guard , U.S. Marine Corps , and other navies that commemorates

6840-410: The suggestion that extra digits give a polydactyl cat better balance, important when at sea. Cats were believed to have miraculous powers that could protect ships from dangerous weather. Another popular belief was that cats could start storms through magic stored in their tails. If a ship's cat fell or was thrown overboard, it was thought that it would summon a terrible storm to sink the ship and that if

6930-484: The sum of fifty dollars (equivalent to $ 1,300 in 2023) to the master builder of each yard "to be expended in providing an entertainment for the carpenters that worked on the ships." Five pounds (equivalent to $ 100 in 2023) was spent for lime juice for the launching festivities of frigate Delaware at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , suggesting that the "entertainment" included a potent punch with lime juice as an ingredient. No mention has come to light of christening

7020-427: The sunrise is red to take warning. The day ahead will be dangerous. "Red Sky at night, Sailors delight; Red Sky in the morning, Sailor's take warning." It may also be said as; "Red at morning, Sailors warning; Red at night, Sailors delight," or "Red sky at night, Sailor's delight; Red sky at morn, Sailor be warned." This saying actually has some scientific validity, although it assumes storms systems will approach from

7110-453: The superstition to remove all Christmas decorations by Candlemas, a practice done well into Victorian times. In 18th century New England, rolling clouds and roaring waves were thought as bad omens, so sailing on days under such conditions was considered inadvisable. Sirens were mythological, often dangerous and beautiful, creatures, portrayed as femmes fatales who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on

7200-530: The vessel, and kneeling down prayed halfe an houre, and layd their hands on every mast, and other places of the vessel, and sprinkled her all over with holy water. Then they came out and hoysted a pendent to signify she was a man of war; then at once thrust her into the water. The liturgical aspects of ship christenings, or baptisms, continued in Catholic countries, while the Reformation seems to have put

7290-455: The west, and is therefore generally correct only at mid-latitudes where, due to the rotation of the Earth, prevailing winds travel west to east. If the morning skies are red, it is because clear skies over the horizon to the east permit the sun to light the undersides of moisture-bearing clouds. Conversely, to see red clouds in the evening, sunlight must have a clear path from the west, so therefore

7380-424: The wind itself, and that to do so will bring about a storm. During the christening ceremony for a ship, it is considered bad luck if the bottle swung against the side of the ship fails to break. In North America and Western Europe, 13 is considered unlucky , so cruise ships are sometimes built without a deck 13. In Italy, where 17 is considered unlucky , cruise ships built and operated by MSC Cruises lack

7470-418: The world. Sailors would look for mermaid's purses on beaches for signs of mermaids in the area. Davy Jones is a popular character in sailor's lore, especially of the gothic fictional variety. Davy Jones' Locker is an idiom for the bottom of the sea: the state of death among drowned sailors. It is used as a euphemism for death or burial at sea (to be sent to Davy Jones' Locker ). The origins of

7560-443: The worst of the cases: Sailors, at the constant mercy of the elements, often feel the need for religious images on their bodies to appease the angry powers that caused storms and drowning far from home. For example, the images of a pig and a hen were good luck; most of the smaller livestock aboard ships would float in their wooden crates and would be among the only survivors of wrecks, so these images were believed to help them survive

7650-525: Was Launched amidst the acclamation of many thousand spectators. She is esteemed by all those who are judges that have seen her, to be one of the compleatest ships ever built in America. The unwearied diligence and care of the three Master-Builders... and the good order and industry of the Carpenters, deserve particular notice; scarcely a single instance of a person's being in liquor, or any difference among

7740-748: Was also part of the Marshall Plan . She made three relief trips to Poland in 1946 and one trip to Czechoslovakia . After the war and war relief in 1948, the Gainesville Victory was laid up in Beaumont, Texas , in the National Defense Reserve Fleet . A new war was starting in the Far East so she was then removed from the Reserve Fleet . SS Gainesville Victory served as merchant marine ship supplying goods for

7830-533: Was broken over the bow of steam sloop San Jacinto ." Steam frigate Merrimack earned her place in naval history as Confederate States of America ironclad Virginia , and she was baptized with water from the Merrimack River . Admiral David Farragut 's famous American Civil War flagship steam sloop Hartford was christened by three sponsors; two young ladies broke bottles of Connecticut River water and Hartford, Connecticut spring water, while

7920-416: Was built this way, as were many landing craft during World War II . This method requires many more sets of ways to support the weight of the ship. Sometimes ships are launched using a series of inflated tubes underneath the hull, which deflate to cause a downward slope into the water. This procedure has the advantages of requiring less permanent infrastructure, risk, and cost. The airbags provide support to

8010-623: Was operated by the States Marine Lines. On 1 February 1966, while returning from Vietnam, the Gainesville Victory came to the aid of a distress call northwest of the Hawaiian Islands . The seas were stormy, and the SS Rockport , a Liberian-registry freighter, was foundering. While firing a rescue line to the Rockport , one of the Gainesville Victory crew were hurt. The USNS General Walker also came to help in

8100-439: Was published in 1837. The story was adapted into a Disney film with a bowdlerized plot. In the original version, The Little Mermaid is the youngest daughter of a sea king who lives at the bottom of the sea. To pursue a prince with whom she has fallen in love, the mermaid gets a sea witch to give her legs and agrees to give up her tongue in return. Though she is found on the beach by the prince, he marries another. Told she must stab

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