Nautical lore, Mnemonics, sayings, poems & prose.

[tonybarebones]

I would like to propose an endless list of nautical lore, mnemonics, sayings, poems & prose, I will get the ball rolling with one of the most well-known of them all...

Meeting steamers do not dread.
When you see three lights ahead,
Starboard wheel and show your red.
Green to green or red-to-red,
Perfect safety, go ahead.
When to starboard red is near,
'Tis your duty to keep clear;
Act as judgment says is proper,
Port or starboard back or stop her.
But when upon your port is seen
A steamer's starboard light of green,
There's not so much for you to do,
For green to port gives way to you.

 

[Poignard]

"When the sea-hog jumps,
look to your pumps"

 

[Rabbie]

One of my favourite poems by Cicely Fox Smith.
Sailor Town
Along the wharves in sailor town a singing whisper goes
Of the wind among the anchored ships, the wind that blows
Off a broad brimming water, where the summer day has died
Like a wounded whale a-sounding in the sunset tide.

There's a big China liner gleaming like a gull
Ander her lit ports flashing: there's the long gaunt hull
Of a Blue Funnel freighter with her derricks dark and still;
And a tall barque loading at the lumber mill.

And in the shops of sailor town is every kind of thing
That the sailormen buy there, or the ships' crews bring:
Shackles for a sea chest and pink cockatoos,
Fifty cent alarum clocks and dead men's shoes.

You can hear the gulls crying, and the cheerful noise
Of a concertina going, and a singer's voice—
And the wind's song and the tide's song, crooning soft and low
Rum old tunes in sailor town that seamen know.

I dreamed a dream in sailor town, a foolish dream and vain,
Of ships and men departed, of old days come again—
And an old song in sailor town, an old song to sing
When shipmate meets with shipmate in the evening.


Also-

The evening red and morning grey
Are sure signs of a fine day,
But the evening grey and the morning red,
Makes the sailor shake his head.

 

[Heigaro]

Red over white, frying tonight.
White over red, skipper in bed.
Red over red, skipper dead!
/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Athene V30]

When in danger
when in doubt
run in circles
scream and shout!

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[steviewhitts]

How about a farming one?

Red sky at night shepherds delight......
Red sky in the morning, the barns on fire!


Mackerel skies and mares tails,
Make tall ships carry small sails,

Captains D**k Makes Virgins Tremble

I'll dig out my old merchant navy notes - I'm sure there are more.

Steve

 

[Gunfleet]

The boy stood on the burning deck eating Jacob's Crackers,
A piece of glass flew up his arse and paralysed his knackers

 

[Beadle]

Only one I can think of is the pilotage into Portsmouth:

First the Nab
And then the Warner
Blockhouse creek
Then 5hithouse corner

 

[Leighb]

I was told of a rather brief "joke" version of this

Green to Green
or Red to Red
Perfect safety go ahead
But if ahead both are seen,
then take a chance
and go between.

/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Poignard]

When the wind shifts against the sun,
Trust it not, for back it will run.

Long foretold, long last.
Short warning, soon past.

Red sky at night is a sailor`s delight,
Red sky in the morning, the sailor take warning.

At sea with low and falling glass,
Soundly sleeps the careless ass.
But when the glass is high and rising,
Soundly sleeps the careful wise one.

Quick rise after low
Foretells a stronger blow.

Mackerel sky and mares` tails
Make lofty ships carry low sails.

If rain before wind, tops`l sheets and halyards mind.
If wind before rain, soon you may make sail again.

When clouds appear like rocks and towers,
The earth`s refreshed by frequent showers.

When the sea hog jumps,
Look out for your pumps.

If clouds appear as if scratched by a hen,
Get ready to reef your topsails then.

[Alternatively, you could listen to the Shipping Forecast.]

 

[Poignard]

"Fools and firemen, sit on the rail"

 

[Gazza]

Only fools and admirals stand in companionways

 

[richardabeattie]

When in panic or dismay push the tiller far away

That works for gusts and incipient gybes. Novice crew can understand it.

When your back bearing's too big, turn to pork just like a pig.

Of all the fishes in the sea, the mermaid is the one for me.

 

[kieronriley]

i always thought it was only admirals or ar,holes stand in the companionway

 

[dombuckley]

I prefer Spike Milligan's version:

"The boy stood on the burning deck,
Whence all but he had fled....
....Silly b*stard."

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[SnaxMuppet]

If centigrade confuses you
As very well it might
Nine fiths of C + 32
Will give you Fahrenheit


To remember the order in which to get from compass bearings to True and visa versa...

Cadburys Dairy Milk Very Tasty (from Compass apply Deviation gives Magnetic apply Variation gives True)

True Virgins Make Dull Company (from True apply Variation gives Magnetic apply Deviation gives Compass)

I'd rather be on land wishing I were at sea
Then at sea wishing I were on land!

This last one is my final reminder if ever I have any doubt whether I should go or not...!

 

[Cruiser2B]

[ QUOTE ]
True Virgins Make Dull Company

[/ QUOTE ]
At Weddings (add West going T to C)

Another variation is CADET (Compass ADd East to get True)

 

[ex-Gladys]

I know it's frowned upon by the learning police at the RYA, but variation east compass least, variation west compass best is still the one I use in my mind despite all the CADET crap.

 

[David_Jersey]

"he left the Port Wine" is still useful for me (sometimes I get confused with plain old left and right /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif)

On the other hand this still provides little comfort:-

"The only cure for seasickness is sitting under a tree".

"No Eggs Since Wednesday" is fortunately no longer needed by me /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif