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1. The word "posh" comes from the nautical term "port out, starboard home," which referred to the preferred cabins on a ship traveling from England to India. Posh passengers would have the cooler, more comfortable cabins on the shady side of the ship for both legs of the journey.
2. The tallest structure on a ship is usually the chimney, which is also known as the "funnel."
3. In the Navy, it is tradition to wear a gold earring in one ear if you have crossed the equator or sailed around Cape Horn.
4. The term "three sheets to the wind" comes from the nautical practice of securing the ropes (or "sheets") that control the sails. If three of these sheets come loose, the ship will lose control and start to sway unpredictably, much like a drunken sailor.
5. The phrase "batten down the hatches" comes from the practice of securing the hatches (or openings) on a ship before a storm to prevent water from entering the hold.
6. The reason sailors wear bell-bottom pants is that they were easier to roll up when swabbing the deck.
7. The tradition of painting ships' hulls with red paint on the bottom dates back to ancient Greece, where it was thought to ward off sea monsters.
8. The Navy's official motto is "Non sibi sed patriae," which means "Not for self, but for country."
9. The world's largest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas, is longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall.
2. The tallest structure on a ship is usually the chimney, which is also known as the "funnel."
3. In the Navy, it is tradition to wear a gold earring in one ear if you have crossed the equator or sailed around Cape Horn.
4. The term "three sheets to the wind" comes from the nautical practice of securing the ropes (or "sheets") that control the sails. If three of these sheets come loose, the ship will lose control and start to sway unpredictably, much like a drunken sailor.
5. The phrase "batten down the hatches" comes from the practice of securing the hatches (or openings) on a ship before a storm to prevent water from entering the hold.
6. The reason sailors wear bell-bottom pants is that they were easier to roll up when swabbing the deck.
7. The tradition of painting ships' hulls with red paint on the bottom dates back to ancient Greece, where it was thought to ward off sea monsters.
8. The Navy's official motto is "Non sibi sed patriae," which means "Not for self, but for country."
9. The world's largest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas, is longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall.