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Nautical Humour




A collection of amusing items - photos, jokes, definitions.

Funny Boat Names 

 Funny Boat Picture

Definitions

 
Manure :  In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported by ship and it was also before the invention of commercial fertilizers, so large shipments of manure were quite common, for example, guano (bird manure) from Chile.

It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, not only did it become heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a by product is methane gas of course. As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen.  

Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM!

Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what was happening  

After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the instruction ' Stow high in transit ' on them, which meant for the sailors to stow it high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane.

Thus evolved the term ' S.H.I.T ' , (Stow High In Transit) which has come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day.  

You probably did not know the true history of this word.  Neither did I.   

I had always thought it was a golf term

 

Rules of the Sea

When on a ship, always sleep on your back. If you don't, someone else will.

Eat when you can, sleep when you can.

 

 


 

Bunkside Thrillers

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When the sea becomes a global terrorist weapon

 

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Suspense and Visceral Action in Tunisia and Southern Europe

 

Sicilian Channel Cover Image

Suspense and Action in Crete, the Ionian and Malta

 

Gate of Tears

Red Sea Piracy and nautical adventure!

...the action is fast paced, hard, gritty and realistic. A lover of the genre couldn’t ask for more or better.

- Novelist Lee Holz

Full review 

 

Essential Companion