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I am starting a Skull and Bones pirate game in a few weeks and I need alittle help. Pirates are known to be very superstitious. But what superstitions where common with sailors, pirates, and the general public during the late 1600's and the early 1700's. Here are some pirate superstitions that I found. Does anyone know of anymore or can you make one up that would fit in the game.
It is unlucky to start a voyage on a Friday, the day that Christ was crucified.
The Royal Navy tried to dispel this superstition in the 19th Century. The built a ship named HMS Friday, laid the keel on a Friday, launched the ship on Friday and finally set to sea on Friday. Neither the ship nor the crew were ever heard of again.
Black bags travelling bags bring seamen bad luck
Black was not a good colour for the seamen of old. They associated the colour black with death. Life at sea was hard and dangerous enough without thinking about it.
Priests and ministers are unlucky aboard a ship
They were considered unlucky because they dressed in black and presided over funerals
Black cats are lucky and bring sailors safely home from the sea
This was the only kind of good luck associated with black that I know of
Flowers are unlucky aboard ship
Flowers were associated with funeral wreaths
Church bells heard at sea meant that someone onboard was about to die.
Avoid red heads on the way to a ship as they bring bad luck to the ship. The bad luck can be avoided if you speak to the red head first.
Avoid flat footed people on the way to the ship as they bring bad luck. The bad luck could once again be avoided if you spoke to the flat footed person first.
Flat footed people were regarded as land lubbers and as such had no luck at sea.
Never put your left foot down first when boarding a ship. Disaster will follow if you do.
Women onboard a ship make the sea angry.
If you come across a bare footed women on your way to a ship, bad luck would be sure to follow.
A naked women onboard a ship calms the sea
Hence the numerous bare breasted figureheads on sailing ships of old. Who ever said a sailor was politically correct ?
Gulls contain the souls of sailors lost at sea and therefore it is unlucky to kill a gull.
It is unlucky to kill an albatross
A whole poem was written about this very topic - The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
To see a Swallow at sea was considered good luck whilst seeing a Cormorant or Curlew at sea was bad luck.
Repairing a flag on the quarterdeck was considered bad luck.
Never speak the word "drown" at sea.
Death comes with an ebb tide and birth with a rising tide.
Open eyes tattooed on the eyelids would warn the sailor of danger whilst asleep.
The feather of a Wren will protect a sailor from death by shipwreck
The feather was only supposed to be good for 1 year and was supposed to be particularly lucky if it came from a Wren killed on New Years day. It is said that this believe was responsible for the comprehensive slaughter of Wrens on the Isle of Man.
St Elmos Fire around the head of a sailor meant that he would die within the day.
All the seas are purified at the full moon.
Porpoises swimming around a ship is considered good luck. Killing a porpoise is considered bad luck.
The renaming of a ship is bad luck
A name for a ship ending in "a" was unlucky.
A shark following a ship is a death omen for one of the passengers.
Gold hoop earrings protect the wearer from drowning.
Horseshoes on a ships mast will turn away a storm.
A silver coin placed under the masthead ensures a sucessful and profitable voyage.
Spit in the ocean before you sail for good luck.
It's bad luck to say the word "pig" while fishing at sea.
Count the number of fish you've caught and you will catch no more that day.
Nail a sharks tail to the bow of a ship and you will ward off sharks.
It is unlucky to start a voyage on a Friday, the day that Christ was crucified.
The Royal Navy tried to dispel this superstition in the 19th Century. The built a ship named HMS Friday, laid the keel on a Friday, launched the ship on Friday and finally set to sea on Friday. Neither the ship nor the crew were ever heard of again.
Black bags travelling bags bring seamen bad luck
Black was not a good colour for the seamen of old. They associated the colour black with death. Life at sea was hard and dangerous enough without thinking about it.
Priests and ministers are unlucky aboard a ship
They were considered unlucky because they dressed in black and presided over funerals
Black cats are lucky and bring sailors safely home from the sea
This was the only kind of good luck associated with black that I know of
Flowers are unlucky aboard ship
Flowers were associated with funeral wreaths
Church bells heard at sea meant that someone onboard was about to die.
Avoid red heads on the way to a ship as they bring bad luck to the ship. The bad luck can be avoided if you speak to the red head first.
Avoid flat footed people on the way to the ship as they bring bad luck. The bad luck could once again be avoided if you spoke to the flat footed person first.
Flat footed people were regarded as land lubbers and as such had no luck at sea.
Never put your left foot down first when boarding a ship. Disaster will follow if you do.
Women onboard a ship make the sea angry.
If you come across a bare footed women on your way to a ship, bad luck would be sure to follow.
A naked women onboard a ship calms the sea
Hence the numerous bare breasted figureheads on sailing ships of old. Who ever said a sailor was politically correct ?
Gulls contain the souls of sailors lost at sea and therefore it is unlucky to kill a gull.
It is unlucky to kill an albatross
A whole poem was written about this very topic - The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
To see a Swallow at sea was considered good luck whilst seeing a Cormorant or Curlew at sea was bad luck.
Repairing a flag on the quarterdeck was considered bad luck.
Never speak the word "drown" at sea.
Death comes with an ebb tide and birth with a rising tide.
Open eyes tattooed on the eyelids would warn the sailor of danger whilst asleep.
The feather of a Wren will protect a sailor from death by shipwreck
The feather was only supposed to be good for 1 year and was supposed to be particularly lucky if it came from a Wren killed on New Years day. It is said that this believe was responsible for the comprehensive slaughter of Wrens on the Isle of Man.
St Elmos Fire around the head of a sailor meant that he would die within the day.
All the seas are purified at the full moon.
Porpoises swimming around a ship is considered good luck. Killing a porpoise is considered bad luck.
The renaming of a ship is bad luck
A name for a ship ending in "a" was unlucky.
A shark following a ship is a death omen for one of the passengers.
Gold hoop earrings protect the wearer from drowning.
Horseshoes on a ships mast will turn away a storm.
A silver coin placed under the masthead ensures a sucessful and profitable voyage.
Spit in the ocean before you sail for good luck.
It's bad luck to say the word "pig" while fishing at sea.
Count the number of fish you've caught and you will catch no more that day.
Nail a sharks tail to the bow of a ship and you will ward off sharks.
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