#MaritimeOrigins
Maritime Origins is a storytelling series exploring the fascinating history behind everyday phrases that originated at sea, as well as the remarkable stories, traditions and characters that have shaped maritime culture.
Many sayings still used today were first spoken by sailors navigating the challenges of life on board ships. Alongside these phrase origins, the series also highlights lesser-known maritime stories, legends and historical moments from the world of shipping.
Through short stories and visual posts, Maritime Origins connects the language, heritage and traditions of seafarers with the modern maritime industry.
New posts in the series launch every Tuesday on LinkedIn and are then shared across other platforms including Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and X.
Maritime Origins is created by Jason Nangle, Founder of Angle Recruitment, a global maritime recruitment and executive search firm.
Follow Jason Nangle on LinkedIn and Angle Recruitment across your preferred social platforms..
A stray cat wandered onto a warship in Hong Kong. Weeks later, Simon was a war hero.
“Chunder” is a colourful Australian word sailors used when seasickness struck… and believe it or not, it was polite! 🤢
Spanish naval origins… meaning “go to hell” or “get lost.” Still commonly heard across Latin countries today.
For centuries, seafarers prayed to Saint Nicholas. Few realise he was the patron saint of sailors. 😇
First documented in 1674 in a nautical dictionary by Captain John Smith, describing a ship’s ability to sail in different wind conditions.
The story goes back to Admiral Horatio Nelson… Britain’s most famous naval commander.
British slang for being absolutely freezing - “It’s brass monkeys out there.”
But would you believe brass monkeys has maritime origins?
The remarkable wartime story of Unsinkable Sam, the ship’s cat who survived multiple ship sinkings during WWII and became one of the most famous animals in naval history.
From “Hold Fast” to swallows and anchors, sailors’ tattoos recorded experience, superstition and life at sea.
Contrary to popular belief, this phrase has nothing to do with arses… and everything to do with barrels.
📆 The phrase has dark roots from wooden sailing ships of the 1700s.
👺 The “devil” wasn’t mythical.
In the 1800s, merchant ships sailing out of American West Coast ports like San Francisco, Portland and Seattle were desperate for crew to make the long, miserable Pacific crossing to China.
A sailor abandoning his vessel without permission.
Usually to escape harsh discipline, poor pay, or brutal conditions at sea.
The maritime origins of “flogging a dead horse,” a sailor’s phrase from the age of sail used when seamen worked off wages already paid in advance.
Two hundred years ago, recruitment had its own version of a sign-on bonus.
It was called the King’s shilling.
Accept it… and your next stop was the Napoleonic Wars.
