#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, Facebook, 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..
Did you know 'nausea' has maritime origins? Jason Nangle shares a cruise ship story you won't forget, and the Ancient Greek word that started it all, nausia.
A large tanker vessel is shown reversing at sunset, with the word REVERSING overlaid in bold red text. In the foreground, Reads: 'Gostan'
Jason Nangle, Founder of Angle Recruitment, in early 20th-century attire uses a candlestick phone in a switchboard room with operators and Bell and Edison portraits.
A shipping leader's vessels stuck in the Strait of Hormuz sparked a word search. Discover the violent Norwegian waters behind the word maelstrom.
Hernán Cortés burned his entire fleet in 1519, leaving his men no retreat and no choice but to win. Discover the maritime origins of Burn the Ships.
The “I was here” graffiti didn’t start with Kilroy… but a WWII shipyard inspector turned it into the world’s first viral meme.
The phrase 'showing your true colours' dates back to the age of pirates and naval warfare. Discover its maritime origins in this week's Maritime Origins series.
The phrase 'loose cannon' originated on the warships of the 17th and 18th centuries. Discover the dramatic maritime history behind this everyday expression.
Thanksgiving started with a ship... The Mayflower. The 1620 voyage wasn’t the first settlement. Spanish, French, Dutch and earlier English colonies were already there.
In 1740, Vice Admiral Edward Vernon – nicknamed “Old Grog” for his coarse grogram coat – ordered that sailors’ daily rum be mixed with water.
The bitter end actually comes from the bitts, the posts on a ship where ropes are secured. When the rope runs out to the bitter end, there’s literally no more line left.
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.
