#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..

Ahoy, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Bottoms Up, Burn the Ships, Butt Load, By and Large, Chunder, Cold Enough to Freeze the Balls off a Brass Monkey, Feeling Groggy, Flogging a Dead Horse, Gostan, Hold Fast, Jump Ship, Loose Cannon, Maelstrom, Shanghaied, Showing Your True Colours, To the Bitter End, Turn a Blind Eye, Vete al Carajo, Ahoy, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Bottoms Up, Burn the Ships, Butt Load, By and Large, Chunder, Cold Enough to Freeze the Balls off a Brass Monkey, Feeling Groggy, Flogging a Dead Horse, Gostan, Hold Fast, Jump Ship, Loose Cannon, Maelstrom, Shanghaied, Showing Your True Colours, To the Bitter End, Turn a Blind Eye, Vete al Carajo, Ahoy, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Bottoms Up, Burn the Ships, Butt Load, By and Large, Chunder, Cold Enough to Freeze the Balls off a Brass Monkey, Feeling Groggy, Flogging a Dead Horse, Gostan, Hold Fast, Jump Ship, Loose Cannon, Maelstrom, Shanghaied, Showing Your True Colours, To the Bitter End, Turn a Blind Eye, Vete al Carajo, Ahoy, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Bottoms Up, Burn the Ships, Butt Load, By and Large, Chunder, Cold Enough to Freeze the Balls off a Brass Monkey, Feeling Groggy, Flogging a Dead Horse, Gostan, Hold Fast, Jump Ship, Loose Cannon, Maelstrom, Shanghaied, Showing Your True Colours, To the Bitter End, Turn a Blind Eye, Vete al Carajo,
Ahoy, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Bottoms Up, Burn the Ships, Butt Load, By and Large, Chunder, Cold Enough to Freeze the Balls off a Brass Monkey, Feeling Groggy, Flogging a Dead Horse, Gostan, Hold Fast, Jump Ship, Loose Cannon, Maelstrom, Shanghaied, Showing Your True Colours, To the Bitter End, Turn a Blind Eye, Vete al Carajo, Ahoy, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Bottoms Up, Burn the Ships, Butt Load, By and Large, Chunder, Cold Enough to Freeze the Balls off a Brass Monkey, Feeling Groggy, Flogging a Dead Horse, Gostan, Hold Fast, Jump Ship, Loose Cannon, Maelstrom, Shanghaied, Showing Your True Colours, To the Bitter End, Turn a Blind Eye, Vete al Carajo, Ahoy, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Bottoms Up, Burn the Ships, Butt Load, By and Large, Chunder, Cold Enough to Freeze the Balls off a Brass Monkey, Feeling Groggy, Flogging a Dead Horse, Gostan, Hold Fast, Jump Ship, Loose Cannon, Maelstrom, Shanghaied, Showing Your True Colours, To the Bitter End, Turn a Blind Eye, Vete al Carajo, Ahoy, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Bottoms Up, Burn the Ships, Butt Load, By and Large, Chunder, Cold Enough to Freeze the Balls off a Brass Monkey, Feeling Groggy, Flogging a Dead Horse, Gostan, Hold Fast, Jump Ship, Loose Cannon, Maelstrom, Shanghaied, Showing Your True Colours, To the Bitter End, Turn a Blind Eye, Vete al Carajo,
Jason Nangle reacts in shock as a naked cruise passenger stands arms wide at the bow,.
By Jason Nangle April 12, 2026
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
By Jason Nangle April 11, 2026
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 using a vintage candlestick phone in a switchboard room.
By Jason Nangle April 7, 2026
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 cargo vessel deck view as a container ship is pulled toward a massive ocean maelstrom under storms
By Jason Nangle March 29, 2026
A shipping leader's vessels stuck in the Strait of Hormuz sparked a word search. Discover the violent Norwegian waters behind the word maelstrom.
A brass telescope reflects a man holding a torch beside burning ships, with soldiers marching
By Jason Nangle March 29, 2026
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.
Person spray-painting “Kilroy Was Here” graffiti on a wall beneath the iconic peeking face drawing.
By Jason Nangle March 15, 2026
The “I was here” graffiti didn’t start with Kilroy… but a WWII shipyard inspector turned it into the world’s first viral meme.
Jason Nangle explaining the prase showing your true colors
By Jason Nangle March 15, 2026
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.
Jason Nangle - The origins of the phrase Loose Cannon
By Jason Nangle March 15, 2026
The phrase 'loose cannon' originated on the warships of the 17th and 18th centuries. Discover the dramatic maritime history behind this everyday expression.
Thanksgiving and the Voyage of the Mayflower
By Jason Nangle March 15, 2026
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.
Maritime origins of feeling groggy
By Jason Nangle March 15, 2026
In 1740, Vice Admiral Edward Vernon – nicknamed “Old Grog” for his coarse grogram coat – ordered that sailors’ daily rum be mixed with water.
The Maritime Origins of “The Bitter End”
By Jason Nangle March 15, 2026
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.
Simon, war hero cat who won a Dickin Medal
By Jason Nangle March 14, 2026
A stray cat wandered onto a warship in Hong Kong. Weeks later, Simon was a war hero.
Chunder, an Australian Phrase
By Jason Nangle March 14, 2026
“Chunder” is a colourful Australian word sailors used when seasickness struck… and believe it or not, it was polite! 🤢
Vete al Carajo - Go to Hell in Spanish
By Jason Nangle March 14, 2026
Spanish naval origins… meaning “go to hell” or “get lost.” Still commonly heard across Latin countries today.
The Seafarer’s Saint, Santa Claus
By Jason Nangle March 14, 2026
For centuries, seafarers prayed to Saint Nicholas. Few realise he was the patron saint of sailors. 😇
By and Large
By Jason Nangle March 14, 2026
First documented in 1674 in a nautical dictionary by Captain John Smith, describing a ship’s ability to sail in different wind conditions.
Turna a ind Eye, Admiral Horatio Nelson
By Jason Nangle March 14, 2026
The story goes back to Admiral Horatio Nelson… Britain’s most famous naval commander.
Monkey sitting in snow beside the phrase “Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey,”
By Jason Nangle March 14, 2026
British slang for being absolutely freezing - “It’s brass monkeys out there.” But would you believe brass monkeys has maritime origins?
Cat sitting on floating debris while a burning warship explodes in the background,.
By Jason Nangle March 14, 2026
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.
Jason Nangle gripping a rope at a ship’s wheel in a storm, showing a “Hold Fast” tattoo.
By Jason Nangle March 14, 2026
From “Hold Fast” to swallows and anchors, sailors’ tattoos recorded experience, superstition and life at sea.
Jason Nangle sitting on a barrel on a sailing ship illustrating the maritime phrase “butt load.”
By Jason Nangle March 14, 2026
Contrary to popular belief, this phrase has nothing to do with arses… and everything to do with barrels.
Jason Nangle clinging to a stormy sailing ship illustrating: between the devil and the deep blue sea
By Jason Nangle March 14, 2026
📆 The phrase has dark roots from wooden sailing ships of the 1700s. 👺 The “devil” wasn’t mythical.
Jason Nangle being forced aboard a sailing ship illustrating the maritime origins of “shanghaied.”
By Jason Nangle March 14, 2026
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.
Jason Nangle jumping from a sailing ship to a dock illustrating the phrase “jump ship.”
By Jason Nangle March 14, 2026
A sailor abandoning his vessel without permission. Usually to escape harsh discipline, poor pay, or brutal conditions at sea.
Jason Nangle on a sailing ship beside a dead horse illustrating the phrase “flogging a dead horse
By Jason Nangle March 14, 2026
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.
In this Maritime Origins post, Jason Nangle explores “Bottoms Up.” In naval taverns, a hidden King’s
By Jason Nangle March 14, 2026
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.