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Explorer’s Guide July Newsletter:
Recently received from a former student:
“Thanks, despite m 15 years of Active Duty Coast Guard service, learned a lot going through your course and have recommended it to quite a few of my friends and co-workers. It was challenging and very informative. Thanks for your assistance.”
- Jonathan
U.S. Coast Guard
Banana Superstitions
Stevie Wonder once sang that superstition is “when you believe in things that you don’t understand. And…maybe he’s right.According to the informational website www.howstuffworks.com, superstitions rise to our minds when we want more control or certainty about something.
We want and explanation for why things go wrong or right. We even go to the silly measure of carrying around strange objects with us wherever we go, such as a rabbit’s foot or a penny.Psychologists believe that when we carry items like these, they actually have a placebo effect, fueling positive thinking. Well, you probably won’t find a more superstitious group of people than sailors and fisherman.
Their beliefs date back to several centuries ago and include these prominent examples: it’s bad luck to sail on a Friday, if you whistle or sing into he wind while on a boat a storm is sure to follow, sailors who wear earrings or have tattoos won’t drown,and finally that it is bad luck to have women onboard because they make the sea angry or jealous. But one of the superstitions, that is seemingly the most silly, actually has some good theories behind it. It is believed to be deadly if there are bananas are on board. Many charter fishing boat crews have steadfast restrictions about bringing bananas onboard.
In fact, they’ll return to dock to get rid if the offending fruit. (ESPN) Some charters go as far as to prohibit Banana Boat Brand sunscreen or Banana Republic clothing. Fisherman have been known to object to Fruit of the Loom underwear.
Oddly enough, the Fruit of the Loom graphic doesn’t even have a banana on it! (Some say that the banana was excluded from the label for this reason) There are many theories as to why this superstition is taken so seriously.
One’s initial guess might be that banana peels are slippery and you’ll fall if you step on one, or worse, go overboard. After some research, it was concluded that there are a great deal more reasons why sailors fear this yellow fruit.
In the early 1700’s, during the height of Spain’s South Atlantic and Caribbean trading empire, many ships that disappeared at sea did not make their destinations were carrying bananas as cargo. This gave rise to the belief that hauling bananas was a dangerous undertaking.
Another explanation for the banana superstition is that the fastest sailing ships were used to carry bananas from the tropic to US ports along the East Coast to land the bananas before they spoiled. The banana boats were so fast that fishermen were never able to catch anything while trolling off of those boats, which is obviously very bad luck for fishermen.
An alternate theory holds that bananas carried aboard slave ships fermented and gave off methane gas, which would be trapped below deck. Anyone in the hold would die due to it, and anyone trying to climb down into the hold to help them would also fall prey to the gas.
Finally, one of the better known dangers of bananas at sea is that a species of spider with a lethal bite likes to hide in bunches of bananas. Crewmen suddenly dying of spider bites after bananas were brought aboard certainly would be considered a bad omen resulting in the cargo being tossed into the sea.
Recall on Blue Chart Cards
Garmin issues is conducting a voluntary product safety recall of the 2009 version of its marine cartography data cards known as Blue Chart g2 and g2 Version.
The affected data cards were sold between April 8th and June 3rd. The recall of this item is because in certain waters, the data cards will provide inaccurate indications of the depth. This will cause the risk of running aground, according to Garmin.
Affected customers will be provided with a free replacement Blue Chart g2 in Garmin proprietary card format, Blue Chart g2 in microSD/SD card format.
For more information, visit www8.garmin.com/bluechartrecall.
Maritime Jobs Posting
These posting and many more can be found on www.maritimejobs.com
Chief Engineer/ Assistant Engineer
Location: Texas
More Info Visit: www.fairfield.com/careers
Vessel Captain
Location: Morgan City, LA
Company: Oceanburg Int’l Inc.
For More Info Call: 985-329-3237
Marine Buyer/Purchaser
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Company: Resolve Marine
Contact: Sarah Page at Resolve Marine
Upcoming Classes
OUPV Course
Milwaukee, WI at Performance Yacht Service
September 10th-13th & September 18th-20th
OUPV Course
Green Bay, WI at Northeastern Technical College
October 22nd-25th & October 30th-November 1st
OUPV Course
St.Paul, MN
November 12th-15th & November 20th-22nd
OUPV Course
Fish Creek in Door County, WI
December 3rd-6th & December 11th-13th
Call to register today at 1-800-487-6029!
Bee Prepared
Boaters Who Abandoned Vessel After Bee Attach Rescued from River.
Article Published in Florida Today on July 13th, 2009
Four boaters who jumped overboard after finding a beehive aboard their vessel have been rescued from the Indian River Lagoon. The boaters stated they were off Melbourne Beach in the Indian River were thousands of bees swarmed the 36 foot sailboat.
The four boaters, wearing life jackets, jumped into the water. They later crawled back onto the bow of the boat while the bees swarmed at the stern. Melbourne Fire Department rescue crews were dispatched about 1:30 p.m. after reports of four people in the lagoon near the Melbourne Causeway. The four boaters were safely returned at Front Street Park.
Life Jacket Wear
The U.S. Coast Guard estimates that life jackets could have saved the lives of over 80 percent of boating fatality victims. The U.S. Coast Guard challenges you and your passengers to wear your life jacket all the time while underway!
Things to Know:
• Life jackets are designed to keep your head above the water and help you remain in a position which permits proper breathing.
• To meet U.S. Coast Guard requirements, a boat must have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved type I, II, III, or V life jacket for each person aboard. Boats 16 feet and over must have at least one type IV throwable device as well.
• All state regulations regarding a life jacket to be wore by children.
• Adult size life jackets DO NOT work for children.
• Life jackets should be tested for wear ad buoyancy at least once a year.
• Life jackets most be properly stowed.
• A life jacket can help you survive in cold water.
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