Why Sailors Can’t Swim and Other Marvellous Maritime Curiosities

Why will a sailor never go to sea on Friday 13th? Why are boats always referred to as ‘she’? How do you navigate the ocean without a compass? Does the Bermuda Triangle really exist? Why do sailors wear earrings? Did Blackbeard actually exist? Did Nelson really say ‘Kiss me, Hardy’? What is the correct way to bury a body at sea? Why is a rope never called a rope?

This fascinating collection of maritime folklore and trivia delves into the history, science and culture of the sea, and is packed full of entertaining, surprising and insightful facts, from the delightfully obscure to the amusingly quaint, including everyday expressions that have their origins on board ship. It is a complete treasure trove for young and old alike.

Topics include: sailors and superstitions; ships and shipbuilding; navigation and seamanship; pirates and smugglers; fish and fishermen; coasts and oceans; tides and weather; art and literature of the sea.