Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind

Subject: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: radriano
Date: 27 Sep 04 - 02:16 PM

I have heard that whistling aboard ship is considered bad luck. In a version of "Fish of the Sea" there is the following verse:

When his ship lay becalmed in a tropical breeze
He whistled all day but he could get no breeze

My question is - Was there an old custom of whistling for a wind?

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: greg stephens
Date: 27 Sep 04 - 04:05 PM

Yes

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: greg stephens
Date: 27 Sep 04 - 04:07 PM

Trouble is, it tended to generate a storm, so it was discouraged.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: Willa
Date: 27 Sep 04 - 05:42 PM

Yes, as in this reference;(Webster's online dictionary)

Whistle (verb). You may whistle for that. You must not expect it. The reference is to sailors whistling for the wind. "They call the winds, but will they come when they do call them?"
"Only a little hour ago
I was whistling to St. Antonio
For a capful of wind to fill our sail,
And instead of a breeze he has sent a gale."
Longfellow: Golden Legend. v.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 27 Sep 04 - 07:37 PM

Whistling was not allowed on RN Ships until 1910. On ships of sail orders would often be piped using a bosun's pipe. Much like bugle calls in the army they had specific tunes which the sailors would associate with a particular job. Therefore whistling on deck was banned. There was also a thought it might bring a wind that was not welcome.

On shore establishments is was punishable.

On ship of sail the only person who was allowed to whistle was the mess cook, to let the others know he was not stealing food from the pot, particularly raisins and prunes which were issued as part of daily rations.

The traidtion of whistling for wind when becalmed in a sailing boat has died off too. The tradition said you should stick a knife in the mast and whistle. Modern masts are now made of aluminium.

In todays RN whistling or piping is moslty done to call hands, at sunrise or sunset when the ensign is raised or lowered, or to pipe the captain or a high ranking officer on board.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: Cluin
Date: 27 Sep 04 - 07:48 PM

An early example of chaos theory at work... just trying to combat the effect of that butterfly on the other side of the globe.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: GUEST,Barry Finn
Date: 27 Sep 04 - 07:49 PM

After being becalmed for 4 or 5 days straight(came out to 12 in a row & a total of 15 days in all) I started whistling, the skipper nearly took my head off. "I've sailed through 1 hurricane, I'm not gonna sail through another". We were trying to get past the Tropic of Cancer between Hawaii & L.A. The rest of the crew didn't think to well of my whistling either. Then the topic of whistling was fast becoming strange stories & tall tales.
Barry

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: Schantieman
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 09:23 AM

Another reason it's often considered 'bad luck' to whistle in a ship or boat is that unless it's done well, it can be very annoying. If you're cooped up in a vessel with an awful whistler for weeks or months on end, this rule prevents it becoming a problem. A sort of early social thingy.

Personally, I whistle & sing frequently, in boats, ships & shore establishments, but I'm generally careful not to do it when there's anyone else about. Unless I'm the skipper, in which case I make the rules!

Steve

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 09:47 AM

Same with German sailing ships. Whistling on bord of a sailing ship was considered most unlucky bringing storms.
Very seldom and only on the verge of despair whistling for wind was used because of the enormous risk - instead of a gentle breeze you could get a cyclone.

Wilfried

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: GUEST,Observer
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 10:05 AM

I believe the only time you would whistle for the wind was after the watch officer had stuck his knife in the back of the main mast, then it was no longer considered unlucky. The sailors and fishermen had many superstitions(sp!)however it is of course very hard to get the basiss of these. I know and have sailed with many "professional" tall ship sailors and most of them only have ideas as to how they started.

Ob

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: EBarnacle
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 10:30 AM

This is a well-known superstition, related to paying for the wind. The tale is told of a captain, after having been becalmed for several days, tossing a few coins over the side as an offering to Neptune. Almost instantly, a gale came up, knocking the ship on her side. After recovering from the knockdown and beginning his repairs, the captain was heard to comment: Had I known wind was so cheap in these latitudes, I would not have given nearly as much.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: radriano
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 03:57 PM

Thanks to all who responded to this thread.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 04:00 PM

Though whistled signals were also used on sailing ships, because a whistle could be heard over the sound of the wind, whereas a shout couldn't.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 08:59 PM

Sounds like that's it. Social Engineering - and tell the trouble makers that whistling might bring a gale.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 05:08 AM

I fell foul of many a superstition when in sand barges on the London River, and generally it was pointed out when my transgression was punished, in however lateral a way.

There are two that stick in my mind. I descended the foc'sle ladder after a three hour trick up Swin, and took my cap off and placed it on the cabin table as I slumped into the chair. I received a sharp rebuke from behind a bunk curtain, and sure enough, we got onto the berth at Nine Elms too late to be unloaded, and missed a freight, which was the loss of a quarter of a week's money. The worst one was uttering the unluckiest animal name of all, rabbit. That trip we did collide with an expensive yacht (don't even think the weekend admiral was in the right!) which resulted in litigation.

And although I'm an inveterate whistler ashore, I never think to whistle afloat.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: GUEST,Anne Croucher
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 11:20 AM

Sailors are just very superstitous, fishermen even more so.
When even staying alive is so uncertain people look to such things. My dad was a mechanic in the RAF during WWll and from what he said the pilots, aircrews and even the ground staff were very superstitous too.

I don't know why the poor little long ears is suposed to be so unlucky - a fisherman would turn around and go home if he happened to see one on the way to his boat, because he 'knew' it was an omen of disaster. It goes back a long way, maybe back to when it was believed that witches could turn themselves into hares?

Anne

Subject: RE: Folklore: Nautical: Whistling for a wind
From: radriano
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 11:31 AM

Dat waskawy wabbit is vewie vewie twickie.

Elmer Fudd