Sailors are known for their superstitions. This might be because life on a boat can be dangerous, and telling stories was a way to explain the past and feel certainty towards the future. Stepping onto the boat with your right foot brings good luck, and so are dolphins swimming alongside. Wearing golden hoop earrings means you’ve crossed the equator. Whistling and singing are bad luck because you could whistle up a storm, and forget about taking bananas. Sailors used to believe that bananas were bad luck because they could spoil the food supply of an entire ship. As scientists, we know that bananas spoil the food because they produce ethylene gas as they ripen! However, a lot of modern sailors still won’t take bananas on board, and I’ve even been asked to leave my bananas behind.
It’s funny to think about unlucky fruit or singing into the wind, but participating in old sailing superstitions is a fun way to connect and learn from the explorers that came before. I take bananas on most boat rides, and can confirm they have yet to ruin a trip. My singing hasn’t caused a storm, but it has definitely annoyed the other people onboard. Always take superstition with a grain of salt, but throw some over your shoulder while you’re at it for good luck.
