Superstitions: Evil Eye and Farewell

Never Say P*G – The Book of Sailors’ Superstitions is the nautical reference book you never knew you needed. Compiled by R. Bruce MacDonald, he goes through the alphabet detailing on what provides good and bad luck at sea. Here’s a sampling from E and F:

Evil Eye
The evil eye is painted on vessels, mainly in the Mediterranean and Asia, and turns back any hexes onto those who might try to curse the ship and sailors. In Turkey it is known as a nazar.

Farewell
It is bad luck for a sailor’s spouse to call out goodbye or good luck to them or to wave at them as they leave to go to sea. Goodbyes are said in private in another part of the home. “A goodbye from the wife is asking for strife.”

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