In the first part of this series we learned the origin and meaning of Lido deck, poop deck, sea legs and dock rock. Now we are on to much more controversial terms like the difference between a boat and a ship. Learn what a bulwark is, where Davey Jones' Locker really is and what can be done with a Mae West.
According to Oxford English Dictionaries, a ship is "a large boat for transporting people or goods by sea" and a boat is "a small vessel for traveling over water". A common rule of thumb used to differentiate between the two is put more definitively: if one vessel can carry the other, the larger of the two is a ship. Obviously that rule cannot be applied to a dinghy-yacht comparison, but it does work well with vessels of a larger scale. So, the cruiser taking you to Jamaica is a ship unless it is compared to something bigger. If there is anything bigger.
While on your cruise, you will no doubt wish to explore the ship. There will be many beautiful and amazing things to discover. As you peer over the side to see just how far up the deck is from the water, remember the railing is called a bulwark. It is meant as a defensive wall, a breakwater, even a safety barrier between you and the water. So step back and keep safely on the ship. It is not safe to lean over for a peak, as a single rock of the ship could throw off your balance sending you into the abyss.
Every sailor knows who Davey Jones is and where he keeps his locker, but for the benefit of recreational cruisers the meaning will be laid out here. Davey Jones is an antiquaited nick name for the devil of the seas. Davey Jones Locker is the bottom of the sea, a place where those who have died at sea will spend eternity. No one ever returns from Davey Jones Locker.
Lastly, there is the Mae West. Not in reference to the actress, the Mae West is a World War II nickname for a personal floatation device or life jacket. There is some speculation that Ms. West's ample endowment was the source for the nickname, but it cannot be proven. No matter what the name, a lifejacket is a must for every person on a floating vessel. Cruise lines are bound by law to do everything in their power to ensure the safety of their passengers, including making sure there immaculate personal floatation devices for every person on board.
Now you have the basic vocabulary to board your cruise ship with confidence. Stay back from the bulwark while on the ship, avoid Davey Jones and his locker, and know where the Mae Wests are in every part of the ship. Most importantly - have fun!
According to Oxford English Dictionaries, a ship is "a large boat for transporting people or goods by sea" and a boat is "a small vessel for traveling over water". A common rule of thumb used to differentiate between the two is put more definitively: if one vessel can carry the other, the larger of the two is a ship. Obviously that rule cannot be applied to a dinghy-yacht comparison, but it does work well with vessels of a larger scale. So, the cruiser taking you to Jamaica is a ship unless it is compared to something bigger. If there is anything bigger.
While on your cruise, you will no doubt wish to explore the ship. There will be many beautiful and amazing things to discover. As you peer over the side to see just how far up the deck is from the water, remember the railing is called a bulwark. It is meant as a defensive wall, a breakwater, even a safety barrier between you and the water. So step back and keep safely on the ship. It is not safe to lean over for a peak, as a single rock of the ship could throw off your balance sending you into the abyss.
Every sailor knows who Davey Jones is and where he keeps his locker, but for the benefit of recreational cruisers the meaning will be laid out here. Davey Jones is an antiquaited nick name for the devil of the seas. Davey Jones Locker is the bottom of the sea, a place where those who have died at sea will spend eternity. No one ever returns from Davey Jones Locker.
Lastly, there is the Mae West. Not in reference to the actress, the Mae West is a World War II nickname for a personal floatation device or life jacket. There is some speculation that Ms. West's ample endowment was the source for the nickname, but it cannot be proven. No matter what the name, a lifejacket is a must for every person on a floating vessel. Cruise lines are bound by law to do everything in their power to ensure the safety of their passengers, including making sure there immaculate personal floatation devices for every person on board.
Now you have the basic vocabulary to board your cruise ship with confidence. Stay back from the bulwark while on the ship, avoid Davey Jones and his locker, and know where the Mae Wests are in every part of the ship. Most importantly - have fun!
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