Race 7 - Day 17
Crew Diary - Race 7 Day 17
22 February
Zhuhai - learning the ropes of Seaspeak
(see the meaning and origin of underlined nautical words used today in everyday English below)
Once upon a time, there was a crew of limeys in a Clipper Race caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. They were feeling blue and down in the doldrums after scraping the barrel for the last orange. Mostly liked for the cut of their jib and sticking together through thick and thin they always kept Zhuhai ship shape and Bristol fashion. Skipper ran a tight ship and made them toe the line so none could become a loose canon that could rock the boat, make waves, and jeopardize the race.
At race start, the snack cubbie was chock-a-block with tasty treats but now only flotsam and jetsom scraps remained. In addition, living in tight close quarters for so long they knew that they urgently had to send a shot across the bows in order to reach the finish line sooner.
The race thus heated up and they were convinced they were bamboozled by other competitors not showing their true colours. Not wanting to be caught high and dry they changed their tack, trimmed their sails and took a long shot to turn the corner first. Leaving the other competitors all at sea. Satisfied and full well knowing that all will be hunky dory after just a few bottoms up on shore with the landlubbers until they are three sheets to the wind and surely will be asked to pipe down. Ready to get on board, keel over then race again, all hands on deck!
Origin and meaning:
1. On Board
Meaning: Fully understand what is being said or instructed.
Example Sentence: "Now that I have re-stated my reasons for the decision, I hope that this is something that you can take on board."
2. Caught Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Meaning: Trapped/caught between significant difficulties.
Origin: This phrase means saying someone is in a predicament or a dangerous place with no easy way out. An expression believed to have its source in the historical nautical practice of sealing the seams between a ship's wooden planks with hot tar. In this context, the devil is the name given to the ship's longest seam, which is typically the most prone to leaking
3. Down in the Doldrums
Meaning: Describes being stuck in a rut, not making progress.
Origin: This idiom was used by sailors to describe a situation in which no wind was present—sometimes for weeks at a time. Originates from a time when sailors relied solely on wind power, this meant their ship would be stuck at sea, going nowhere.
Example Sentence: "I am feeling down in the doldrums today; nothing seems to be happening, and I am getting nowhere fast."
4. All at Sea
Meaning: In a state of confusion.
Example Sentence: "I am all at sea today—I can't seem to make my mind up on anything at the minute."
5. Make Waves
Meaning: Cause turmoil or trouble in a community
Example Sentence: "Look, Simon has already committed the company to the takeover deal. If you raise issues with it now, you will only make waves and cause him difficulty in finalizing the deal."
6. High and Dry
Meaning: Stranded without any hope of recovering, in a predicament, and at a loss for solutions.
7. Three Sheets to the Wind
Meaning: Very, very drunk.
8. All Hands on Deck
Meaning: A call to action means that everyone must assist in resolving a problem or addressing a situation.
9. A Shot Across the Bows
Definition: A warning shot.
Example Sentence: "I have told the neighbors that I intend to build an extension on that plot of land they all border. I certainly gave them all a shot across the bows with that news."
10. Loose Cannon
Meaning: Something or someone unpredictable, spontaneous, and potentially dangerous.
Origin: This expression originally described the mayhem caused on a ship when a cannon breaks free from its mooring during a storm or in battle.
11. Hunky-Dory
Meaning: Perfect or just fine.
Origin: A phrase commonly attributed to American sailors who used it to describe a particular street in Japan called Honcho-dori. This street was known to lonely sailors for the services it provided.
12. On the Right Track
Meaning: Taking the line/course of action that leads to the correct conclusion.
Origin: When you take the correct sailing line, you end up where you want to be. If sailors take the wrong tack/line, they end up heading in the wrong direction.
13. Shipshape and Bristol Fashion
Definition: Everything is okay and in good order.
Example Sentence: "It's been a good day. All sales targets met, all takings in and counted; everything is shipshape and Bristol fashion."
14. Run a Tight Ship
Meaning: Manage and organization strictly, efficiently, and effectively
Example Sentence: "That new manager is very organized; he certainly seems to be running a tight ship."
15. Turn the Corner
Meaning: Pass a critical point on the way to somewhere better or safer
Origin: An idiom used by sailors who had passed the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. It is also said when passing Cape Horn at the southern end of South America.
16. Landlubber
Meaning: One who prefers not to be at sea.
Origin: This nautical phrase, said by seasoned sailors, describes someone happier on dry land.
Example Sentence: "If you don't mind, I will give that boat ride a miss. Sorry, but I'm afraid I am something of a landlubber."
17. Limey
Meaning: A British person.
Origin: Originally, this was a slang word for an English sailor. It came into being in the 19th century and was a reference to the Royal Navy’s practice of issuing its seamen with rations of limes as a means of preventing scurvy.
18. Bottoms Up
Meaning: An encouragement to drink or to finish one's drink
This imperative originates from an era when English sailors were commonly hoodwinked into joining the navy. The trick involved giving the unsuspecting man a beer with a coin at the bottom. Once the poor man possessed the cash, he was deemed to have accepted payment and swiftly enrolled or press-ganged into the Royal Navy. As people began to wise up to the con trick, they would say "bottoms up" to the people they drank with so that they could check for any hidden coins at the bottom of their glasses.
19. To Show One's True Colours
Meaning: To show who one really is, reveal one's character (usually used in a negative way).
Origin: It was once common practice for ships to hoist their national flags before commencing battle. Some ships would carry flags from many countries and hoist "false flags" to confuse or mislead their enemies at sea, a practice that was especially common among Spanish ships in the 17th century. This practice also introduced the term "bamboozle" into our language.
20. The Cut of One's Jib
Meaning: The way one looks or conducts themselves (usually negative).
Origin: In the early 1800s, sailors used the term “cut” to describe the condition of something. “Jib” is the name of the foresail that controls the general performance of a ship.
Example Sentence: "That new apprentice seems a bit too lackadaisical. I'm not sure that I like the cut of his jib."
21. Scraping the Barrel
Meaning: Obtaining the last dregs of something, procuring someone or something of inferior quality.
Origin: On 17th-century ships, sailors would scrape empty barrels used to store salted meat to recover any remaining scraps.
Example Sentence: "My sister has a poor choice of men. By the looks of her latest boyfriend, she's really scraping the bottom of the barrel."
22. Trim One's Sails
Meaning: Adapt or change to fit altered circumstances.
Originally, this referred to the act of changing a ship's sails to better suit and take advantage of the wind conditions.
23. Close Quarters
Meaning: Tightly packed (as in people in a small space).
24. Learn the Ropes
To learn or understand the basics of how to do something.
25. Choc-a-Block
Meaning: Full to the point of bursting, crowded, packed to the brim.
Origin: This maritime phrase references wooden wedges' placement to secure moving objects on the decks of ships.
25. Through Thick and Thin
Meaning: For better or for worse, no matter what happens.
Origin: This phrase comes from the method of using both thin and thick pulleys and ropes used to hoist sails.
26. Pipe Down
Meaning: Be quiet.
Origin: This saying has roots in the nautical practice of sounding the bosun's pipe at the end of each day to signal lights out.
Example Sentence: "Oh, pipe down! It's time you switched that darn music off."
27. Keel Over
Meaning: Fall over.
Origin: When a boat's keel emerges from the water, the vessel will likely capsize.
28. Long Shot An occurrence that would take a great deal of luck. Early ships’ guns tended to be inaccurate. If a shot made impact from a great distance, or a “long shot,” it was considered out of the ordinary.
29. Flotsam and Jetsam
Odds and ends. While the words flotsam and jetsam are often used together, they have different meanings. "Flotsam" (from the word "float") describes items that weren't deliberately thrown overboard, while "jetsam" (from the word "jettison") describes items that were deliberately thrown overboard.
30. Feeling Blue
Experiencing feelings of sadness or melancholy. If a captain or officer of a ship died while at sea, the crew would fly blue flags and paint a blue band along the ship’s hull. Over time, this symbol of grieving was equated with feeling sad or melancholy.
31. Toe the Line
To conform to the policies of a group. Members of the British Royal Navy were required to stand barefoot and at attention for inspection. While at attention they lined up along the seams of the planks of the deck with their toes touching the line. This became known as "toeing" the line.