Friday the 13th, whistling on the bridge, and green bananas: what sailors still believe in

Hey, seafarers! You'd think it's 2026, we have satellite navigators, Starlink in the middle of the ocean. But step aboard any ship — maritime superstitions are alive and well. Even cynical captains sometimes follow rules that landlubbers consider nonsense.

The most classic one — don't whistle on a vessel. Whistle on deck or the bridge and you'll instantly catch it from the bosun: "Don't whistle — you'll bring a storm!" Back on sailing ships, commands were given by bosun's pipe, and extra whistling created confusion. Another rule: don't point your finger at the sky or in the direction the ship is heading. On some vessels (especially Asian ones) there's no cabin or deck number 13. And on old-school American ships, they look askance at bananas — they're considered bad luck and bring breakdowns.

How do you feel about superstitions? Silly prejudices or have you noticed that setting out on an "unlucky" day ruins a contract? What do they observe aboard your vessel?