Weekend sailors must be very unlucky then! :)

Yipeee, that is great that you are ready to head on the next leg of your adventure. We have a coin under our mast and it is never moved. When our boat is taken out the water in the winter and the mast taken down the coin still stays there and is never removed - another superstition for you!

Enjoy your last night before your big sail

Sammi
x

Taru and Alex:

The genesis of the superstition on Fridays is . . . Before the birth of Christ, Friday was a good day to sail on. The day was named after the Norse goddess Frigg, the wife of Odin, the most powerful of all gods. She was the goddess of love and fertility.
But early Christians contended that she was a witch. After that abrupt about-face, it was considered bad luck to sail on the witch's day.

Another (sailing related) blog I read is John Vigor's. His posts are generally tongue-in-cheek, and he has some background and an interesting take on sailing on Friday. ;)

But you are not starting your voyage today, you are continuing it.

Good idea.

In addition to the maritime old age superstition, yesterday was the 13th. Thursday. Today, Friday.

With the way things are made these days, who knows if yesterday the 13th, "leaked" over into today, Friday.

Even a fraction of the 13th Thursday leaking into Friday is enough to call it off. A Double Supersition. Ouch!

Actually being aware of it all and adhereing to it, you'll find that the trip now will be most fruitful and trouble free. Whether it's related or not is upto the "Gods" but mentally it will be a boost to be free and clear of any and all things that one can blame.

Mind Games: Luv 'em or Leave 'em.

p.s. you may add the above to the big bag of nonsense with my blessing.

:-)

Very selective superstition... In the (good) old days, women aboard a ship were considered as bad luck, so there you go...

http://www.timelessmyths.co.uk/women-board-ship-bad-luck.html

Bon voyage!

Taru - along with Whistling (which takes the wind away) and anything green is not good either.

Have a wonderful trip and the very best of winds safely carry you across the ocean.

Everyone has some kind of prison and unreasonable rules within - I am sailing, I am a christian, and I will do anything on every day. Do not let yourself be bound to rules made by men ...

Anyway, this is not going to be a sermon or anything more worse.

Be free, fly high and have a blessed journey.

Yours
Stefan from Germany (excuse my english)

I am not generally superstitious, however I do know that every time I have left on a passage by sail on a Friday, I have encountered a gale at the least. A nor'easter off Cape Hatteras which lasted many days was on a passage I well recall began on a Friday.

All things considered, I am with Alex on this. If you can change your departure to be other than on a Friday, I say do so. It won't guarantee good weather by any means, and it won't hurt. Just might make it better. You might as well go ahead and not tempt the fates just in case, for the sea, as you well know, can be a cruel mistress as well as very, very kind.\\

Fair winds and following seas to you, or at least a speedy, smooth and safe passage to the paradise of the Caribbean.

Leaving on a Friday is very bad luck - never start a journey then.

A woman on board is also supposed to be bad luck, unless, she is topless or naked. Neptune likes that...(you can't make this stuff up).

Have fun, fair winds and following seas!

I'd say then it is obvious that to have the best possible journey, with the best luck, is to leave let's say Monday and for Taru to remain topless or naked for as much as the journey as is comfortable.

It will please Neptune exceedingly (and Alex too) no doubt, just be sure not to make the Sea herself too jealous!

Beautiful blog. Just found out about you guys and now I can't stop reading. Such an inspiring journey.

Best of luck for the ocean crossing!

If whistling is bad luck, what about the sailor in the "Old Spice"
commercials of yesteryear? Is that a new superstition?

Mentioning pigs, I hear, is more bad luck for sailors.

Hi!
Good luck to you guys! We tried to leave Mindelo yesterday (a friday) but our autopilot was not working so we went back into the marina. Now we are wqaiting for the mechaic's verdict. It's only two months old! Crap...
Well, best of luck to you and I hope to see you over in the west!
-Marta, Marcus and Fox on Mazarin www.sy-mazarin.se

Alex and Taru

The next few days will be a Big Adventure. Congratylations and God Speed ...

Setting here in the snowdrifts of Minnesota, your site is the first I fetch every day. Keep us informed as to feelings, sites, smells and sounds.

And too, the first flying fish that lands on deck, return that one to the sea ...

Fair winds and pleasant seas ...

Jon ...
Woodbury Mn
"Empty Pockets"

Good luck you two, can't wait to hear all about the passage!!

Tell Alex it is also bad luck to have a woman onboard...

http://www.plimsoll.org/SeaPeople/womenandthesea/theearlydaysofwomenatsea/default.asp

enjoy your crossing,
may you have fair winds and following seas