Where di the banana on the boat myth

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Brian D.

Where di the banana on the boat myth

Post by Brian D. »

...or urban legend come from? I have never read or heard about this before coming to California in the 90's. Some guys go nuts (bananas, pun intended)whenever someone is on or near their boat. I've seen some guys come close to becoming violent. We all have some sort of superstitious crutch we fall on at times, but an unlucky banana?
Al M

A long time ago

Post by Al M »

From what I know it goes back to the old days when they brought bananas by boat and the sleeping quarters were amongst the bananas.Some of the crew would come down with some kind of bites and many would die from them.It seems the spiders that lived in the banana groves would bite the guys as they slept causing a slow death while on board.That is where I heard that the legend originated.By the way I have seen one of those spiders in a banana box at work and they were big and mean looking.Not sure if its true but thats what some old timer told me once.
SOCB_HawgHunter

Al is correct....

Post by SOCB_HawgHunter »

They brought misfortune for boaters due to disease and spiders brought into the boats.
Ron C

Here's what I found...

Post by Ron C »

There are many stories why bananas have been thought of as bad luck on boats. This is only one of the nautical superstitions that I know of and is particularly prevalent amongst watermen. Many stories have banana oil rubbing off on ones hands and “spooking" the fish; therefore the fish don't bite. There is always the story of a crew member slipping on the banana peel left on the deck. Some say that bananas give you the runs so you are always in the marine head and can't catch fish because you are busy "draining the pipes". Many other stories are told about bad luck and bananas, however the one that I find most plausible is a historical one.

Back in the days of the transatlantic crossings by wooden sailing ships many hazards would befall the captains, crew and passengers. Disease, pirates, shipwrecks, storms, etc., claimed the lives of a good percentage of the captains, crew and passengers attempting the dangerous voyage. Needless to say, a transatlantic crossing in the 17th and 18th centuries was a very risky endeavor. Often the vessels would stop along the way in tropical islands to gather provisions such as food and water. There the passengers and crew would often purchase wooden crates of bananas from the locals and bring them aboard the ship. These crates would have all manner of critters in them such as bugs, spiders, vermin and snakes. These critters would make their way into the bilges of the ships, multiply, and then find their way into the captain's quarters. The captains circulated the rumor that bananas were bad luck in an attempt to keep the critters off the ship and out of their cabin. The crew and passengers were more than eager to follow suit because of the inherent risk of the crossing. So, if the captain announced prior to the voyage that bananas were bad luck and not allowed aboard the vessel, everyone complied. You must remember that these were the days of burning witches and the like, so superstitions were taken very seriously.

Watermen are a mysterious lot. While we are known for our simple pragmatism, we also have many odd quirks. Superstitions have been prevalent on almost every vessel I have worked on. I feel that this is due to the nature of a waterman in that he sees the randomness of the world around him juxtaposed with the rhythmic, seasonal flows of nature and then tries to reconcile these observations into some sort of personal and/or environmental order. As Stevie Wonder (a blind man) pointed out so eloquently: "When you believe in things you can't understand, that's superstition".

<A HREF="http://www.azinet.com/captjim/bananas.htm" TARGET="_blank">http://www.azinet.com/captjim/bananas.htm</A>

Good Fishing!

Ron C
Brian D.

Well shiver me timbers

Post by Brian D. »

Arrr matey! Now I know the rest of the story.

Heck and I thought it was due to people slipping on the peel and falling out of the boat. Well there goes that theory, right Rippa? heheheh
Ron C

Arrrrr! *NM*

Post by Ron C »

Ray L.

Well I have had....

Post by Ray L. »

Well I have had enough vermin,snakes,bugs and rats on my boat over the years I don't need any banana's. Oh I almost forgot how do you get rid of thieves,people with no gas money,and the guys who lay out a picnic on the back of your boat,when you are running and gunning all over lake Mead or the Delta.What keeps them away I know there is no spray for them.I also know that I can't carry a gun in my boat anymore(oops not supposed to say that)Wish I could put them in those boxes of bananas and ship them somewere else....
Ok just venting a little bear with me I will get better after a day or 2 on the Delta....
Ray L.
SOCB_HawgHunter

I aint fallin for that Banna in the Tail Pipe Again!

Post by SOCB_HawgHunter »

From what Brain L tells me Ray keeps frozen bannanas in the boat and gives the term, were going into this cove to do some spoonin a WHOLE new meaning!

HAR
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