Safely back on board, I decide to head for the ship’s library where a talk on the earliest sailing voyages of mankind is being offered up before dinner. Now I’ve attended many such presentations on other cruises and frankly, they can be boring. The library is comfortable, rich, and beautifully appointed. The stock of literature, predominantly in English and German, isn’t something to sneeze at either.

I arrive late and passengers are already comfortably assembled around the perimeter of the room. At the front with a world map affixed to the wall is Peter Kissner, a tall, tanned Bavarian with tousled blonde hair drawn back in a pony tail. He is Star Clipper’s Cruise Director. My expectations for the talk aren’t very high.

When he wrapped up at eight o’clock, and even with hunger pangs whispering, I was prepared to sit there all night, riveted by this man. I’m not the betting sort, but I’d wager that Peter has more knowledge about maritime history than academics in this field. Not only that, his storytelling ability is unmatched. We heard about Ferdinand Magellan, the first to circumnavigate the world. We heard all about the political intrigue surrounding his historic voyage, and Peter magically teleported me to the deck of Magellan’s ship where I became one of this famous navigator’s men.

I promised myself not to be presumptuous about on-board talks again.

According to Origins of Sea Terms, by John G. Rogers, Lubber’s Lines are marks in the bowl of a ship’s compass, aligned for dead ahead, astern, and abeam. The origin of the term may be that an experienced helmsman did not need these aids to ascertain the ship’s heading, and to use them was considered lubberly.

Sailing Lingo aims to test your knowledge of the peculiar and sometimes indecipherable language of sailing. We pose a question and see who can answer it most accurately in the comments section of the post. Be sure to check the blog for the correct answer the following day. Good Luck!

In sailing, wing and wing is the most efficient use of the sails when sailing downwind. In sailing wing and wing, the main sail is let all the way out, and the jib is allowed to catch the wind on the other side of the ship. This allows for optimum wind on both sails, and the vessel is pushed forward.

Sailing Lingo aims to test your knowledge of the peculiar and sometimes indecipherable language of sailing. We pose a question and see who can answer it most accurately in the comments on the post. The following day we’ll post the answer to the question and save you some Googling.

Here are Jim and Eileen climbing the mast. It’s one of the most popular activities offered on Star Clippers.

Eileen getting ready to climb.

Now it's Jim's turn.

Right sailing refers to running a course on one of the cardinal points of a compass, only altering the latitude or longitude. An early meaning still often used is straight.

Sailing Lingo aims to test your knowledge of the peculiar and sometimes indecipherable language of sailing. We pose a question and see who can answer it most accurately in the comments on the post. The following day we’ll post the answer to the question and save you some Googling.

The carrick bend is a knot used for joining two lines. It is particularly appropriate for very heavy rope or cable that is too large and stiff to easily be formed into other common bends.  It will not jam even after carrying a significant load or being soaked with water. The Carrick bend’s aesthetically pleasing interwoven and symmetrical shape has also made it popular for decorative purposes. This knot’s name dates back to at least 1783 when it was used by M. Lescallier in Vocabulaire des Termes de Marine.