June 26, 2019

Nautical Terms and Naval Expressions: Seamanship Edition Part 2

Basic seamanship is the foundation for a Sailor's life at sea. Whether it's line handling, understanding basic navigation, or just knowing your way around the decks of a ship, understanding basic seamanship plays a role in keeping Sailors organized, oriented and SAFE.In part two of our Seamanship Series, we will explore some terms that relate to

June 7, 2019

Nautical Terms and Naval Expressions: Seamanship Edition Part 1

Basic seamanship is the foundation for a Sailor's life at sea. Whether it's line handling, understanding basic navigation, or just knowing your way around the decks of a ship - understanding basic seamanship plays a role in keeping Sailors organized, oriented and SAFE. In this series of infographics, we will explore the meaning and history behind a

Aug. 3, 2016

Nautical Terms and Naval Expressions - Uniform Edition

Sailors have terms and expressions for just about anything, so it comes as no surprise that there's a whole set of nautical terms and naval expressions that are related to parts of their uniforms. Here are a few you may or may not have heard of before: Bluejacket The term bluejacket is widely used today to refer to an enlisted Sailor below the rank

June 23, 2016

Nautical Terms and Naval Expressions - Part Two

Have you ever wondered why a "peacoat" is called a peacoat? Why in the world is the bathroom called the "head?" How did the term  "ensign" come to be used to refer to both a flag and an officer? The language of the Navy can leave you wondering where Sailors came up with these terms and expressions. The second installment in our series explores five

Dec. 14, 2015

Nautical Terms and Naval Expressions: The Holiday Edition

Now that the holiday season is officially underway, we thought we'd get into the spirit of the season by taking a look at a few nautical terms and naval expressions that remind us of the holidays. You'll be surprised by the origin of some of these widely used terms and maybe even those you've never heard before.Sugar ReportOur Sailors can't always

Oct. 5, 2015

Nautical Terms and Naval Expressions

Have you ever wondered what a "field day" is or why "side boys" are named as so? What exactly is a "ropeyarn Sunday?" How did the term "scuttlebutt" come to be used to refer to gossip? The language of the Navy can be just as interesting as its origins. In the first of this series of blogs and infographics, we'll explore some of the more common and