Old Weather Forum

I am not sure what all emojis mean, but Randi, is there one for BADDDDD! (Mac-beth)

Are there any accounts of some kind of mold or psychedelic mushroom that grew in the staples of 15th century sailing vessels and may have affected their perspective on reality?

Morgan wrote: ↑Sun Oct 01, 2023 8:16 pm Are there any accounts of some kind of mold or psychedelic mushroom that grew in the staples of 15th century sailing vessels and may have affected their perspective on reality?

Not to my [very limited] knowledge.


More on the subject:

• The Royal Navy and Sea Monsters
• Sea monsters and their inspiration: serpents, mermaids, the kraken and more
  
  Figure of a 'mermaid', composed of a monkey torso and fish's tail, manufactured
  in Japan during the eighteenth century for sale to European travellers.
• Mythology.net: Sea Monster

Not a sea monster, but: Vanguard Submarine Arrives Home Absolutely Caked In Algae


Different Vanguard Submarine at the start of it's voyage.

I think if you see an absolutely massive sea creature that you weren't expecting, like an oarfish or a giant squid, it is easy to envision an even larger version that could destroy your sailing ship. Especially if you've been sneaking more than your share of rum rations.

Thanks, Randi. You gave me yet another rabbit-hole to go down following this morning. Better to have read it the morning than tonight, I guess. If there were no magic mushrooms, then I believe the rum rations still play a part!

https://www.google.com/search?q=cecil+t ... SeFCc,st:0

I went back to the Sea Serpents of my childhood and was surprised. I watched Beenie and Cecil the Seasick Sea serpent on Television. First, animation has changes A WHOLE LOT. Second, I realized I only saw them in black and white, and finally, I didn't catch all the adult references at the time. Above is a sample. They have celebrated a 60th anniversary. Beenies with the propeller on top were all the rage.

______
I updated the link- It might take an few seconds to come up- mine did. Final observation- I have always spelled Beenie wrong. I guess it is Beany.

No seasick serpents here, I'm afraid.
Just my fond (mostly) farewell to Yukon II.

I had heard of Cecil the seasick sea serpent, but I had never seen it.
It was great fun!
Thanks!!!

I had a Cecil hand puppet. Why I remember that particular toy is a mystery. It had a pull string which I wasn't allowed to pull because it scared my younger sister.

The reference to a hand puppet & seasickness reminds me of a wonderful flight to a ski-ing holiday once, with a group of friends, including one, Mark, who kept the whole plane amused with the adventures of Hughie the sick bag puppet.
The same character fell into the canal from a punt outside the Kings College Chapel Green, Cambridge. He could have drowned & no one could save him for laughing so much.

USS Kearsarge engages the CSS Alabama off the port of Cherbourg. The page from her logbook is here.

One interesting quote from the Wikipedia entry:

On 19 June, Alabama sailed out to meet the Union cruiser. Jurist Tom Bingham later wrote, "The ensuing battle was witnessed by Manet, who went out to paint it, and the owner of an English yacht who had offered his children a choice between watching the battle and going to church."