Race 4 - Day 11
Crew Diary - Race 4 Day 11: Fremantle to Sydney
13 December
Sailing Tattoos
For many years, sailors have marked their sailing achievements and paid their respects to the sea through body art... tattoos. Common sailing tattoos include: a swallow for every 5,000 nautical miles travelled; crossed anchors to denote the bosun; a turtle for crossing the equator; a golden dragon for crossing the date line in the Pacific; or twisted ropes to mark a deckhand.
On Visit Seattle, to uphold tradition, the crew have been considering the tattoos that many of us will have earned upon completion of the race:
Looped safety tethers – to denote the safety officer
A shopping trolley – for every month the victualler has kept the crew fed at sea
Roll of kitchen paper – for those who have unblocked the heads
Anti-bac bottle – for those who have cleaned the bilges after a heads blockage
Camera or a selfie stick – for those who have been responsible for media on an ocean voyage
Pill bottle – to denote a pharmacist who has crossed the Southern Ocean
Clock at ten minutes to the hour – to denote a punctual watch leader
Crossed band aids – to denote the ship's medic
Albatross – for those who have untangled spinnaker sheets with a broom handle or undertaken activities that require long arms
Drill or hammer – for those who have repaired a mainsail during an ocean crossing
Any recommendations for a tattoo parlour in Airlie Beach are welcome!