Race 4 - Day 11
Crew Diary - Race 4 Day 11: Fremantle to Sydney
13 December

Emily Woodason
Emily Woodason
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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!