Discover the maritime origin of the word “overwhelm” and learn how a capsized ship shaped today’s meaning in this edition of Maritime Musings.

You’ve probably heard the phrase “hand over fist,” but few people realize it has its roots at sea. In this January edition of Maritime Musings, we explore the maritime origin of the expression and continue the stories of America’s original naval frigates - ships whose legacies still resonate today.

Happy Holidays! Maritime Trivia “Grease the skids”   Some of you, perhaps many, may know the nautical origin of this phrase. These days, it means any effort to make some task easier. For example, someone who wants to convince another somebody to buy a product might want to "grease the skids" before hand by tailoring the product to the customer.   The origin is similar, but it's for a specific task, that is, launching a ship. Ships were built on land until the invention of drydocks, and most...