Exploring boats Episode 1- Islander 32 water christening

Arriving into the #pensacolashipyard we were welcomed by a big heart full of tears of excitement as he witnessed the hard work he has done over the past couple months get placed back into the water after 15 years on the hard! We are so proud of all your hard work and thank you for sharing this beautiful moment with us. The tradition of christening a new ship for good luck and safe travel goes way back. Many ancient seafaring societies had their own ceremonies for launching a new ship. The Greeks wore olive branch wreaths around their heads, drank wine to honor the gods, and poured water on the new boat to bless it. The Babylonians sacrificed an ox, the Turks sacrificed a sheep, and the Vikings and Tahitians offered up human blood. These events almost always had a religious tone to them, and the name of a favored god or god of the seas was often invoked. In the Middle Ages, two friars would often board British ships before their maiden voyage to pray, lay their hands on the masts and sprinkle holy water on the deck and bow.