SCUTTLE BUTT—the drinking fountain on a ship. Because seamen often gather there to talk, the rumors and gossip that they pass on are also called “scuttle butt.”
SEA LAWYER—a seaman who likes to argue about rules and regulations.
SLOP CHEST—a room where seamen can buy clothes. Every ship is required to have one.
SLUMGULLION—a seaman’s word for stew that he doesn’t like.
TRAMP—a freighter that ties up anywhere and has no regular schedule.
WINDJAMMER—a sailing vessel.
Code flags make it possible for ships to talk to each other at sea. Each flag stands for a number or for a letter in the alphabet. The flags are used in combinations—not to spell out individual words, but to send a whole message. For instance, the two flags N and C flown together mean, “In distress. Need prompt aid.” No matter what language a seaman speaks he knows what this signal means. Some of the other messages he can read are IQ—“Do not pass ahead of me”; RW—“Where are you from?”; AG—“Shall not abandon my vessel.”