"A valuable and lively resource. Jeans sorts truth from fiction with a sure hand and does full justice to both."—Peter Stanford, President Emeritus, National Maritime Historical Society"A veritable sourcebook of nautical history, beliefs, and heritage. Every true mariner will get lost in this book."—BoatingSeafaring Lore and Legend is a storehouse of wonders for those who love the sea. From Noah's Ark to Thor Heyerdahl's raft, from Atlantis to the Northwest Passage, author Peter Jeans scours the ages and the seven seas for fanciful, inspiring, and bizarre tales of sea monsters, ghost ships, lost continents, castaways, pirates, explorers, superstitions, and customs.Discover the surprising truths behind:The origins of naval salutes and the Beaufort ScaleFlogging a dead horse and other oddities of nautical customSea chanties, scurvy, and the hardships of life at seaInfamous and noteworthy sea captains and their shipsFamous wrecks and mutiniesMermaids, sirens, and sea nymphsNautical superstitions such as the albatross and Fiddler's GreenAnd much moreThis is a book you can open anywhere to savor for a few minutes or an afternoon. But be careful: it's easy to lose track of time at sea.