During the Age of Sail, many young men dreamt of going to sea. The idea could seem romantic–going to far off places out on the wide wild sea. But the reality was a sailor’s life was extraordinarily difficult. And altogether different than life on shore.
For one thing, ships’ crews were incredibly diverse. There were people of every race, hailing from nations around the globe. Sailors could be boys or older men, could be ignorant or educated, from poor families or families of means. Some sailors had a criminal bent, while others were religiously pious. Motley crews, to say the least!
All relied upon each other for the safe operation of a ship, where in dangerous moments lives could be quickly lost. This harsh reality forged among sailors a common brotherhood.
When not toiling and risking their lives under stern, sometimes abusive captains, sailors had precious time to themselves in the forecastle. There they would sleep to recover from their exertions, and warm themselves after exposure to wind, cold and stormy weather. There they could mend clothes, write journals or letters to home, make simple crafts (like carving scrimshaw), or entertain themselves with song, dance and the telling of stories.
An exhibit at the Maritime Museum of San Diego shows what life as a lowly sailor might have been like.
The displays you see in these photos are from a larger exhibition titled Take Me to the Water: Histories of the Black Pacific.
One sign explains: A sailor’s life was not easy. Seamen faced tight living quarters, risk of disease, unsafe food, hostile weather, and, at times, meager pay. But, despite these hardships, life at sea presented benefits for many early Black mariners. Taking to the water could offer mobility, cultural exposure, and increased social status.
Can you imagine what life as a sailor in the Age of Sail might have been like? Today we have self-driving cars and endless entertainment in our pocket. To think: this was the world less than two centuries ago–that’s only three average lifetimes. Really not that long ago.
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