It was felt that whistling aboard the ship amounted to a challenge to the winds themselves and could summon a storm. The belief was that whistling could anger the gods of the sea. The many British pubs named the ‘The Pig & Whistle’ reflect this superstition, since on land the seafarer could whistle as much as he liked without risk. Also, it was unlucky to use the word ‘pig’ at sea—one said ‘hog’ or ‘sow’ instead—but on land it was perfectly safe to do so. (Jeans 4) So, when granted shore leave nothing could be more relaxing than getting to do all the things you’ve missed at The Pig & Whistle. Some say there were spacific tones that would bring upon good luck. So, as you can see, there is a wide area of opinions out there, We will add to this article in the coming months.
These superstitions aren’t necessarily the viewpoint of Maui Boating, just interesting and fun information.