From the gangway to the bridge the list of terms is far longer than the space of this blog. As assistant cook, I worked in the galley not the kitchen – or even “la cambuse” (my chef was French). Admittedly, I now work in a campaigns office but it is still next to the wheelhouse and then the bridge. Towering above the bridge is the crows nest – or lookout point.

A few more examples: walls are bulkheads, corridors are alleyways, the toilet is the head, the floor is the deck, the windows are portholes. The front of the boat is the bow or head (at the fore), and the back is the stern (at the aft).

We crossed the equator last week. The initiation ceremony must remain secret I’m afraid, but I can proudly tell you (and show you my certificate) that I am no longer a slimy Polliwog but a shining Shellback (daughter of Neptune – King of the Seas).

But where do these maritime terms come from? Again just a few examples: the Mayday call, made the official term for a distress call in 1948, is an Anglicisation of the French “m'aidez," (help me). The crows nest for lookout tower, comes from days when crows were used to help determine where the nearest land lay (as the crow flies).

Back in the day – a ship’s toilet was located in its fore, near the base of the bow as the splashing water naturally cleaned it. This is why despite modern flushing systems, the toilet is called the head.

Why portholes not starboardholes? Apparently, it’s nothing to do with their location but relates to holes the French put in their ships for cannons to fire through. Originally called “portes” (French for door) the word soon corrupted to porthole. Incidentally, portholes are round to even out the stress put on a ship’s skin by the constant motion. It is much less likely to crack when evenly distributed around a hole than if it is allowed to build pressure on the corners of a “normal” window shape.

Port and Starboard as in sides of the ship originate from Viking ships which were steered with a heavy board on the right hand side, “the steerboard” – over time this became starboard.

In order not to damage the steering gear, loading was done on the left, the “load board” side. “load board” became “larboard” but was deemed too confusingly close to starboard, and by decree of the US Navy became “port side” in 1846. Port may have been chosen because of increasing instances of loading through a ship’s portholes or because of loading on the port (as in dock) side – or a mixture of both.

Of course there are also a great many sailing terms that have made it on land.

Just a few examples for ye landlubbers –“cut and run” – originates from ships making a hasty departure by cutting the anchor rope and 'running'. Running is the term used by sailors to describe sailing with the wind behind the boat. If the boat's sails, balance and trim have been set correctly it's the fastest you can go in a sail boat.

“All at sea” as in “I don’t have a clue what’s going on!” comes from the days before reliable nautical direction at sea. When a ship lost sight of land its position was uncertain and all too often it got lost and had no idea which way land was. To “know the ropes” –understanding what rope does what, and knowing a multitude of knots and what they are used for, is one of the most essential skills any sailor needs. If you don’t “know your ropes” you may find yourself “all at sea.”

Even the word posh is said to derive from an acronym of “Port Outward Starboard Home.” In Colonial times, rich Brits on their way to and from the East would order a cabin on the port side for the journey out and starboard for the way home, to be best protected from the harsh sun.