Not sure of the lingo? There are some crazy nautical terms that you may come across in your cruising experience, so we've tried to help adjust you to life onboard with a review of the common cruise terminology below.

Quick Jump Menu - Click the starting letter of the word that you are looking for:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Aboard: On board. In, into or inside a vessel. Close alongside.

Abyss: That volume of ocean lying below 300 fathoms from surface.

Adrift: Unattached to the shore or ground and at the mercy of wind and tide. Colloquially used to mean missing from its place; absent from place of duty; broken away from fastening.

Aft: At, in, near, or toward the rear (stern) of the ship.

Against the Sun: Anti-clockwise circular motion. Left-handed ropes are coiled down in this way.

Ahoy: Used to hail a ship or a person or to attract attention. The traditional greeting onboard ships. The term originated as a Viking battle cry!

Alongside: Close beside a ship, wharf or jetty.

Altar: Step in a dry dock, on which lower ends of shores rest.

Anchor Ice: Ice, of any form, that is aground in the sea.

Apeak: Said of anchor when cable is taut and vertical.

A-stay: Said of anchor cable when its line of lead approximates a continuation of line of fore stay.

Athwart: Across. Transversely.

A-trip: Said of anchor immediately it is broken out of the ground.

Atrium: An interior, often sky-lit, multi-deck, open area of a ship. Typically, atriums are centrally near elevators, shops, restaurants, cafes, and guest services. Shipboard atriums can extend anywhere from two to ten decks or more.

Atrium Cabin: Something new to the industry (available only on the largest Royal Caribbean ships), atrium cabins offer passengers windows that face the ship's interior, overlooking the central atrium or promenade.

Avast: Order to stop, or desist from, an action.

B

Barque: Sailing vessel with three or more masts: fore and aft rigged on aftermast, square rigged on all others.

Barquentine: Sailing vessel with three or more masts. Square rigged on foremast, fore and aft rigged on all others.

Beam: The breadth of a ship at the widest point. Ships in excess of 110 feet are too wide to transit the Panama Canal. A transverse structural member of a ship's frame, used to support a deck and to brace the sides against stress.

Beams Ends: Vessel said to be "on her beam ends" when she is lying over so much that her deck beams are nearly vertical.

Bear Off: To thrust away; to hold off. Order given to bowman of boat when he is required to push boat's head away from jetty, gangway or other fixture at which boat is alongside. Order given, also, when it is required to thrust away, or hold off, an approaching object.

Berth: There are several definitions: the dock or pier where you embark or debark from the ship; sufficient space for a ship to manoeuvre; the bed in which you sleep onboard the ship.

Below: The lower decks of a ship. Saying, "Let's go below and walk aft down the companionway to the tender station," will impress all your friends (you'll probably be making the walk alone, however!).

Bearing: The ship's compass direction, such as a "northwest bearing."

Bow: The front part of a ship. The opposite of the bow is the stern.

Bridge: A crosswise platform or enclosed area above the main deck of a ship from which the ship is controlled. The navigation and command centre of the vessel. If your cruise offers a tour of the bridge, take it!

Brig: Vessel with two masts and square rigged on both of them.

Brigantine: Originally, a ship of brigands, or pirates. Up to end of 19th century was a two-masted vessel square rigged on fore-mast and main topmast, but with fore and aft mainsail. Latterly, a two-masted vessel with foremast square rigged, and mainmast fore and aft rigged.

Brow: Substantial gangway used to connect ship with shore when in a dock or alongside a wharf.

Bulkhead: One of the upright partitions dividing a ship into compartments and serving to add structural rigidity and to prevent the spread of leakage or fire. Basically, a wall. A bulkhead is an upright partition dividing the ship into compartments or cabins.

Bulwarks: The part of a ship's side that is above the upper deck. The protective structure, lip, or railing that surrounds open, exposed deck areas of a ship. Scuppers (openings) are provided in bulwarks to allow for drainage of seawater or accumulated deck water.

C

Cabin: Your room. Call it a cabin, a stateroom, a suite, an accommodation, whatever - it's your personal space onboard.

Cable: Nautical unit of distance, having a standard value of 1/10th of a nautical mile (608 ft.). For practical purposes a value of 200 yards is commonly used.

Captain: (See "Officers")

Captain's Cocktail Party: Usually, the second night into a cruise, the Captain will "host" a shipboard cocktail party and cocktails are usually complimentary. The Captain's Dinner typically follows (see below).

Captain's Dinner: Usually, the second night into a cruise, the Captain will "host" dinner in the ship's main dining room(s). The ship's galley generally pulls out all stops to deliver their finest cuisine.

Captain's Farewell Cocktail Party: On longer cruises (5-nights or more) there is often a farewell cocktail party hosted by the Cruise Director on behalf of the Captain. Cocktails are usually complimentary and all passengers are invited to attend.

Captain's Farewell Dinner: The Captain isn't going anywhere - you are - home! So, the second- to-the-last night of longer cruises (5 nights or more) is often devoted to the best food the ship can offer, knowing that your last impressions are what you often leave with.

Category: A price gradient of cabins, usually presented from the most expensive to the least expensive. Cabins in the same category are usually on the same deck and general location, and provide similar features and amenities. Individual cabin layouts and furnishings may differ slightly, however. Categories can get complicated - The Golden Princess, for example, offers no less than 32!

Clock Calm: Absolutely calm weather with a perfectly smooth sea.

Close Aboard: Close alongside, Very near.

Companionway: An interior stairway. Watch your step! Entrances into shipboard companionways often begin with a step up, before you make your way down.

Crack on: To carry sail to full limit of strength of masts, yards, and tackles.

Craft: Vessel or vessels of practically any size or type.

Crew: Personnel, other than Master, who serve on board a vessel. In some cases a differentiation between officers and ratings is made; but officers are "crew" in a legal sense.

Crossing the Line: When a ship crosses the equator for the first time during a cruise, there's often a special "initiation" ceremony that takes place among the passengers and crew. Curious? Take an exotic cruise and find out!

Cruise: Voyage made in varying directions. To sail in various directions for pleasure, in search, or for exercise.

Cruise Card: The small, credit card-size personal ID document, generally given to each adult cruise passenger for their use in charging shipboard purchases, entering their cabin, and embarking and disembarking the ship.

Cruise Director: The Cruise Director is in charge of all onboard entertainment and social events. Aided by the Assistant Cruise Director, the Cruise Director is the most visible member of the staff.

D

Davit: Any of various types of small cranes that project over the side of a ship and are used to hoist boats, anchors, and cargo. A shipboard device used in lowering and raising the ship's lifeboats or tenders.

Disembark: To exit, or the process of exiting the ship. 

Dead on End: Said of wind when exactly ahead; and of another vessel when her fore and aft line coincides with observer's line of sight.

Deck: On a ship, the different floors are called "decks." Passenger decks are either named or numbered (or both). For example, a deck may be referred to as "Sun Deck 11." For various reasons, cruise lines seem to have a love affair with certain deck names such as, "Lido," "Promenade," "Sun," "Sports," etc.

Deck Plan: An overhead diagram illustrating cabin and public room locations in relation to each other. Crew and staff areas are off-limits to passengers and are not diagrammed on ship deck plans.

Donkey's Breakfast: Merchant seaman's name for his bed or mattress.

Draft: The depth of a vessel's keel below the water line, especially when loaded. Typically, a cruise ship has a draft of about 25 feet.

Dress Code: Even the most casual of cruise lines supports an onboard dress code. Although the overall trend is drifting towards a slightly more relaxed, casual dress code (tuxedos and sequined evening gowns are no longer required) don't expect to enter the main dining room at night in a singlets and thongs. 

Dry Dock: A sealed docking facility from which water is pumped enabling maintenance and repairs to be performed on a ship's hull and keel. Don't worry - you'll never be onboard when a ship is in dry dock!

Duty-Free Port: A port free of customs duty and most customs regulations. But "duty-free" doesn't always mean a bargain. There may be national or local taxes that apply instead.

E

Embark/embarkation: To enter, or the process of entering or boarding the ship.

F

Fairway: Navigable water in a channel, harbour or river.

Fantail: The rear overhang of a ship.

Farewell Buoy: Buoy at seaward end of channel leading from a port.

Fathom: Six feet (1.83 metres); length covered by a man's outstretched arms. Fathom of wood is a cubical volume 6'x 6'x 6' = 216 cu. ft.

Feather Spray: Foaming water that rises upward immediately before stem of any craft being propelled through water.

Fiddles: Wooden fittings clamped to meal tables in heavy weather. They limit movement of dishes, plates, glasses, etc.

Fore: The front (or bow) of the ship.

Forward: Toward the fore (or bow) of the ship.

First Sitting: The earlier of two meal times in the ship's dining room - often called "main seating."

Food & Beverage Manager: He or she is responsible for the management of all shipboard restaurants, bars, and galleys; overall cleanliness of all food preparation and service areas; and food purchase and budgeting. The ship's Maitre d' reports directly to the F&B Manager.

"Free-Style Cruising": Norwegian Cruise Lines' term used to describe their onboard program whereby passengers have the freedom to choose where and when they dine, and a wider variety of entertainment and activity options.

Funnel: The ship's smokestack. Some funnels have a "winged" upper portion to help send any exhaust particulates away from passenger decks. 

G

Gangway: The ramp by which passengers embark or disembark a ship.

Galley: The ship's kitchen. A mega-ship's galley may serve over 6,000 passenger meals each day. If you have a chance to tour your ship's galley, go for it - you'll be amazed by its cleanliness and organization.

Gratuities: Basically - tips extended to cabin attendants and dining service personnel. Dining gratuities are often automatically added to passenger accounts, particularly on those cruise lines that feature flexible dining hours and dining venues. Some cruise-lines offer the opportunity to pre-pay gratuities at the time of booking. Others specify gratuities are included or not required. 

GRT: Gross registered tonnage, i.e., a measurement of 100 cubic feet of enclosed revenue earning space within a ship.

Guarantee: Pay attention here - A "guarantee" is the cruise line's promise that the passenger will sail on a stated voyage in a specified price category or type of cabin, at an agreed rate no higher than would ordinarily apply for that voyage. Due to space and yield management requirements, a cruise line may "upgrade" guarantee passengers to a higher level of service. Passengers who choose a guarantee arrangement, however, are unable to choose a particular cabin. 

Guarantee Share: Acceptance of some lines of a single booking at the standard double occupancy rate, with the understanding that the client is willing to share use of the cabin with a stranger of the same sex and smoking preference.

Guest Lecturer: An individual, not usually on permanent employment with the cruise line, who speaks on a particular hobby, skill, or activity that he or she is considered expert. Typically, guest lecturers offer lectures and seminars on history, sports, entertainment, books, etc.

H

Harbour Pilot: See "Pilot".

Headway: Forward movement of a ship through the water.

Head Waiter: Supervises all wait staff in his or her section to monitor service and efficiency. Traditionally, the Head Waiter personally prepares or serves specialty items.

Heave: To lift.

Homeport: A port of embarkation/disembarkation within the continental United States. The current trend is towards the increased use of Homeports in ship itineraries. 

Hotel Manager: Most cruise ships employ a Hotel Manager to oversee the entire hotel operation (Food & Beverage, Entertainment, Housekeeping, etc.).

I

Inaugural Sailing: The first "official" sailing of a ship with passengers, usually directly following the ship's "Naming Ceremony." However, since Inaugurals are primarily publicity events, it's not uncommon for cruise lines to schedule two or more "inaugural" cruises.

Inside Cabin: A cabin having no exterior-facing (sea-view) windows or portholes. (See "Atrium Cabins" for a new wrinkle in inside cabin definitions.)

Inside Passage: The sheltered channels of British Columbia and Southeastern Alaska protected from the Pacific Ocean by forested islands.

Itinerary: A ship's schedule of port stops and days at sea. 

J

Jacobs Ladder: A rope ladder lowered from the deck of a ship while at sea, to facilitate the boarding of crew or emergency staff.

Jerque: Search of a vessel, by Customs authorities, for unentered goods.

Jolly Boat: General purpose boat of a ship.

K

Keel: The centre-line of a ship running from fore to aft. Think of it as the spine, or backbone of a ship.

Killick: Nautical name for an anchor. Originally, was a stone used as an anchor.

Knot: A unit of speed reflecting one nautical mile per hour, or 1.15 land miles per hour. (A nautical mile is 6,080.2 feet; a land mile is 5,280 feet, hence the speed differential.) Most cruise ships move along at about 18 to 23 knots. The current trend is towards faster ships.

Kraken: Fabulous sea monster supposed to have been seen off coasts of America and Norway. Sometimes mistaken for an island.

L

Lay Aboard: To come alongside.

Laying on Oars: Holding oars at right angles to fore and aft line of boat with blades horizontal and parallel to surface of water. Is used also as a sarcastic term for idling, or not pulling one's weight.

League: Measure of distance three miles in length. One-twentieth of a degree of latitude.

Lie: To remain in a particular place or position.

Lie By: To remain nearly alongside another vessel.

Lie To: To shop a ship and lie with wind nearly ahead.

Lifeboat: Small boat carried on the vessel and used in case of emergency. By law, the total capacities of all lifeboats far exceed the total number of passengers and crew members onboard.

Lift: An elevator. Either term - lift or elevator - is acceptable and widely understood by ship staff.

Line: A light rope or hawser. Small rope used for a specific purpose. 

Lower Bed: A single bed placed at the conventional height from the floor.

Leeward: The side of the ship sheltered from the wind. (Opposite: Windward)

M

M.S.: Abbreviation for "Motor Ship."

Maiden Voyage: The first sailing of a ship following sea trials. Maiden voyages are not necessarily Inaugural Sailings. A cruise line ship may schedule a Maiden Voyage prior to the official Inaugural Sailing.

Main Seating: The earlier of two meal times in the ship's dining room. Often also called "first seating."

Maitre d' (Restaurant Manager): The Maitre d' is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the restaurants, including the quality of food preparation, presentation, and service; and guest seating.

Mariner: In general, a person employed in a sea-going vessel. In some cases, applied to a seaman who works on deck.

Mate: An officer assistant to Master. A "Chief Officer". From time immemorial he has been responsible for stowage and care of cargo and organization of work of seamen, in addition to navigating duties.

Midship: In or toward the middle of the ship; the longitudinal centre portion of the ship. Midship cabins tend to be pricier because they generally experience less motion during rough seas.

Mini-Suite: Typically, a large passenger cabin that offers separate sleeping and sitting areas.

Moor: To secure a ship in position by two or more anchors and cables. 2. To attach a vessel to a buoy, or buoys. 3. To secure a vessel by attaching ropes to positions ashore.

Muster: To assemble passengers and/or crew, usually to their assembly areas in the event of an emergency at sea.

Muster Drill: A safety demonstration conducted by members of the ship's staff that instructs passengers on the route to and location of their muster station, use of their life preservers, and other important safety information. The muster drill is usually conducted before or shortly after the cruise departure.

Muster Station: The location where groups of passengers are asked to report in the event of an emergency at sea (or, as during a Muster Drill). Usually, muster stations are either interior public rooms or open deck or promenade spaces familiar to passengers. Every passenger is assigned a muster station. The location and fastest route to that location is posted within every cabin.

N

Nautical Mile: A distance equal to 6,082.2 feet. A land mile is 5,280 feet.

O

Officers: The Deck Officers, in order of command, are - Captain, Staff Captain, Chief Officer, First Officer(s). The Captain is first in command of the ship. As second in command, the Staff Captain is fully capable of assuming command of the ship, if necessary. The Chief Officer's primary responsibilities include overseeing maintenance and supplies for the ship. The First Officers' main responsibilities are to maintain around-the-clock staffing of the bridge, even while the ship is in port.

Open Seating (or Open Sitting): Access at any time to unoccupied tables in the ship's dining room, as opposed to specific table assignments.

Outside Cabin: A cabin having window(s) or porthole(s) offering an exterior view.

P

Panama Canal Cruise: A cruise that transits or visits the Panama Canal. Don't assume that all "Panama Canal" cruises transit or even enter the canal. An increasingly popular cruise is one that goes to the Panama Canal but not into or through it. Sound like a tease? Not really. Passengers can disembark and take tours to view the operation of the canal, even transit the canal aboard other, smaller vessels.

Panamax: The Panama Canal permits ships no wider than approximately 110 feet - any wider and the ship just won't fit. Ships that squeak under that maximum are often referred to as "Panamax" ships. 

Patch (or "The Patch"): A transdermal medication that is applied to the skin via an adhesive patch to prevent or reduce the onset of seasickness.

"Personal Choice Dining": Princess Cruise Lines' term used to describe their onboard program whereby passengers have the freedom to choose where and when they dine, and a wider variety of entertainment and activity options.

Petty Officer: Rank intermediate between officer and rating, and in charge of ratings. Usually messed apart from ratings, and has special privileges appropriate to his position.

Photo Gallery: A gallery where photographs of passengers taken by the ship's onboard photographers are displayed. Photographs are available for purchase, reprinting, enlarging, or custom framing (or burning ­ but only after you pay for them!)

Pilot: A person licensed to conduct a ship into and out of a port. Pilots (or "Harbour Pilots), familiar with the harbour's traffic, tides, currents, and channels, generally are employed to conduct ships to and from their pier or anchorage. Pilots are not members of the ship's company, but board the ship prior to arrival at port. On departure, once the ship has been conducted to open water, the pilot debarks the ship.

Pitch: The rise and fall of the ship's bow while at sea. (See "Patch!")

Port: The left side of the ship when facing forward (and also, of course, a harbour or Port-of-call).

Porthole: Circular "window" in the side of the ship's hull or superstructure. Most modern cruise cabins today feature picture windows, full-length glass windows, French balconies, or balconies.

Port Charges: A charge levied of cruise lines by local government authorities. This charge is passed on to the cruise passenger. 

Port-of-Call: A country, island or territory, or population centre that a cruise ship visits.

Portside: The left, or port side of the ship.

Promenade: Usually the open walkway - almost always covered in teak decking - that runs almost the entire length of each side of the cruise ship. Some promenade decks encircle the ship. The promenade is often where you'll see lifeboats, davits, deck chairs, joggers, and strollers.

Purser: The central administrative officer on board for passengers as well as crew members.

Q

Quarters: Officer, crew and staff accommodations onboard a ship. Also, the coins that go into (but seldom come out of) American shipboard casino slot machines.

Quay: Artificial erection protruding into the water to facilitate loading and discharge of cargo, landing and embarkation of passengers, repairing or refitting of ships.

R

Registry: The country in which a vessel is registered. For tax purposes and some regulatory reasons, most cruise ships are registered in foreign countries. The Bahamas, Liberia, and Panama are favourites. Incidentally, if you are wed at sea, your wedding is registered in the nation of your ship's registry.

Repositioning: Typically, when a vessel moves from one seasonal cruise area to another i.e. from Alaska in the summer to the Caribbean in the winter. The movement (or segments of the movement) from, say, Vancouver to Ft. Lauderdale may be termed a "repositioning cruise."

Roll: Sway of the ship from side to side while at sea. (See "Patch!")

S

S.S.: Abbreviation for "Steam Ship."

Sailing Time: The actual hour at which the ship is scheduled to clear the dock and sail.

Sailor: Man or boy employed in sailing deep-water craft. Word is sometimes loosely used to include men who go to sea. Used officially to denote a seaman serving on deck. At one time was a man with previous sea experience, but who was not rated able seaman.

Scupper: An opening in the bulwarks of a ship that allow accumulated deck water to flow freely overboard. Crew members regularly hose down open deck areas of the ship (to remove salt water residues or the remains of someone's spilled cola.

Scuttle Butt: Covered cask, having lid in head, in which fresh water for current use was formerly carried.

Sea Dog: Old and experienced seaman. 2.Dog fish. 3. Elizabethan privateer.

Seafarer: One who earns his living by service at sea.

Seasickness: An archaic term that once referred to motion sickness at sea before there were pills, patches, pressure bracelets, stabilizers, and cruise line marketing geniuses!

Second Sitting: The later of two meal times in the ship's dining room. Often referred to as "late seating."

Ship: A sea-going vessel. 2. Vessel having a certificate of registry. Technically, a sailing vessel having three or more masts with yards crossed on all of them. In Victorian times, any vessel with yards on three masts was termed a "ship" even if other masts were fore and aft rigged. To ship, is to put on or into a vessel; to put any implement or fitting into its appropriate holder.
Shipmaster: A person in command of a ship. A person certified as competent to command a ship. A master mariner.

Shipboard Account: A day-by-day, itemized account of a passenger's onboard purchase activity. Alcoholic beverages, shore excursions, gift shop purchases, and Internet charges, are all examples of items that are typically added to your shipboard account. Most such accounts are automatically billed to your credit card.

Shore Excursions: Tours operated by independent tour companies specifically for cruise passengers. An extra charge is usually applied to your shipboard account.

Shore Excursion Manager: His or her primary responsibilities are the promotion, arrangement, and supervision of all shore excursion programs arranged on behalf of the cruise line by the independent organizations that provide the various tours.

Single Occupancy: The occupancy by one person of a cabin that is designed to accommodate two or more passengers. A premium (Single Supplement - see below) is ordinarily charged.

Single Supplement: The additional cost (usually from 150% to 200% above the normal double occupancy cost) applied to a double cabin occupied by one passenger. Some cruise-lines waive this supplement; others offer "stranger-share" options.

Size Category: Ship sizes range from Small (less than 40,000 tons), Medium (45,000 - 65,000 tons), Large (65,000 - 100,000 tons) and Very Large (over 100,000 tons).

Small Ship: A ship with a GRT (gross registered tonnage) of less than 40,000 tons. Holland America's Prinsendam, and the Tahitian Princess are examples of this category.

Smelling the Ground: Said of a vessel when her keel is close to the bottom and all but touching it.

Social Host/Hostess: A member of the ship's staff who assists in the various planned activities and functions onboard. Social Hosts/Hostesses, along with the Cruise Director and Assistant Cruise Director, are the most "visible" members of the ship's staff.

SOLAS: An acronym for Safety Of Life At Sea. An international convention convened whereby the design, construction methods and materials, life safety equipment, fire protection, and safety training of all cruise ships and staff were implemented. The result? SOLAS. All major cruise lines abide by all SOLAS requirements.

Space Ratio: A measurement of cubic space per passenger. The Gross Registered Tonnage divided by the number of passengers (rounded to the nearest whole number) equals the space ratio. Don't confuse cabin size with space ratio. You may have a spacious cabin (170 square feet or more) but your ship may have a low space ratio. 

Stabilizers: Wing-like retractable devices extending form the sides of the vessel to reduce roll and produce a more stable ride.

Stateroom: Passenger cabin - also referred to as an accommodation.

Starboard: The right side of the ship when facing forward.

Stem: The extreme bow or prow of the ship.

Stern: The rearmost part of a ship. Combined with stem, we have the term, "from stem to stern."

Stow: To pack compactly and safely.

Stretch Off the Land: Old sailing ship term for taking "forty winks".

Suite: Traditionally, a spacious accommodation that includes separate living and sleeping rooms.

Swab: Seaman's mop for drying decks. Made of old rope unlaid and seized on the bight; about four feet in length. Sometimes made smaller and seized to a wooden handle for putting highly-alkaline solutions on deck for cleansing purposes.

Swallow the Anchor: To leave the sea and settle ashore.

Swell: Succession of long and unbroken waves that are not due to meteorological conditions in the vicinity. Generally due to wind at a distance from the position.

T

Tender (or Launch): A smaller vessel used to move passengers to and from the ship and shore when the ship is at anchor. Some cruise ports, due either to limited docking facilities or harbour depths, require ships to anchor offshore, necessitating the use of tenders to transport passengers ashore. Passengers with certain disabilities may be restricted in their use of tenders.

Theme Cruise: Any cruise that offers or suggests a specific onboard "theme" such as sports or 70's disco music. Other themes include history, cooking, arts & crafts, or even lunar eclipses or comet watching.

Thalassotherapy: The use of water jets and marine products (seawater, seaweed, sea mud, and sand), that when applied to the skin, help remove toxins and increase circulation. A number of cruise ships now feature these therapies.

"Total Choice Dining": Carnival Cruise Lines' term that describes their onboard dining program whereby passengers are offered multiple dining times rather than the traditional "first and second seating."

Transatlantic: A cruise that crosses the Atlantic Ocean. However, ships are no longer in a race to cross the ocean. Even Cunard's QE2 takes a leisurely six days to cross the "pond" non-stop. Today, stops in Europe, the Azores or the Canary Islands, and the Caribbean are often scheduled into transatlantic crossings.

U

Underway: A ship in motion. Once your ship has left the pier or its anchorage, the ship is considered "underway."

V

Very Large Ship: A ship in excess of 100,000 gross registered tons (GRT). Very large ships include the Carnival Conquest, the Golden Princess, and Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas.

W

Wake: The water immediately astern of a moving vessel. It is disturbed by vessel's motion through it and by the subsequent filling up of the cavity made.

Wash: Broken water at bow of a vessel making way. 2. Disturbed water made by a propeller or paddle wheel. 3. Blade of an oar.

White Horses: Fast-running waves with white foam crests.

Windward: Facing into or the direction from which the wind is coming. (Opposite: Leeward)

X

Y

Z