Worse things happen at sea

[country_boy]

Somebody asked me the origin of this so I posted it for them. Seems pretty self explanatory to me but I may be surprised!

[lizw]

You might be! I'm reliably informed that it alludes to a sexual act between men that was legal after 30 days at sea! I have no idea if this is true or not but you never know!

[Quizmonster]

The earliest-recorded written use of the phrase was in an 1820s publication about boxing which included the words: "...the old saying 'worse accidents happen at sea'." In one of my books about quotations/sayings, it is listed as "a 19th century proverb", so it certainly goes back a century or two.

The actual phrase: "worse things happen at sea" did not appear as such until the publication of Neville Shute's 'No Highway' published in the 1940s.

I'm fascinated by Liz's suggestion of nautical naughtiness of some sort, but it doesn't seem to be supported by the written historical record, I'm afraid.

[lizw]

I think I may be slightly gullible!

[country_boy]

Thanks all, I'd like to think Lizw's answer was the right one, but like the sailors... it appears you've been sucked in!!!