Kingfishers and Calm Seas

According to an ancient sailors’ legend, we are in the middle of the Halcyon days – seven days of calm on either side of the winter solstice. The legend says that the halycon bird lays its eggs on the winter solstice in a floating nest. The halcyon is said to have the ability to calm the seas so as to be undisturbed when laying its eggs. The halcyon is generally associated with the kingfisher.  For a more detailed version of the legend – The Myth of Halcyon – The Halcyon Days.

Unfortunately,  this year’s week before the solstice has been anything but calm.  Hurricane force winds forced the cargo ship, TK Bremen, ashore on the beach on Brittany; a storm sank an overloaded boat off Indonesia with the loss of 200; and the Russian jack-up drilling rig, Kolskaya, capsized under tow in a storm in the Sea of Okhotsk killing at least 50. So far the legend hasn’t worked out too well.

Ancient legends notwithstanding, on this winter solstice, we at the Old Salt Blog hope that the rest of your holiday season and the entire new year prove to be peaceful and prosperous.