MAYDAY! MAYDAY! MAYDAY!

‘Mayday!’ In nautical terms, is used around the world as a radio distress call for life threatening emergencies.

Don’t worry, Intrepid is fine - BUT it’s also May Day and I love a good double entendre!

Internationally, ‘Mayday’ is repeated 3 times in a row to avoid any confusion due to radio static or background noise…

‘Mayday’ was made an official distress call in 1921 by Frederick Mockford, a senior radio officer at Croydon Airport in London. He said that ‘Mayday’ sounded like the French word ‘M’aider’ which translates to ‘Help me’ in English.

Other non-life threatening radio calls are also derived from French etymology such as: ‘Pan Pan’ which translates from ‘Panne’ meaning breakdown, and ‘Sécurité’ which refers to safety and is used to warn boaters of bad weather or navigational hazards at sea.

May you have fair winds, and following seas without ever having to repeat these. . .

Play Safe out there Sailors!

Happy May Day!

Cpt.Coco