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He took to flying like a fish out of water who was burning the midnight oil. The Pilot by Eric Fan |
Having been known to mix metaphors, oil (olive and otherwise), fire (figurative and literal), and water (both calm and troubled) feature in a litany of sayings and make some unlikely combinations.
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The Children of Israel Crossing the Red Sea by Frederic Schopin, 1804–1880 |
Oil Upon Trouble Waters seems to be missing a component and it also sounds slightly biblical.
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The Garthsnaid at Sea, 1920's. |
and pouring oil on choppy water turns out to be both nautical and literal.
A layer of oil, only a few millimeters thick, will create enough surface tension over water to prevent waves.
Currier and Ives Illustration of Whalers
Sailors have been aware that where sea animals are feeding on oily fish, the ocean is unusually calm. Whalers reported similar calm after harpooned whales spilled blood and oil into the surrounding water . . . aside from the thrashing of enormous mammals while being slaughtered.
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Sousse Mosaic
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The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on the BP-operated Macondo Prospect. |
The reaction is also the reason oil spills become slicks and spread so efficiently over bodies of water . . .
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PTTEP Australasia's Montara rig explosion in Australia's offshore petroleum field. |
which is good for nobody, although a few big oil proponents have actually suggested intellentionally creating oil slicks in the hope of mitigating sever weather. The new EPA may be going with that theory.
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Titanic Lifeboats |
Before 1998, lifeboats were required to stock an oil bag and current federal regulations continue to require oil on other vessels:
One gallon of vegetable, fish, or animal oil must be provided in a suitable metal container so constructed as to permit a controlled distribution of oil on the water.
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Long Board Surfing c. 1970's |
Fortunately for surfers, directors of ocean disaster movies, and shipwreck divers, waves with enough energy will obviously overcome poured oil.
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Surfer Buzzy Trent |
"Big waves aren't measured in feet, but in increments of fear. You may master and conquer your fear of surfing big waves, but the ocean will always be the victor. There's no such thing as man conquering the sea. The ocean simply tolerates you." - Buzzy Trent (1929 – 2006), pioneer of big wave surfing
#Sea #Beach #History #Sail
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