The ship’s godmother

When a schooner is christened, a woman is named at its godmother. For this she has to smash a bottle of champagne on the hull of the new ship. This tradition dates back thousands of years to the Ancient Greeks, who would bless their ship with the blood of a bull. Over the centuries, the blood was replaced with red wine in similar rituals, as well as many other types of alcohol. An English proverb even claims that “a ship that has not tasted wine will taste blood.”

As sailors were generally superstitious, it was essential for them to be well prepared before casting off. This was a very deep-rooted tradition in the Charlevoix region. On the day of every launch, there was a celebration in the village. The parish priest went on to bless the ship alongside the godmother who had the honour of christening the brand-new hull.