The poopdeck refers to the top portion of the rear of the ship, typically where the Captain had the big wheel.
First, they swabbed the whole deck not just the poop deck. The focus on the poopdeck is probably modern because it sounds interesting and sticks more in the mind.
Supposedly they swabbed the decks in part because salt water prevents wood rotting (versus fresh water from rain storms which promotes rotting), in part because it’s a wooden ship with gunpowder loose which is a fire risk (so best to sweep it away and keep areas damp), and in part because it kept the crew occupied.
What is this assumption based on? Are there texts showing this or is it a Hollywood fact
Pirate vlogs
this.
It’s a fine day in the Antilles; we raided a Portuguese merchant over night and secured several barrels of rum. Guys, I’m really trying to grow the channel, so if you like this kind of content like and subscribe. And drop your favorite kind of rum in the comments.
Growing up I only remember ever heard it as “swab the deck”. Calling out the poop deck specifically is likely a modern or regional inclusion because, well, “poop”.
Or maybe it’s one of those Mandela Effect things and I’ve left my original universe.
I’d wager that they wanted the entire deck
stabbedswabbed, but with extra attention paid to the poop deck. That’s where the important stuff happened.I don’t think they wanted the deck stabbed at all
Ducking autocorrect
Like the poop?
While certainly of utmost importance, there was no pooping on the poop deck. That was done on the Head, usually mounted near the bow, close to the forecastle.
Pooping on the head. I see what they did there.
They literally did poop on the head. https://c8.alamy.com/comp/P914K5/figure-head-from-sailing-ship-in-the-tall-ships-regata-velas-latinoamerica-2018-P914K5.jpg
The toilet was at the front, a hole in the deck, leading down onto the figurehead. They literally relieved themselves on top of a statue. That is the origin of the term!!!
Generally the hole(s) where you relieved yourself were off to the side a bit as the bowsprit was directly over the figurehead, but you are correct that you were effectively sitting directly above it. The head was up there because breaking waves would wash the skidmarks off the hull.
