Did You Know

Origins of S.H.I.T.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, transportation by ship was the norm and since it was before commercial fertilizer's invention, large sea shipments of manure were common.

Manure, in dry form weighed a lot less than when wet, but at sea once and water hit it,it not only became heavier, but the process of fermentation began again, of which a by-product is methane gas.

As this "special" cargo was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and did) happen. Methane began to build up below decks and the first time a Hand came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM!

Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just what was happening. After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term "S.H.I.T" on them, which meant to the sailors to "Ship High In Transit."

In other words, high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of methane.

You probably did not know this true history of the word.

Neither did I. I always thought it was a golf term.