The arrival of a steamship was announced by saying, she steamed into port.
The arrival of a modern ship, powered by diesel or gas turbine engines, is never announced by saying, she dieseled into port or she turbined into port. No, of course not. Dieseled or turbined just don’t seem to have the allure of sailed or steamed. Besides, I don’t think dieseled or turbined are even words found in a dictionary.
Why don’t we just say, she pulled into port? Well, actually, sometimes we do but more often it’s sailed or steamed.
I found the following picture and caption on the Internet:
The Royal Caribbean Cruise ship Explorer of the Seas steamed upriver on its way to State Pier in New London this morning.
Since the cruise ship Explorer of the Seas is powered by gas turbine engines, why did they say she steamed upriver?
It must be that we just can’t be logical and nautical at the same time.
A picture of my cave
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