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back [the sails] (v) – To haul a sail to windward so that so that the wind fills it on the other side; when wind blows on the leeward side of a sail

backstay (n) – Standing or running (adjustable) wire rigging that supports the mast from the stern; a wire mast support leading aft to the deck or another mast

bacteria (n) – Micro-organisms that are typically one-celled, have no chlorophyll, multiply by simple cell division, and can only be seen with a microscope

baggywrinkle (n) – Pieces of old line that are wrapped around the standing rigging to prevent the sails from chafing

bagpipe (n) – A shrill-toned musical instrument, primarily Scottish in origin, with one double-reed pipe operated by finger stops and one or more drone pipes, all sounded by air forced from a leather bag, which in turn is kept filled by the player’s breath

baguette (n) – A long, thin loaf of bread

balaclava (n) – A covering for the head and neck, with an opening for the nose and eyes, worn for protection against wind and cold

baleen (n) – The elastic, horn-like material that hangs in two parallel plates from the upper jaw of certain whales and is used to strain the plankton on which the whales feed

ballast (n) – Weighted materials—such as stone, iron, lead, or wood—used as a counterweight in the hold to stabilize a boat

bamboos (n) – Woody grasses

ban (v) – To prohibit

band (v) – To place a tag on an animal for the purpose of identifying the animal in the future

baneful (adj) – Causing death, destruction, or ruin; harmful

bank (n) – A raised mound or slope of ground, especially a raised part of the continental shelf

bar graph (n) – A graph in which the lengths of parallel bars are used to compare statistical data

barbel (n) – Whisker-like feature on a fish thought to be used as a sensory organ

bare poles (n) – A situation in which no sails are set on a boat or ship.

bark (n) – A sailing ship that has three or more masts with the aftmost mast rigged "fore-and-aft" and the others square-rigged

barkentine (n)  – A sailing ship that has three or more masts with the foremast square-rigged and the others "fore-and-aft" rigged

barnacle (n) – A small marine organism (crustacean) that cements itself to rocks, wharves, ship hulls and even other animals (like whales)

barograph (n) – An instrument that automatically records on paper the chnages in atmospheric pressure; a recording barometer

barometer (n) – An instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure and forecasting the weather

barracks (n) – A building or group of buildings used to house military personnel

barrier island (n) – A low-lying island that runs parallel to the mainland coast, providing a protective barrier during storms

barrio (n) – The Spanish word for neighborhood

barter (v) – To trade by exchanging goods or services without using money

basalt (n) – A fine-grained crystalline, igneous rock

basaltic (adj) – Having characteristics of basalt

bascule drawbridge (n) – A variety of drawbridge, counterweighted so that it can be raised and lowered easily

baseline (n) — A set of critical observations or data used for comparison or a control

baseline data (n) – Initial data used for comparison or a control

bastion (n) – Any fortified place

batten (n) – A piece of wood or plastic inserted into a sail to help keep it taut

beachcombing (n) – Wandering on beaches looking for items of interest (e.g., shells)

beaker (n) – A jar- or tube-like container of glass or metal, with a lip for pouring

beam (n) – The width of a ship at the widest part

beam reach (n) – The act of sailing with the wind coming perpendicular to the side of the ship

bear away (v) – To turn away from the wind

bearing (n) – A determination of position; the position or direction of one point with respect to another or to the compass

beat (v) – To sail a boat to windward (into the wind) by tacking

Beaufort force (n) – A scale of numbers, usually from 1 to 12 (although sometimes extended to 15), which indicate wind strength. Each number represents a range of several knots of wind. Beaufort Force 1 is calm, while Beaufort Force 12 is hurricane, i.e., 63 knots or 75 miles per hour

Beaufort scale (n) – See Beaufort force

becalmed (adj) – Motionless from lack of wind

bed (n) – A plot of ground prepared for plants

belay (v) – To secure a line or rope to a pin or cleat

belaying pin (n) – A wooden or metal dowl-shaped object that is used to fasten and secure a line on a boat

Belonger (n) – One who lives on South Caicos

"the bends" (n) – The common name for decompression sickness, an ailment caused by an excess of dissolved nitrogen in the body; this illness is seen in divers who ascend too quickly to the water’s surface and/or remain too long at great depths underwater

benefactor (n) – One who has given financial support to a cause; a patron

benthic (adj) – Existing on or near the bottom of the ocean

Bequia (n) – The largest and most northern of the islands in the Grenadines, located just south of St. Vincent and part of the nation of St. Vincent & the Grenadines

Bermuda Triangle (n) – A triangular region in the Atlantic Ocean, bounded by Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and Florida, where ships and aircraft are reputed to have disappeared mysteriously since the 1940s

berth (n) – 1 : A space for ship to dock or anchor  2 : A job or position  3 : A built-in bed or bunk

bight (n) – A loop or bend in a rope, as distinct from its ends

bilge (n) – The bottommost interior part of a ship; the inner, lower part of a ship’s hull

bilge water (n) – Water that collects in the bilge of a boat; in large boats and tankers, water is sometimes added to the bilge for stability (ballast) on long sea journeys, then pumped out upon arrival in port

bilingual (adj) – Speaking two languages

binomial nomenclature (n) – The classification method in which an organism is identified by its genus and species

bioaccumulate (v) – To amass in various tissues of a living organism

biodegradable (adj) – Able to decompose into organic substances

biodiversity (n) – The diversity, or variety, of living things in a particular area or region

biogenous sediment (n) – Sediment consisting of the shells and skeletons of dead organisms

biogeography (n) – The past and present geographic distribution of plants and animals in the world

biologist (n) – A scientist who studies living organisms and life processes

bioluminescence (n) – Emission of visible light by living organisms such as the firefly and various fish, fungi, and bacteria

bioluminescent (adj) – Biologically producing light

biomass (n) – The total mass or number of living organisms in a particular area

biome (n) – A major life zone of interrelated plants and animals as determined by the climate

biosphere reserve (n) – An environmental protected area set aside in order to allow life to naturally occur, untouched by humans

biota (n) – The combined flora and fauna of a region

biotic (adj) — Living

bipedal (adj) – Two-footed

bird flu (n) – Also known as Avian Influenza; a flu virus that can affect many animal species including birds, pigs, horses, seals and whales; humans can contract this virus, although it is not common; there was an outbreak of bird flu in Asia in 2003-2004

Bispira variegata (n) – The Latin name for the feather duster worm

bitter end (n) – The end of a line or chain

bivalve (n) – A mollusk, such as an oyster or a clam, that has a shell consisting of two hinged halves

blacksmith (n) – One who makes or repairs iron objects, including the making and fitting of horseshoes

blatant (adj) – Totally or offensively conspicuous or obtrusive

bleached (adj) – In relation to coral, having lost color and become white due to environmental irritants

bleaching (n) – A coral state caused by changes in the environment (like temperature fluctuation) which irritate the coral and characterized by coral losing its color and becoming white due to its ejecting of the resident zooxanthellae that provide its color

blight (n) – A parasite or insect that kills, withers, or checks the growth of plants

block (n) – A wooden, metal or plastic case containing pulleys, through which turns of line are threaded for the purpose of gaining mechanical advantage or changing the direction of motion

blockade (n) – The shutting off of a port by enemy troops or ships in order to prevent passage in or out in time of war

blockade (v) – To shut off a port in order to prevent passage in or out in time of war

bloodstream (n) – The blood flowing through the body’s circulatory system

blowhole (n) – 1 : A nostril in the top of a whale’s head, through which it breathes  2 : A fissure in a cliff face along a shore, through which water spouts up due to the action of the waves

blubber (n) – The fat of a whale or other sea mammal, from which oil is obtained

blue-footed booby (n) – The most common of the three species of boobies found in the Galapagos Islands

blue hole (n) – A sinkhole or terrestrial cave system, created at a time when sea levels were lower and subsequently flooded to become a marine cave system

blue quandong (n) – Elaeocarpus angustifolius, a large tree with an open, graceful crown. Old leaves turn scarlet. Beautiful greenish-white bell-shaped flowers with finely fringed petals are followed by globular, bright blue fruit with edible flesh

blue tang (n) – Perch-like fish of the surgeonfish family, native to the coastal waters and coral reefs of the Western Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea

bluff (n) – A high, steep, broad-faced bank or cliff

boat delivery (n) – In nautical terms, a task in which people drive (sail or motor) a boat to a destination in preparation for its use at that destination

bocashi (n) – A Japanese method of creating organic compost

bodysurfing (n) – A form of surfing in which a person rides the crest of a wave into shore without the use of a surfboard

bog (n) – An area of wet spongy ground characterized by decaying mosses that form peat

bollard (n) – A large solid post on a wharf or pier for securing mooring lines

bone (n) – Foam or spray which is thrown out under a ship’s bow when she is underway; if fast moving with a lot of spray being thrown out, a vessel is said to have "a bone in her teeth"

bonefish (n) – Any of a family of silvery marine fish, often caught as game or food, which feed from the bottom in tropical shallows

"bone in her teeth" – A nautical description of a ship that is creating a bow wake as she sails

booby (n) – A sea bird that dives and feeds on fish in warm seas; of the genus Sula

boom (n) – A spar extending from a ship’s mast to hold the bottom of a sail outstretched

bosun (n) – Alternate spelling of boatswain; ship’s husband; an officer on a ship responsible for hull maintenance and other related work

bosun’s locker (n) – A room on a ship in which the bosun’s tools are stored

bosun’s mate (n) – Petty officer (in the U.S. Navy) subordinate to the bosun (or boatswain) who supervises the deck force

botanical (adj) – Relating to plants

botanist (n) – A scientist who studies plants

botany (n) – The scientific study of plants

"bottom-up" management (n) – A management style in which communities govern themselves

bovine (n) – Any of a family of animals related to oxen, bison, buffalo, and their close relatives

bow (n) – Forward part of the boat

bow wake (n) – The track left in the water by the bow of a boat or ship as she sails; caused by the ship's hull pushing the water ahead of itself

bowline (n) – A simple, strong knot, made to form a non-slip loop at a rope’s end and easily untied after being exposed to strain; often used in mooring for these reasons

"bowls" (n) – Slang referring to the head, or bathroom, aboard a ship

bowsprit (n) – A spar that juts out forward of the bow; it enlarges the sail area of the ship by permitting extra jibs out in front of the boat

Boxing Day (n) – A holiday, British in origin, which occurs on the day after Christmas; the name derives from the tradition of giving employees and tradesmen gift boxes or money on the day after Christmas

box trap (n) – A box-like trap used in fishing for a variety of marine life (especially crabs and lobsters)

brace (v) – In terms of kayaking, to use a downward sweep of the paddle to keep your boat from tipping over (e.g., in rough water)

brackish (adj) – Having a somewhat salty taste, especially from containing a mixture of seawater and fresh water

brail (n) – One of several small ropes attached to the after edge of a sail for drawing the sail in or up

breach (v) – To leap clear of the water (e.g., like a whale)

breaching (n) – 1 : A whale behavior in which the whale leaps clear of the water  2 : Breaking or violating

"break bulk" ship (n) – A ship on which all cargo is stored loosely (often in cartons) and directly in the vessel's hold, as opposed to being containerized

break zone (n) – The area in the surf where the waves break

breaker (n) – A wave that breaks into foam against a shore or reef

breakers (n) – Waves that have reached a shallow area and collapsed

breccia (n) – In geology, a rock composed of angular fragments of the same rock or of different rocks united by the same matrix

breed (v) – To reproduce

breeding (n) – The process of producing offspring

bridge (n) – A raised structure on a ship, from which it is navigated and controlled while underway

bright work (n) – Woodwork that is kept varnished

brine (n) – Salt water used for preserving and pickling foods

brine shrimp (n) – A common name for any of a group of small crustaceans. The typical full-grown brine shrimp is about 13 mm (about 0.5 in) long, with flat, leaflike legs and a long "tail" consisting of the last eight segments of the body. It has no shell and is transparent. Some species are raised commercially as aquarium food. When brine shrimps are deprived of oxygen, they can shut down their metabolism for up to four years.

Bristol fashion (n) – Nautical description for a ship that is very neat, clean, well-organized; also "ship shape"

broach (v) – To turn or swing a boat so that the beam (side) faces the waves and winds and there is danger in swamping or capsizing

bronchodilator (n) – An asthma medication that opens the airways of the lungs by relaxing the muscles around the airways

brooded (adj) – Having the confirmed ability to breed

bruschetta (n) – An Italian appetizer consisting of pieces of toasted bread topped with olive oil, garlic and any of various vegetables, olives, cheese or fish

bryozoan (n) – Any of a phylum of tiny marine animals that form branching, moss-like colonies

"bubble blasting" (n) – A whale behavior resembling snorkeling

buccaneer (n) – Pirate

bugeye (n) – A variety of two-masted schooner used in Chesapeake Bay for oystering and characterized by a shallow draft to sail over oyster bars and a thick log bottom to withstand the abrasion of sharp oyster shells; the boat’s name came from the Scottish word for "oyster" and its log bottom is one of the few American hull styles based on an indigenous design (Native American log canoes)

bulker (n) – A ship that carries bulk cargo, that is, unbound homogenous cargo in loose, unpackaged form (e.g., ore, wood chips, etc.)

bulkhead (n) – Any of the upright partitions separating parts of a ship to protect against leakage

bullion (n) – Gold in the form of bars, ingots, or plates

bullock (n) – 1 : A steer  2 : A young bull

bulwark (n) – The part of a ship’s side above the deck

bungee cord (n) – An elasticized rope

bungee jumper (n) – A person who participates in the sport of jumping, usually head-first, from a great height while attached to a bungee cord

bunk (n) – A shelflike bed or berth built into or against the wall of a ship

bunker (n) – An underground, protected weapon emplacement, made usually of steel and concrete

bunker fuel (n) – A thick fuel used by some tour boats

buntline (n) – A rope attached to the middle part of the foot of a square sail

buoy (n) – A floating object anchored in a body of water to warn of a hazard, define a channel, or mark the placement of a fishing net or trap; buoys are variously shaped and colored, and often equipped with a bell or light while others are equipped with instruments to collect sea and weather data in oceans

buoyancy (n) – The ability to float in a particular liquid or air

Buoyancy Compensator Device (BC or BCD) (n) – An inflatable vest, used to provide buoyancy on or below the water’s surface; also known as Buoyancy Control Device

buoyant (adj) – Marked by the tendency or capacity to remain afloat in a liquid or rise in air or gas

burrito (n) – A Mexican dish consisting of a flour tortilla wrapped around a filling of meat, cheese, refried beans, etc.

bush tucker (n) – Edible fruit and plants found growing wild in the Australian rainforest

bushwhack (v) – To beat or cut one’s way through bushes or underbrush

busker (n) – A street musician or public entertainer, especially one who solicits money during a performance

buttress (n) – A complex tree trunk that flares out near the ground for support and protection

bycatch (n) – Non-targeted species caught by fishers

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