The Black Norse

The Black Norse
The Black Norse is a contemporary legend that has been circulating among mariners since the latest increase in piracy at sea. The Black Norse is said to be a ghost ship operating on the oceans of the world. The ship is supposed to leave no signature on navigational systems, and she is only appearing in bad weather. To observe the Black Norse is considered a good sign: It is supposed to help against pirates.
A modern ghost ship
There are different variations of this new and oral legend, but the following characteristic seems to be the same:
The ship is a moderate sized tanker, probably an Aframax. The ship is coated totally black. Some say it has as a fluorescent "star" or star shaped funnel symbol. The ship is sighted only in extremely bad weather conditions. As the name Norse indicates, it is supposed to have some kind of connection to Norway. Some rumors tell about a Norwegian crew that was tired of the oil business and stole the ship. The Master in these rumors are called Captain 12, after the number 12 which indicates the strongest force on the Beaufort scale. Other rumors describe the Master as a Robin Hood like character.
The Black Norse sightings are all in bad weather, but all undocumented. There are a few postings on the internet that is supposed to be of the Black Norse, but their content could not be verified.
Possible origins
The talk and rumors among sailors has been the source for many myths over the years.
The limited life at sea has been notorious of generating various conspiracy theories, and folklore . Possible origins of this myth are probably linked to the current piracy situation around the world. Especially in Somalia, where the pirates use vessels stolen from the merchant navy as motherships . This has increased fear of being attacked, not only in Somalian waters, but around the world. The relief of having "someone" on your side, and subconsciously making up a hero, seems to be a relevant explaination of this myth.

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